10-year vision launched for older people in Carmarthenshire

The Leader of Carmarthenshire County Council, Cllr Emlyn Dole, has launched a 10-year vision of sustainable services for older people in the county.
Tremendous challenges are ahead for older people’s services, with the population increasing and people living longer.
Carmarthenshire County Council currently spends £37million on social services for older people.
This budget is set to reduce over the next three years by £2.2million, whilst the demand for services continues to rise in line with the older demographic profile of the county’s residents.
To assist the authority develop and deliver a plan to provide sustainable social services over the next decade the council is seeking people’s views, particularly in promoting independence for older people.
Speaking at the launch of the consultation at Llanelli Library’s Athenaeum, executive board member for social care and health, Cllr Jane Tremlett, at said: “It is a cause for celebration that people in Carmarthenshire are expected to live longer.
“We need to ensure we develop a strategy to meet people’s needs in older age in a more sustainable way.
“Older people are valued members of our communities in Carmarthenshire and we must ensure that they stay healthy, active and independent in safe and age friendly communities.”
Leader of Carmarthenshire County Council, Cllr Emlyn Dole, said: “We have to be ambitious and inspirational to meet the challenges that lie ahead, making the best use of resources available.
“We need the support and help of older people to better understand their needs, and have developed a series of questions to help us collate as many views as possible by the end of July that will be fed into the development of the 10-year plan.
“This will be crucial to shaping our strategy.”
Close on 22 per cent of Carmarthenshire’s population is over the age of 65 – that’s two per cent greater than the Welsh average for the same age range.
By 2030 it is anticipated that close on 20,000 residents will be 75-plus, double the current number.
The increases are more significant when broken down by age band: 75-84-years 6685 or a 50 per cent increase and 85-plus 3,943 or a 77 per cent increase.
Projections for the number of people living with a long-term limiting illness tell us that there is expected to be an additional 922 people aged 65-74 years and a further 4,783 people over the age of 75 by 2010, representing an overall increase of 39 per cent.
The projected number of people living with dementia by 2010 will have increased by 1,539 or 56 per cent.
For people receiving community based services, projections indicate that by 2030 there will be a 56 per cent increase, or 1,349 people over the age of 75 who will require or receive community based services, including those receiving help in sheltered housing and extra care housing.
This expected increase in demand for services means a projected increase in costs from £37million to £50million based on existing service delivery models.
Complete the questionnaire at:
ilocal.carmarthenshire.gov.uk/consultations/olderpeople
Hard copies are available from one of the council’s customer service centres or libraries, or call 01267 234567 or text 07892 345678 to ask for a copy by post.