Home-care strategy to aid elderly

More funding will be available to adapt elderly people's homes so they can keep their independence, while York Council will be teaming up with the private sector to build more extra-care housing.

More help will be provided for victims of depression, particularly those recently bereaved, and services will also be targeted at health care and curing routine ailments, such as foot and teeth problems, than can cause misery to the elderly.

The new approach has been drawn up York Council, York Health Group and North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust as the guiding light of older people's services until 2015.

York's Director Adults, Children and Education, Pete Dwyer, said: "The overarching vision is one where a higher proportion of older people remain within the community, having fewer hospital and care home admissions.

"They will also be able to enjoy greater independence, a wider choice of accommodation options and greater social engagement.

"During the same time period, the deteriorating financial climate combined with the growth in the numbers of older people, will inevitably mean meeting greater demand with fewer resources.

"This makes it essential to transform the services that health and social care fund, to reduce demand through successful and targeted health and social care interventions and to avoid duplication and waste."

Health and care services will proactively identify those at risk of hospital admissions and then act to reduce the risks. Alternatives to hospital admission should be available for those who can be cared for outside an acute hospital setting.

These would include good care at home as well as care in community-based units – and other options to avoid hospital admissions and speed up discharges.

The five year vision has been drawn up because in 20 years' time 25 per cent of the population of York will be aged over 65 and money to look after them is likely to be tight, meaning the city needs to think much more carefully about spending.

The local authority and health agencies also need to work together to put older people first when it comes to the little things that prevent them taking part in the community – such as snow clearance, access to transport, and presence of banks and post offices.

To achieve this, the local authority need to work ever more closely with each other and with voluntary organisations and other third sector bodies. Common targets will be agreed for improving the health and well-being of local people and communities.

"This will require an improved understanding of need, and the ability to better define service requirements and use of resources," said Kathy Clark, interim assistant director, commissioning and partnerships.

The new approach also made financial sense. "We are jointly committed to providing best value for taxpayers' money and the most effective and fair use of finite resources," she added.

"We should always ask ourselves, 'why shouldn't we work together' rather than 'should we do this together'.

"We will give the people who use our services, their carers and the public the opportunity to influence and scrutinise our performance and priorities; and people, public and staff will be involved in relevant decisions.

"Wherever it makes sense we will deliver services through integrated teams, and support staff to work together to create simple access to the care and support our customers need."