Turning The Page: Writing the next chapter for older people in Wales

17.5.11

In February 2011 the Commission produced ‘Turning the Page’, a document which outlined ten clear and achievable changes which can be made by the Welsh Government to improve the lives of older people in Wales during the new Assembly term.

The calls were based on what older people have been telling the Commission, and evidence obtained from our work.  We believe these proposals reflect what older people hope to see from the Welsh Government in the coming years.

As part of this process, Commission staff met with representatives of the four major political parties in Wales at the end of 2010 to encourage them to make our proposals part of their manifestos.  We also attended the party conferences at the start of this year, meeting with many AM’s, MP’s and ministers to press them on the value of making these issues part of their program for government.

Now that we have a new Assembly, and a new Welsh Government we will be continuing to press for change in these ten areas, and they will form the basis of our first meetings with new Welsh Ministers.

The ten calls in ‘Turning the Page’ are as follows.

• Poverty: a life course approach
• Review the law to better protect older people at risk of harm
• Make the most of the Equality Act
• Role of public transport in combating social exclusion
• Develop better Advocacy services for older people
• Improve and promote community facilities for older people
• Reform the funding of Social Care
• Ensure dignity and respect for hospital in-patients
• Reduce preventable hospital admissions and promote independence
• Improve the provision of aids and adaptations provided by local authorities

Turning the Page (.pdf)