£6m to help older people live independently in their home

A £6 million investment to help older people in Wales live independently in their own home, has been announced by the Minister for Communities and Tackling Poverty, Lesley Griffiths.

The continued Welsh Government funding supports the essential work of the Care and Repair service, which provides adaptations, such as ramps, handrails, and safety alarms, to enable older people to live safely in their own homes.

£2 million of the funding is for the Rapid Response Adaptations Programme, which provides minor adaptations to help prevent many people from having to be admitted to hospital and enable those who are in hospital to be discharged earlier, helping alleviate pressure on the NHS. Estimates show every pound invested in the programme creates a significant £7.50 saving for our health and social services.

Lesley Griffiths said:

“Care and Repair and the Rapid Response Adaptations Programme help transform the lives of more than 40,000 older people across Wales every year. By providing relatively small home adaptations, these services enable people to continue to live safely in the homes they love with the dignity they deserve.

“As people across Wales live longer, healthier lives, such preventative measures play an increasingly important role in supporting our health and social services.

“Recognising this, we have worked hard to protect the Care and Repair budget as much as possible, in spite of the £1.4bn cuts imposed on us by the UK Government. While it is, of course, necessary for all our programmes to make efficiency savings in the current financial climate, I’m proud the £6 million I have announced today will ensure many older people across Wales can retain their independence.”

The Minister recently visited the home of 93 year old Betty Probert, a Newport Care & Repair client, to see the affect of the services first-hand. Betty said:

“I can’t praise Care and Repair enough. It’s amazing how a few adaptations have changed the quality of my life, enabling me to continue living in my home which I love.

“I now go to bed at night time and sleep well – they have given me back the confidence that I lost many years ago. Without them I’m not sure what I would have done.”

Of the £6,037,000 funding announced today £5, 468,000 will go to Care and Repair Agencies to enable them to carry out vital home-improvement works, with £569,000 awarded to Care and Repair Cymru, which co-ordinates and supports the local agencies.