New critical prevention service for older people launches in Wales

The new service features Critical Prevention Caseworkers in every part of Wales, helping older people who live in poor housing, and are frail, have dementia, sensory impairment or are vulnerable in other ways. The service will work with primary healthcare practitioners, GPs, hospitals, social care, and third sector organisations to reach older people most in need of help, to keep them safe, warm and independent at home.

The specialist Caseworkers, working out of local Care & Repair Agencies, will visit older people in their own homes, assess their needs and identify bespoke solutions to the housing problems they face.

Chris Jones, Chief Executive of Care & Repair Cymru commented: “This is fantastic news for older people across Wales. The partnership will allow us to reach vulnerable older people before they suffer a crisis such as falling at home, calling an ambulance, and presenting in hospital or GP surgeries due to cold, damp, unsafe housing. It also makes great economic sense by making sure that the specialist caseworkers access the knowledge, skills and services of all three charitable bodies at the same time.

“We are delighted that Welsh Government is investing in a preventative service that recognises that poor housing can lead to poor health, hospital admissions, visits to GP surgeries, or residential care homes. We have long argued that good housing is an important cornerstone of delivering integrated services that delay, reduce, or prevent the need for NHS or Social Services”

Richard Williams, Director of Action on Hearing Loss Cymru, said: “We are delighted to be working with Care & Repair and RNIB Cymru on this important new service. This strong partnership approach means the 575,500 people in Wales who are deaf or have hearing loss can now have access to much needed support to enable them to live safely and independently at home”.

Ceri Jackson, Director of RNIB Cymru also welcomed the news, saying “Sight loss affects people of all ages, but especially older people. In Wales, one in five people aged over 75, and one in two aged 90 and over are living with sight loss, and the numbers are set to double in the next 25 years. We know that people with sight loss are at greater risk of falls and depression. That’s why this new service is timely and will provide much needed help for older people with sight loss to remain living independently at home.”