Welsh Reablement Alliance

Older people in Wales need backup and support services to allow them to live as independently as possible - that's according to campaigners.

The Welsh Reablement Alliance says so-called ‘reablement services' help to improve older people's quality of life and cut down on hospital admissions.

The Alliance is speaking today at a meeting of the Cross Party Group on Older People and Ageing at the National Assembly for Wales.

It will be calling for reablement services to be included in the Social Services (Wales) Bill and for them to be consistent and available to older people all across Wales.

Chair of the Welsh Reablement Alliance, Dr Ed Bridges, says:

"At its heart, reablement is about helping people to do things for themselves to maximise their ability to live life as independently as possible.

"It focuses on what people can do, rather than what they can't, and aims to reduce the need for ongoing support after reablement.

"Dedicated and consistent reablement services help to prevent costly hospital readmissions and help to improve people's quality of life.

"This is not only important for personal wellbeing, but also saves money in the longer term through reducing costs to the NHS and social services.

"The Welsh Reablement Alliance is calling on the Welsh Government to make a commitment to statutory funding for reablement services to in recognition of the fact that properly funded reablement saves money in the long-term."

Dr Bridges will be giving evidence at the meeting of alongside with Ruth Crowder of the College of Occupational Therapists and Chris Jones from Care & Repair Cymru.
Mike Hedges AM is the Chair of the Cross Party Group on Older People and Ageing.
Speaking ahead of today's meeting, he comments:

"With Wales having one of the higher proportions of older people in the UK, it's important to ensure that the needs and requirements of the older community in Wales are heard and that older people are effectively represented.

"The Cross Party Group on Older People and Ageing acts as a forum for debate where the daily issues and challenges faced by the older community in Wales can be discussed, considered and passed onto the Welsh Government for action.

"Our aim as a Cross Party Group is to highlight the daily issues and challenges faced by the older community in Wales so that they can be tackled and that older people throughout Wales can lead a better life with the respect and dignity that they deserve."

The Welsh Reablement Alliance campaigns to promote the benefits of consistent, effective, integrated services which enable people to maximise their ability to live as independently as possible.

The Welsh Reablement Alliance is:
• Age Cymru;
• Alzheimer's Society;
• British Association of Social Workers Cymru;
• Care & Repair Cymru;
• Chartered Society of Physiotherapy;
• College of Occupational Therapists;
• Crossroads Care;
• United Kingdom Homecare Association Ltd (UKHCA)
• WRVS;
• Mind Cymru;
• Multiple Sclerosis Society Cymru;
• The Stroke Association