Securing A Better Deal For Older People
Old age is not an illness; today, older people are healthier than their parents were, and making a huge contribution to the community both through voluntary and paid work. However, the unique position of the older person is that when they become unwell and more dependent they often have multiple needs and require a higher level of support to maintain an acceptable quality of life within the community.
Traditionally health services for adults and the older person in Oxfordshire have been based around centralised acute care, with high levels of admission, long stays within hospital and services based around in-patient care. Joint working between health and other public services has been strong; however there has not been a joint strategic vision for the services for the older person and the development needs related to this.
Over the next twenty years, as the proportion of the older population in the community expands, the key to meeting their needs in a sustainable way will be improving:
- Early intervention.
- Long term condition management.
- Early supportive discharge.
- Self care and supporting the ageing population to remain healthy.
- Acute care when needed.
- Partnership working across the whole health and social care community.
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