20th June 2011 - Reablement Alliance welcomes new approach for Welsh services for older people

 An alliance of Welsh voluntary and professional organisations is calling on the Welsh Government and local government to improve the provision of social care for older people inWales. It follows the release of a Social Services Improvement Agency (SSIA) report, “Better Support at Lower Cost”, which looks at social care in Wales.

The Welsh Reablement Alliance – formed by WRVS, the College of Occupational Therapists, Age Cymru, the Stroke Association in Wales,the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and Care & Repair Cymru – has welcomed the SSIA report,supported its conclusions and is calling for better access to effective reablement services across Wales.

In particular, the alliance is supporting the SSIA’s argument for stronger preventative services to be introduced, in orderto reducethe need for longer term social care and unnecessary hospital admissions. The alliance is also calling for the Welsh Government to commit to making the move from hospital to home less stressful for older people by providing targeted, timely interventions so they can continue to live happy, independent lives.

Sally Rivers, WRVS Head of Services for Wales, said: “The Welsh Reablement Alliance is campaigning for the development of reablement services for older people in Wales, building on existing good practice and ensuring that all the services involved work together seamlessly in helping people live as independently as possible at home.

“This can be achieved by putting together a Welsh quality framework for reablement, which would be a useful guide for local authorities. It’s really important there is also a focus on helping people to integrate back into their community after a stay in hospital, to make sure people don’t feel isolated or lonely.”

Ruth Crowder, Policy Officer for Wales for the College of Occupational Therapists, said: “Reablement services have been shown to be effective in reducing care costs and enabling people to live at home longer. It will be vital that both local government and the Welsh Government ensure integrated,effective and responsive services at the right time to ensure people can remain in their own homes and integrated within their local community for as long as possible.”

Ends

NOTES

• The Welsh Reablement Alliance is comprised of WRVS, the College of Occupational Therapists, Age Cymru, the Stroke Association In Wales, the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and Care & Repair Cymru. It campaigns to promote the benefits of consistent, effective, integrated services which enable people to maximise their ability to live as independently as possible.
• Reablement aims to help people accommodate their illness or condition by learning or relearning the skills necessary for daily living (Care Services Efficiency Delivery Programme, Homecare Re-ablement Workstream 2007).  
• Reablement has been shown to deliver cost efficiencies.  A 2007 study for Care Services Efficiency Delivery Programme (CSED) found that following reablement up to 68% of people no longer needed a home care package and up to 48% continued not to need home care two years later

(Care Services Efficiency Delivery Programme, Homecare Re-ablement Workstream (2007) [Homecare reablement] retrospective longitudinal study November 2007. London: Care Services Efficiency Delivery. Available here 

The SSIA report can be found online by clicking here.

• For further information, please contact:
• Sally Rivers, Head of Service, WRVSWales: 07714 898571
• Ruth Crowder, Policy Officer forWales, College of Occupational Therapists:  07585 606385
• Philippa Ford,Policy Officer forWales, Chartered Society of Physiotherapy: (029) 2038 2429
• Lowri Griffiths,Head of Communications & External Affairs, The Stroke Association inWales: (029) 20524420
• Vera Brinkworth, Head of Events and Training, Care & Repair Cymru: (029) 2057 6286
• Rhea Stevens, Campaigns Coordinator, Age Cymru: (029) 2043 1571