Westmorland and Furness Council has launched a Community Conversation on the future of care for older residents. Called 'A place called home: your living choices in later life' .
The council is asking residents to think about their hopes and preferences for future living arrangements and care as they get older and may need more support to remain independent.
The Community Conversation will help inform the council's future direction for all aspects of its Adult Social Care support for older people's independence and wellbeing, including:
adaptations, technology and personal support to help people remain in their own home.
reablement support and intermediate care beds to help people return to their own home after a spell in hospital, or to prevent the need to go into hospital.
access to the right mix of affordable specialist housing offering support and care, such as sheltered housing and extra care housing.
modern residential care, with facilities and services that are fit for the future.
specialist support for people living with advanced dementia.
The Community Conversation is taking place for three weeks across Eden, South Lakeland and Furness from March 9 to March 30.
Council staff will be out and about speaking to residents at supermarkets and community venues about the living choices and care decisions they may face in the future.
There is also an online survey for residents and a separate survey for organisations involved in supporting older people in Westmorland and Furness.
The Community Conversation will provide insight into planning all aspects of future provision for older people through Adult Social Care's in-house Care Services function. Separate work is looking at provision for adults with physical or mental disabilities.
Cllr Patricia Bell, Westmorland and Furness Council Cabinet member for Adults, Health and Care said:
"Some of the most important and difficult care decisions to be made as you get older are about housing - where you will live and how you can retain your independence for as long as possible.
"We want to hear what is most important to people as their needs grow, what people mean by independence as they get older, and what awareness there is of different kinds of housing that supports older people.
"If you can no longer live safely at home then the only option doesn't have to be moving to a residential care home – we think there needs to be more affordable specialist housing and care options available between your own home and going into a care home, and we want to see what residents think about that."
The Community Conversation is being launched because Westmorland and Furness has an ageing population, with numbers aged 65 and over projected to rise 28% from 58,500 in 2021 to 75,000 in 2043. The numbers of people living with advanced dementia also are going to rise significantly.
"This is all going to put unsustainable pressure on accommodation for older people, including residential homes," says Cllr Bell, "so we need your help to understand your preferences, so we can plan effectively and make the best decisions for the future.
"A preventative approach with early support in the community is vital too, so we want to hear what you'd like to see in order for you to stay happy, healthy and active for as long as possible.
"At the same time as these demographic challenges, Government funding for Westmorland and Furness Council has been cut significantly, so it is even more important we look at innovative ways of working and new models of care.
"It is also important for the council to clearly define its role so that we are making the best use of our resources by concentrating on providing modern services that the independent market cannot reliably provide on its own.
"Within that role we very much want to be ambitious and innovative, with modern, fit-for-the-future services and will be looking at new ideas and best practice from around the UK and Europe."
Following the Community Conversation and other research by the council, the council's Cabinet will meet in July to consider the future strategy for its care services and decide future options, with a period of full Public Consultation to follow.
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