What is the Welsh Government strategy for older people?

In Wales, people are living longer, with one in four potentially over 65 in the next 20 years. Responding to this significant demographic shift is a core objective for the Welsh Government, which has outlined its vision in its strategy for older people, 'Age Friendly Wales: Our Strategy for an Ageing Society'.

Quick Summary

The Welsh Government's strategy for older people, 'Age Friendly Wales: Our Strategy for an Ageing Society,' aims to create an age-friendly nation by enhancing well-being, improving local services, building capability, and tackling age-related poverty through a rights-based approach.

Key Points

• Rights-Based Approach: The strategy is guided by the UN Principles for Older Persons, focusing on independence, participation, care, self-fulfilment, and dignity.

• Four Core Aims: It is built on four key aims: enhancing well-being, improving local services and environments, building personal capability, and tackling age-related poverty.

• Age-Friendly Communities: The plan is driving a national movement towards creating age-friendly communities in partnership with the WHO.

• Tackling Ageism: The strategy directly addresses and aims to eliminate ageism and age discrimination to foster a more inclusive society.

• Local and Cross-Sector Collaboration: Implementation involves strong collaboration between the Welsh Government, local authorities, health boards, and third-sector organizations.

• Emphasis on Prevention: The strategy promotes early intervention and preventative measures to support people in living healthy and independent lives for longer.

The Vision: An Age-Friendly Wales

Published in 2021, 'Age Friendly Wales: Our Strategy for an Ageing Society' builds on previous efforts to create a Wales where growing older is something to look forward to. It views the increasing older population as an asset, recognizing their valuable societal and economic contributions. A key element is prioritizing the input of older people in policy-making and confronting ageist stereotypes that limit potential and affect service quality.

Informed by a Rights-Based Approach

Inspired by the United Nations Principles for Older Persons, the strategy emphasizes a rights-based approach to ensure older individuals are treated with dignity and respect. These principles advocate for:

• Independence: Access to essential resources like food, water, shelter, healthcare, employment, and education.
• Participation: Encouragement to remain involved in society, contribute to policies impacting their lives, and share their expertise.
• Care: Availability of social, legal, and adequate health services.
• Self-fulfilment: Opportunities for personal growth and creative expression.
• Dignity: Living securely and free from exploitation or abuse.

The Four Core Aims

The strategy sets out four national aims, aligned with the UK Age Index, to guide progress towards an age-friendly nation.

Enhancing People's Well-being

This aim focuses on promoting good physical and mental health to support independent living. Actions include healthy ageing programs, social prescribing to combat isolation, dementia and mental health support, and falls prevention initiatives.

Improving Local Services and Environments

Creating age-friendly communities, homes, and public spaces is central to this aim. This involves partnering with the WHO Global Network for Age-friendly Cities, supporting diverse housing options and home adaptations, improving transport, and ensuring accessible public spaces.

Building and Retaining People's Own Capability

Recognizing the desire of many older people to remain engaged, this aim focuses on enabling continued work, learning, and volunteering. Efforts include promoting lifelong learning, addressing age discrimination in employment, improving digital access and confidence, and supporting volunteering.

Tackling Age-Related Poverty

Addressing the financial challenges older people face is key. This involves promoting financial inclusion and benefit uptake, and implementing plans to combat fuel poverty.

Partnership Working

Effective implementation relies on collaboration with various partners, including local authorities, health boards, and organizations like Age Cymru. The Ministerial Advisory Forum on Ageing, which includes older people, oversees the strategy's progress. This ensures the strategy remains responsive to the needs of older people.

Intergenerational Practice

The strategy advocates for intergenerational activities to foster stronger communities and reduce social exclusion. By encouraging understanding across age groups, it aims to challenge ageist attitudes and create a society where all ages feel valued.

A Comparison of Key Strategic Areas

This table illustrates how the main aims of the strategy intersect with and are supported by other Welsh Government policy areas.

Aim	Supporting Welsh Government Policy	Key Action
Enhancing Well-being	'A Healthier Wales'	Investing in preventative health initiatives and integrated health and social care services delivered closer to home.
	Dementia Action Plan	Embedding a rights-based approach and providing dedicated funding for implementation.
Improving Local Services	Sustainable Social Services	Transforming social services delivery and strengthening opportunities for independent living.
	Digital Strategy for Wales	Accelerating digital innovation while ensuring non-digital access for those who need it.
Building Capability	Cymraeg 2050	Enhancing Welsh language services, particularly important for older people with health conditions like dementia.
	Connected Communities Strategy	Tackling loneliness and isolation through community-based initiatives.
Tackling Poverty	Foundational Economy Strategy	Strengthening the foundational economy (e.g., social care, housing) on which older people rely.
	Warm Homes Programme	Investing to improve energy efficiency for people on low incomes.

Conclusion

In summary, the Welsh Government strategy, 'Age Friendly Wales: Our Strategy for an Ageing Society,' takes a comprehensive, rights-based, and preventative approach to challenge ageism and create a nation where older people can thrive. Its four core aims provide a framework for action across all sectors of Welsh society.

For full details, see the official document: Age Friendly Wales: Our Strategy for an Ageing Society.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the primary vision of the Welsh Government strategy for older people?

The primary vision is to create an 'age friendly Wales' where people of all ages are supported to live and age well, challenging negative stereotypes and valuing older people's contributions to society.

What are the four main aims of the Age Friendly Wales strategy?

The four main aims are: Enhancing people's well-being, improving local services and environments, building and retaining people's own capability, and tackling age-related poverty.

How does the strategy tackle ageism?

The strategy explicitly aims to combat ageism and age discrimination by promoting positive images of ageing, upholding the rights of older people, and engaging with partners like Age Cymru to challenge negative stereotypes.

What is an Age-Friendly Community in Wales?

An Age-Friendly Community in Wales is a place that is accessible, inclusive, and supports older people to participate fully in community life. Local authorities work with partners to meet criteria aligned with the WHO Global Network for Age-friendly Cities.

How does the strategy support older people to remain independent?

The strategy supports independence through multiple measures, including investing in home adaptations and extra care housing, promoting physical activity to reduce frailty and falls, and ensuring access to appropriate health and social care services.

Does the strategy address loneliness and isolation?

Yes, a core component of the strategy is enhancing well-being by tackling loneliness and isolation. It funds initiatives like social prescribing to connect older people with community groups and activities.

How is the Welsh Government strategy funded?

Funding is provided through various channels, including targeted funding to local authorities for age-friendly initiatives, investment via the Integrated Care Fund for prevention and early intervention, and allocations for specific programmes like dementia action plans.

Who oversees the implementation of the strategy?

The strategy's implementation is overseen by the Ministerial Advisory Forum on Ageing, which includes older people and their representatives, ensuring their voice is central to the process.