Contact: Alex Burn, Head of Older People's Well-Being Team, tel:01962 84 7279
e-mail: [email protected]

1 Summary

1.1 The following decision was made:

That the Cabinet approved the Older People's Well-Being Strategy for Hampshire 2008-2011.

1.2 Introduction

1.3 A draft Older People's Well-Being Strategy has been consulted on from 10 December 2007 to 10 March 2008. This has been produced by the Older People's Well-Being Team, which is based in the Chief Executives Department. The strategy aims to develop improvement actions for older people, integrated across all parts of the County Council and also relevant partners.

1.4 The team facilitates and supports a Joint Older People's Well-Being Steering Group, which has overseen the development of the strategy. The group's membership is drawn from County Council departments including Adult Services and Recreation and Heritage, as well as a range of voluntary organisations, including Age Concern Hampshire and Carers Together, and agencies such as the Pension Service. There has also been structured input from district councils.

1.5 Summary of the Strategy

1.6 The strategy focuses on the 84% of older people over the age of 65 who at any given time are not intensively using National Health Service (NHS) and social care services. It is structured around the Seven Dimensions of Independence (developed by the Audit Commission and Better Government for Older People in 2004).

1.7 This recognises that central to improving older people's well- being is the development of services and support that will allow them to live independently in their own home for as long as possible, whilst maintaining a positive quality of life.

1.8 The consultation on the strategy requested feedback on which of the 21 proposed county-wide priorities were considered the most important. The proposed county priorities which received the greatest number of responses in order of priority are:-

1. Work with transport agencies to improve access and services.

2. Promote information about existing gardening services. Support the development of low maintenance gardening initiatives and gardening schemes where required

3. Consider a variety of ways to access existing handy person and home improvement activities, including energy savings and insulation

4. Develop further ways to promote personal safety

5. Co-ordinate an on -going benefits campaign across the county with the Pension Service and other agencies

6. Encourage activities between the young and the old.

7. Promote simple and regular physical activities in a variety of settings.

8. Increase the opportunity to access a variety of social activities and the co-ordination between existing resources

1.9 The responses will enable us to develop, with our partners, at a county and local level, realistic timescales and action plans to take forward the resulting initiatives. These work streams will be overseen by the Joint Older People's Well-Being Steering Group.

1.10 The work will initially be contained within existing organisational budgets so should be cost neutral.

1.11 At a local level there will also be underpinning action plans for each district council area, developed with key partners in order to respond to local needs and link into existing work streams and strategies. These will also be initially cost neutral.

1.12 The Older People's Well-Being Strategy links to the LAA as it will fall under the remit of the emerging Health and Wellbeing Partnership Board.

1.13 The resulting action plans, at both county and local level will feed into and support the evolving Self Directed Support (SDS) agenda and help inform the Council's Commission on Personalisation of Care Services..

1.14 There has been a positive reaction from partner organisations. They have recognised the strategy as a framework to develop a proactive approach which will minimise the impact of an ageing population on our services, whilst improving older people's wellbeing and quality of life.

1.15 An additional appendix has been included to provide the members with an overview of what projects have been undertaken with partners in the last 18 months, to provide some context for the strategy.

1 Reason

1.1 The strategy will provide a clear framework for the County Council and its partners to develop work around the well-being of older people in Hampshire. It will therefore be able to support directly the county priorities of Hampshire Safer and More Secure and Maximising Wellbeing.

2 Other Options considered and rejected

2.1 The only other option is not to proceed with approving this policy.

3 Conflicts of Interest declared by the decision maker or other Executive member consulted - none.

4 Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee - not applicable.

5 Reason(s) for the matter being dealt with if urgent - not applicable.

Approved by: Date:
Councillor T.K. Thornber, C.B.E. - Chairman