Towards Independence for Older People in Gwent

1
Towards Independence for Older People in Gwent

• David Murray
• Chief Executive Officer
• Age Concern Gwent

2

• The future is not some place we are going to,
  but one we are creating
• John Schaar

3

• Happily Independent

4
Why an Outcome Focus?

• Action is propelled by the right drivers
• Outcomes are owned by a wide range of people
  (services are often only owned by those involved
  in the service)
• Much current activity is driven by service need
  rather than outcomes
• Outcomes focus on the whole context of peoples
  lives

5
What Are Older People Saying?

• If older people in Gwent are happily independent
  they will
• Be able to remain living in their own homes
• Be safe and secure
• Live in good quality homes
• Be able to cook, wash, clean and go out
• Be able to maintain their standards
• Receive services in their home
• Be financially stable to make independent choices

6
What Are Older People Saying? (cont)

• Be receiving the benefits available
• Be listened to by the people who are responsible
  for providing services
• Not be lonely
• Have a supportive family
• Have friends and neighbours keeping an eye out
  for them
• Have company
• Be going out to social activities

7
What Are Older People Saying? (cont)

• Have a plan for old age
• Be in touch with other people in similar
  circumstances
• Be able to keep a pet if they so wish
• Have their health and social care problems solved
  quickly and considered in the whole context of
  their lives
• (Older Peoples Workshops, 2009)

8
Outcome PlanningTake-Up of Benefits By Older
People

• Our pension does not even bring us up to the
  level of the lowest paid in the economy
• With the rising cost of living and the cost of
  energy bills in particular my social life has
  borne the brunt of my cost-cutting. I feel more
  alone and more isolated now than I ever did. It
  particularly upsets me that I cannot visit my
  brother who lives in Nottingham. I simply cannot
  afford the fare. I last saw him in 1991.

9
Outcome PlanningOlder People Living in Good
Quality Housing

• Older people are no different to younger people
  in wanting choice over where and how we live our
  lives. Mostly we want to live in our own homes
  and maintain our standards but it gets harder as
  you get older to keep your home looking tidy. It
  depresses me when I look at the cobwebs which I
  cannot dust away any more, or the light bulb that
  I cannot replace. All it would take is a few
  moments of someones time and it would lift my
  spirits.

10
Outcome PlanningOlder People Receiving Home Care

• I was recently admitted to hospital for a
  relatively minor procedure, but it did take me a
  while to recover. When I was discharged form
  hospital the nurse told me that Social Services
  would be in touch to help out with shopping and
  make sure I was alright. It took 3 days before
  Social Service help arrived had it not been for
  a volunteer from a Charity I would have gone
  without food until they came.

11
Outcome PlanningOlder People Living Healthily

• I have arthritis and I have noticed that it is
  becoming very painful and difficult for me to
  peel potatoes and carrots. I wish I could afford
  to buy those pre-prepared packs from the
  supermarket.Mind you, they are so big that I
  would never manage to eat them all, and I cannot
  abide waste.

12
Outcome PlanningOlder People with Chronic
Conditions Receiving Care in the Most Appropriate
Environment

• I have been living with a heart condition for
  some years now. Every now and again I get a funny
  turn, I find it hard to breathe and never know
  what is going to happen next. Not knowing makes
  me anxious and being anxious makes it hard for me
  to calm down which makes my condition worse. I
  wish I knew what my GP or Consultant expect me to
  do when I get these turns or what I could do to
  reduce the number of turns I have. I always end
  up being rushed to hospital and admitted for a
  few days until my condition stabilises. You have
  no idea how difficult it is to pick up the pieces
  each time I return home.

13
Outcome PlanningPeople in Gwent and Falls

• I needed to get up during the night to use the
  bathroom, the landing light was on but I did not
  notice a piece of carpet sticking up. I tripped
  over it and fell. My wife called the ambulance
  and when they came they told me I hadnt broken
  any bones but they wanted me to go to hospital
  because my wife is quite poorly. I spent the
  night in AE, was X-rayed, and was told that no
  damage was done. Then I had to wait and wait and
  wait and wait for an ambulance to take me back
  home again.

14

• What is the value of reassurance?
• What is the value of anxiety lessened?
• What is the value of questions answered?
• What is the value of expectations realised?
• What is the value of commitment to services?
• What is the value of pain eased?
• What is the value of time spent with an anxious
  individual?
• What is the value of a hand held?
• What is the value of caring?
• What is the value of peace of mind?
• What is the value of kindness?

15

• There is no such thing as older people.
  there are merely people who have got older.