Agenda item

The report sets out a new Ageing Well Strategy for Waverley drawing on latest data and consultations with stakeholders.  Once formally adopted, Waverley’s Ageing Well Strategy and its supporting Action Plan will form a key source document for the continuation and development of services and activities that support older people living in the borough. 

The publication of the 2011 Census information highlighted the significant increase in Waverley’s ageing population:  Waverley has the largest older population in Surrey and those residents are living longer.  Our older population make an enormous and positive contribution to our communities and this should be celebrated.  The Ageing Well Strategy lays the foundation for providing a good quality of life for older people through the provision of local services and activities as well as highlighting the considerable strengths and opportunities of our changing demographic. 

Given the wider work being carried out to support the health and wellbeing of our residents by the Council and other partners, the Strategy highlights how it will contribute to this agenda, demonstrating how the Council’s services and activities help prevent residents accessing more costly interventions.  The outcomes of the Action Plan will demonstrate the huge impact of the Council’s work to support its older residents and that it will be recognised more strongly within the wider system of public services.

The Community Overview and Scrutiny Committee considered the report at its meeting on 14 September 2015 and endorsed the Strategy with no observations to forward onto the Executive.

Recommendation

It is recommended to the Council that the Ageing Well Strategy and Action Plan for Waverley be approved and adopted.

The Executive has agreed to RECOMMEND to the COUNCIL that the Ageing Well Strategy and Action Plan for Waverley be approved and adopted.

[This item is recommended to the Council for approval and is not subject to the call-in procedure].

[Reason: to adopt an Ageing Well Strategy for Waverley]

72.1    During 2013 it was agreed to establish the future direction of the Council’s responsibility, services and support to the voluntary sector through the development of an Older Persons Ageing Well Strategy for Waverley, attached as Annexe 2.

72.2    In 2013, the 2011 Census highlighted that Waverley’s older (65+ years) population was recorded at 25,200 inhabitants, with this figure being projected to increase by 14.3% in 2020.  The over 85 population is projected to increase by 28.6% by 2020.  Waverley Borough Council therefore has an important challenge ahead: catering for an ever increasing group of older adults, whilst ensure that the quality of support offered towards their wellbeing is maintained. 

72.3    Most people in Waverley enjoy a good quality of life and it is a fantastic place to work and live. The Council has a key role to play in recognising the opportunities and challenges ahead in catering for an ever-increasing older population.  The development of its Ageing Well Strategy Action Plan enables the Council to continue to develop its existing services and new ones, so that older people are able to maximise their use of mainstream local services, remain independent and feel valued members of our communities. 

72.4    The Council is proud of its history in meeting the needs of its older residents and the steps it has taken to focus the delivery of its services and activities to support their wellbeing needs as the demographics of the population has started to change.  Key areas of the work that the Councils already delivers to support older residents, that is captured within the Action Plan, include:

·        Funding of at least £590,000 through Service Level Agreements and grants to organisations that deliver services for older people such as day centres, community transport, information and advice.

·        £2.2million project to develop the Farnham Memorial Hall, which will host services for older people.

·        244 self contained accommodation within our sheltered services for older people.

·        Delivery of physical activity programmes for older people such as falls prevention, fit for life and walks for health.

·        The Easymove Scheme which supports Council tenants, including older people, to move to accommodation better suited to their needs.

·        Delivery of a Meals on Wheels service, with funding to the Royal Voluntary Service, which currently provides meals to 159 residents.  

·        A Care and Repair service to enable more people to remain in their own home or private rented accommodation.

72.5    A range of data was reviewed from various sources to support the development of the Strategy such as the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment, 2011 Census, Surreyi and the Council’s own information to establish a population profile.  The data was used to look at the profile of the borough and the wellbeing needs of the older population.  The headline statistics are:

·        Waverley has the largest older population in Surrey and an over 85 year old population that is set to grow by almost 30% by 2020.

·        20% of Waverley residents are aged 65 years and older.

·        3.2% of Waverley residents are aged 85 years and older.

·        Dementia poses a significant challenge, with Waverley having the highest number of residents predicted to have dementia in Surrey. 

·        51% of Waverley’s economically inactive residents are retired.

·        14% of households are occupied by people over 65 living on their own.

·        Waverley has the lowest connectivity index in Surrey meaning it is more difficult for people that are unable to drive to get out and about

·        Waverley has pockets of isolation and several wards have a high rate of one person households, which can lead to increased loneliness and depression.

72.6    It was agreed that the Strategy would focus on ten key areas known as the Ageing Well Pledges.  These ten pledges were published following a Surrey-wide consultation in 2011-13 resulting in the publication of an Ageing Well Commitment for Surrey.  The pledges were identified as issues that will ensure that people can age well and they endorse the feedback we regularly receive from our older residents and the organisations that support them. 

72.7    At its meeting on 17 June 2014, the Community O&S Committee endorsed the proposed approach to develop an Ageing Well Strategy and Action Plan for Waverley.  This included a consultation exercise to gain a better understanding of the lives of Waverley’s older population, their current use of services and any further support that Waverley could offer as part of the five year Strategy. 

72.8    A series of initial consultation sessions based around the ten pledges were carried out with key individuals and groups.  These consultations included:

·        An electronic survey for families and carers of older adults;

·        A face to face survey with people attending day centres across the borough and residents living at some of the Council’s sheltered housing schemes;

·        Two community consultation events held in Farnham and Cranleigh inviting individuals and voluntary sector organisations that deliver services for older adults;

·        Discussions with officers from various service areas including Housing, Leisure, Planning and Communities;

·        A Members focus group.

72.9    Following the results of initial consultations it became clear that three key themes were emerging under which the responses could be categorised.  These were community, home and support.  These themes were, therefore, identified as the three main priorities for the development of the Ageing Well Action Plan proposing the implementation of key activities the Council may undertake.  These three priorities are separated within the Action Plan into:

Priority 1 – Feeling part of a community

Priority 2 – Remaining Independent At Home

Priority 3 – Accessing Support and Information

72.10  Specific activities for delivery over the next five years were identified under each of the three priorities.  These activities were identified using the variety of information gathered to develop the Strategy including:  the consultation exercises, statistical data, through the Council’s continuous dialogue with key partner organisations including the Clinical Commissioning Groups and their work relating to the older population through the Better Care Fund, the Waverley Adult Social Care team supporting older people and voluntary organisations delivering services to older people. 

72.11  It was essential to respect the wishes of older people and to keep these in mind throughout the development of the Strategy.  To this end, ensuring that enough comprehensive research and consultation was carried out was crucial.  It was equally important to explore partnerships with external agencies as a pooling of knowledge and resources will be mutually beneficial and will ensure that a wider number of issues concerning older adults may be addressed.

72.12  The draft Strategy and Action Plan that have been developed through this groundwork lay the foundations for providing a better quality of life for older people through the provision of local services that are designed to meet their current and future needs. It builds on the existing work of the Council and identifies new activities to support the wellbeing needs of residents as the demographics of the population change.  The Action Plan enables older people to stay connected to their local communities and services so that they may remain independent for as long as possible.  The Executive now

            RECOMMENDS that

26.       the Ageing Well Strategy and Action Plan for Waverley be approved and adopted.

[Reason: to adopt an Ageing Well Strategy for Waverley]