This year’s Gwynedd Older People’s Conference provided an unique opportunity to discuss the best ways to provide the public services that older people often rely upon.
The conference, organised by Gwynedd Older People’s Council, marked the UN’s International Day of Older Persons, and was a chance to celebrate the contribution that the older generation make to our society and asked how Gwynedd Council can provide the most appropriate services so that older people can continue to live independently with dignity and pride.
The conference heard that the ever changing social and economic landscape means that there is increasing pressure on service providers and things must change in order to ensure that people can continue to live life to the full.
An ageing population – today there are more over-65s than under-16 and this trend is set to continue – means that an ever-increasing number of people will need health and care services. But a challenging economic climate means that traditional services are unsustainable.
The keynote speaker at the conference, held at Porthmadog, was Ruth Marks, the Older People’s Commissioner for Wales.
She said: “We have to do things differently and ask people what they want of the services they receive. So I commend Gwynedd Council for the work they are doing in engaging with people.
“Independence in old age is very important. The people responsible for the services used by older people should listen very carefully to what people have to say, not just for the sake of today’s service users but also for younger people who will need it in the future.”
Gwen Carrington, Head of Housing and Social Services at Gwynedd Council, said: “Older people are telling us that they want modern, efficient services to enable them to live an independent and dignified life. As a Council we must respond to this challenge by thinking radically and by cutting the cloth accordingly.”
The Rev Canon Martin Riley from Corris, chairman of the Gwynedd Older People’s Council said: “I am pleased that so much more attention is being paid to older people these days, that their issues are no longer swept under the carpet. This was a good day and an opportunity to share information and discuss matters.”
Delegates also heard about different schemes aimed at improving services for older people and opportunities available to them, such as using new technology to improve services and supporting older people to regain skills and confidence to look after themselves after an injury or illness.
The conference was also told about a recent social services survey of users, the results of which will be used to adjust and improve services.
