A citywide public consultation to get people's views about how the council provides residential and day care services for older people in the future is now underway and will run until April 2011.
The council wants to engage with as many people as possible to raise awareness of the issues facing adult social care services, and to gather views on future options.
The fact is that people are living for longer. Clearly this is great news…but with the number of people over 65 set to rise by 86% before 2050 there is a downside.
Half of these older women and a third of these older men will eventually need care. This puts a huge strain on adult social care services, and it will be virtually impossible to cope with such high demand if left as they are today.
People are also asking for changes to how services are provided. We enjoy a better standard of living now than our parents and grandparents did, so we expect more from our care. We don’t want to be slotted into a one-size-fits-all package. We expect to be treated as individuals with the right to exercise choice and control – not just over which services we use, but over how they are delivered too. Many people now say that they would prefer to stay in their own homes for as long as possible, and there’s an increasing number of services – including alarms, sensors and other equipment – which can help people do just that.
The consultation will seek people’s views on proposals that the council should reduce the number of residential care homes and day care centres for elderly people that it runs, but continue to meet the needs of the most vulnerable with a broader range of services. This will include looking at whether homes should be redeveloped to offer specialist care for people with dementia and frail or disabled people, intermediate care to help people regain independence following a hospital stay, or respite care to give families and carers a break. It is proposed that this will be achieved by closing some of the 19 council-run homes in line with falling demand for residential care, and commissioning more beds in care homes in the independent sector, which offer a better standard of accommodation.
The consultation will look at what the impact of changes could be on individual care home residents and their families, and at how this might be reduced as plans take shape. Meetings will be arranged with groups of residents at each of the homes in February; carers and family members will be involved as well. Discussions will take place professionally and sensitively at a pace that is comfortable for the customer. No changes to anyone’s residential care will be made until the customers are content with what is being proposed for them. The consultation will also seek the views of key partner organisations with an interest in residential care in the city, such as the voluntary, community and private sectors.
Demand at the council’s 16 day centres for older people is also falling as more people choose to access support and services directly from their local communities. Current attendance at the centres range between 39% and 62%, which means that keeping them all open is no longer financially viable. Proposals will look at how some centres could be redeveloped to offer daytime support to older people with dementia, and at ways to help other service users find alternative activities in their local communities.
As part of the consultation, each service user will be met with to discuss what type of alternative service they would be interested in. This will be done professionally and sensitively at a pace comfortable for each individual. No changes will be made until a new place has been found that the service user is content with.
Councillor Lucinda Yeadon, executive board member with responsibility for adult social care said: “We have some really difficult decisions to make in adult social care, as the number of older people in the city continues to grow and the council's budget is subject to massive cuts.
“In light of this we have no option but to look at how we deliver our services going forward. We need to make sure that we have the services in place to look after our most vulnerable people with the resources that are available to us.
“It’s really important that we involve as many people as possible in this process, and I would encourage anyone with an interest or concern about how we deliver services for elderly people in the future to take part in this consultation.”
So how can you have your say? There’s a questionnaire on the consultation section of the council’s website (www.leeds.gov.uk), which is open for anyone to complete. There is also a fact sheet online, which outlines all the proposed changes. If you would prefer a paper copy, please contact Diane Lillevik on Leeds 247 8595. There is a freepost address for returns.
The council’s ten area management committees will have the consultation on their agendas up until 4 April, which gives people the opportunity to attend their local meeting and share their views with ward councillors, council officers and other members of the community. Dates, times and venues for these meetings can also be found on the council’s website under the area committees section.
Care home and day centre staff will be kept informed of the process by attending meetings with managers from adult social care. Trade Unions will also be invited to attend.
Ends
Additional infoThe council’s executive board approved this consultation at their meeting on 15 December 2010.
For media enquiries, please contact;
Claire Macklam, Leeds City Council press office (0113) 395 1578
Email: claire.macklam@leeds.gov.uk
