Social Care News

Funding announced to help Mid and West Wales older residents remain in own homes

The Welsh Government has today (August 21) announced an £8.4m package of investment in services to support older people in Mid and West Wales, particularly the frail elderly, to maintain their independence and remain in their homes.

The funding, from the Welsh Government’s £50m Intermediate Care Fund (ICF), was announced by the Deputy Minister for Social Services, Gwenda Thomas. She said: “The £8.4m that’s been awarded to more than 70 projects across Mid and West Wales will provide an excellent opportunity to make a real difference to the lives of older people.

“The investment will enable health, housing and social services, along with the third and independent sectors, to work together on some very innovative projects to support older people to maintain their independence and remain in their own home.”

A range of intermediate care services are being delivered across Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion and Powys. The ICF funding will support local authorities to work with partners from health, housing, and the third and independent sectors.

The ICF was established to provide improved care and support for older people, at home or in the local community. The fund is aimed at helping ease pressure on the NHS by preventing unnecessary admissions to hospital and residential care and delayed discharges from hospital.

The investment will fund a range of proposals within the region, including:

• Development of an integrated health and social care workforce to provide rapid response and other services;
• Improving therapy input into ‘reablement’ services;
• Development of integrated ‘twighlight’ services providing responsive transport home from hospital and home-based mobility support to prevent admissions;
• A project led by Care and Repair which will speed up minor adaptations and provide services to help keep people in their homes;
• Further development of supported accommodation, including dementia ‘move-on’ flats in Pembrokeshire, and Extra Care housing;
• Extending and embedding telecare services into Community Resource Teams.

The fund formed part of the 2014-15 Welsh budget agreed jointly with Plaid Cymru and the Welsh Liberal Democrats.