Working for a Wales where older people are valued, rights are upheld and no-one is left behind
An overview of the impact of the work of the Older People’s Commissioner for Wales 2018 – 2024
Introduction
This report provides an overview of the impact of my work as the Older People’s Commissioner for Wales from August 2018 to August 2024. Initially appointed on a four-year term of office, this was extended, following consultation with older people’s groups, for a further two years.
This six-year period has spanned the Covid-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis, significant political changes in Wales and the UK, and growing pressures on the public services that we all rely on. At the same time, as this report shows, we have made progress in tackling some deep-rooted and longstanding problems experienced by older people, as well as initiating new work to enable us to age well.
Wales was the first country in the world to establish, in law, an independent Older People’s
Commissioner. It has been an honour and a privilege to serve as the Commissioner, and in
particular to have spent time with thousands of older people throughout Wales, as well as work with many older people’s groups, charities and voluntary organisations, public bodies, universities, and many others. Much of the work covered in this report has only been possible
because we have worked together, sharing understanding and expertise, questioning and
learning from each other, and taking action together.
I am immensely grateful to everyone I have had the privilege to work with over the last six years,
and for the support and commitment of my team throughout this time.
Diolch o galon
Heléna Herklots CBE
Older People’s Commissioner for Wales
Starting Out
“A society that does not value its older people, denies its roots and endangers its future.”
Nelson Mandela
In 2019 I published my three-year strategy, following extensive engagement with over 3,000
older people throughout Wales, as well as many older people’s groups and other organisations.
The quote from Nelson Mandela features at the beginning of the strategy and has guided me
during the last six years. It speaks, not just to the importance of older people in understanding
our past, but to the vital role of older people in our future. Too often this is forgotten.
The strategy set out three priorities:
• Ending ageism and age discrimination
• Stopping the abuse of older people
• Enabling everyone to age well
Using a theory of change approach, under each of these priorities I identified key outcomes
for older people that I would support through the delivery of my work. In summary these were
focused on:
- Equitable access to services, support and resources, determined based on need, not by
ageist or discriminatory assumptions - Increased awareness and understanding of key issues affecting our lives as we grow older, both within public services and amongst older people
- Older people feeling informed and confident to challenge poor practice and raise concerns when their rights are not being upheld
The strategy deliberately set out a very positive vision of making Wales the best place in the world to grow older, so that we aimed high in what we wanted to achieve with and for older people and created a positive and participative approach to working with others to make it happen.
One of the other intentions of the strategy was to ensure that I was undertaking work that had
the potential to benefit all older people in Wales, as well as carrying out work to improve the
quality of life of older people most in need or in vulnerable situations, or at risk. I also wanted to
ensure that I was using the unique role and powers of the Commissioner to tackle issues which
otherwise might not be addressed, or where making progress would be difficult without the legal
powers of the Commissioner being brought to bear.
Responding to the Covid-19 Pandemic
“My Dad is 92, my Mum is 89. Dad says why wasn’t
Joyce important enough to have a test?”Quote from older person, Care Home Voices Report
Less than a year after I published my strategy, the Covid-19 pandemic began and all our lives
changed. Older people were particularly affected and therefore I placed emphasis on:
- Establishing new ways to engage and listen to older people during lockdowns when I couldn’t see people in person
- Providing information, advice and assistance to more older people and their families and friends
- Focusing on older people’s rights including increasing awareness of rights and challenging public bodies when these were under threat
- Scrutinising decisions and holding public bodies to account for their actions
- Convening new action groups and networks to call for action, propose solutions, and promote good practice
- Holding online seminars and conferences enabling older people’s voices and experiences to be heard by public bodies and other organisations, and to encourage action
- Working with the media to ensure that the impact of the pandemic on older people was recognised and to act as their champion
An early and continuing focus during the pandemic was older people living in care homes.
Sadly, many lost their lives and all faced restrictions and loss of contact with loved ones. I
undertook work in May and June 2020, resulting in the report and recommendations in ‘Care
Home Voices: A snapshot of life in care homes in Wales during Covid-19’. I also worked with the Equality and Human Rights Commission to formally scrutinise the Welsh Government’s decision-making processes in respect of the rights of older people in care homes.
Another key report during the pandemic was ‘Leave No-One Behind: action for an age-friendly recovery’ published in August 2020 which drew on older people’s experiences and ideas, shared through 16 online engagement sessions. It set out the short-term and longer-term actions needed to prevent older people from being left behind. The report and actions were drawn on by many organisations as well as the Welsh Government, influencing for example, the Strategy for an Ageing Society and the National Action Plan to Prevent the Abuse of Older People.
The work I carried out during the pandemic is summarised in a report published last year which provides an insight into the breadth of older people’s experiences, and the challenges faced, as well as highlighting the action that I took and called for on behalf of older people.
I also submitted written evidence to the Covid-19 Public Inquiry, and gave oral evidence in
February 2024, which is outlined later.
Emerging from the pandemic
In 2022 my term of office as Commissioner was extended by two years, and in my work
programme for 2022-2024, I included the protection and promotion of older people’s rights as a
specific priority as well as a theme that runs across all my work. The work programme for these
two years responded to the impacts of the pandemic on older people and wider society as well as the new threat of the cost-of-living crisis. This included work to:
- Strengthen and increase awareness of the rights of older people living in care homes
- Improve information and communications about Do Not Attempt CPR
- Increase understanding of the experiences of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic older people
- Combat digital exclusion
- Improve the take-up of Pension Credit
- Increase awareness and understanding about ageism and its impact through training and practical guides
Providing information, advice and assistance
“My caseworker has been a ‘voice of reason’ during a very stressful few months. She is a very good listener and has been a great help to me at a time when I have felt at my wit’s end. She has helped me have the strength to continue the fight against a failing system.”
Feedback from an older person
A core part of my team’s work is providing advice and assistance to individual older people and their families. This was particularly vital during the pandemic, when there was even more of a need for trusted information and advice. Over the last six years we have supported over 3,000 older people with advice and assistance, including helping older people get the health and care they need, dealing with problems with housing and neighbourhood issues, supporting people at risk of abuse, and often helping older people experiencing a complex mix of problems and pressures.
The unique ability to provide independent advice, supported by the legal powers of the
Commissioner, means that we can often help resolve complex problems, or give people the
information and support so that they can resolve issues. We’re able to provide advice and
assistance, not just on one issue or at one time, but over a period of time, giving people the
reassurance that we are here when they need us.
The issues raised with us, and the problems that older people experience, also help to inform my wider work – for example identifying changes that are needed to Government policy, or where public bodies need to improve their practice.
Increasing older people’s awareness of their rights is an integral part of providing information,
advice and assistance, and we have distributed over 100,000 information guides to older people, and organisations in contact with older people. We know that ‘information is power’ so we develop guides, information leaflets, as well as material to share on social media channels
to reach as many older people as possible. Topics covered include guides to hospital discharge,
rights to access information and services in a digital age, lasting power of attorney, and rights to
access a GP.
A public role
One of the requirements of my role, as stated in the Commissioner for Older People (Wales)
Act 2006, is to ‘promote awareness of the interests of older people in Wales and of the need to
safeguard those interests’. This requires me to have a public role and public presence so that
older people know about the role of the Commissioner and how to contact me, and so that I can
amplify and provide a platform for their voices, issues and concerns. Working with the media is
an essential part of this.
I have worked with the media to:
- Share the experiences of older people and how issues affect them, for example, the
cost-of-living crisis - Promote the rights of and information for older people, for example rights to access a GP
- Bring issues to the attention of older people and the wider public, for example highlighting the abuse that older people can experience and how to get help
- Press for changes needed in legislation, policy or practice, for example, the need for a care homes action plan during the pandemic
- Highlight the findings and recommendations from my research and reports, for example digital exclusion in ‘Access Denied’
Over the six years, across TV, radio, newspapers and other channels there have been over 7.7
billion ‘opportunities to see’ news items relating to my work.
Being able to reach so many older people through the media is important, but it is particularly
important that I meet older people, in person, in their communities and groups.
Reaching out to and engaging with older people
“To live independently, you need to be able to make choices.”
Older person at engagement event
Engaging with older people is one of the most important aspects of my role, as well as being one of the most enjoyable, and throughout my time as Commissioner I have travelled throughout Wales to meet and speak with thousands of older people. During the lockdowns of the pandemic, I could only do this online and this excluded some older people from direct contact with me, but enabled some, for example those with caring responsibilities or who couldn’t travel, to share their experiences and views directly with me. Since the end of the pandemic, we have been meeting both in person and online, to increase the opportunities for older people to meet me.
I have visited community groups, social clubs, sports clubs, libraries, care homes, day centres,
older people’s forums, groups supporting people living with dementia, carers groups, lunch clubs – anywhere and everywhere that I might be able to hear directly from older people. Many
conversations have stayed with me, and I have used older people’s experiences and insights
throughout my work, and in ‘speaking truth to power’.
Thousands of older people have contributed to the research I have undertaken, from sharing their experiences of living through the winter of 2020-21 during the pandemic lockdowns, to describing their experiences of being digitally excluded, to highlighting the challenges of accessing a GP. Older people have also taken part in events and conferences, both in person and online, where I have always ensured that older people’s voices and experiences are at the heart of the discussions. Many thousands of people have participated in these events, including from other parts of the UK and internationally.
Taking forward the priorities: Protecting and promoting older people’s rights
“As long as you’re alive you have rights. Until your last breath you have the right to be treated with dignity.”
Older person in conversation with the Commissioner Impact
- Reversing the Welsh Government’s decision to increase the qualifying age for the concessionary bus pass from 60 to State Pension Age, which would have affected 300,000 older people.
- Securing action from local authorities and health boards in response to my formal guidance on how to protect older people’s rights to access information and services in a digital age.
- Identifying potential breaches of older people’s rights in government decision making during early stages of the pandemic through partnership work with the Equality and Human Rights Commission, leading to Welsh Government action to address the issues found.
- Ensuring, with others, that provisions within the Coronavirus Act that put older people’s rights at risk were repealed.
- Establishing the UK Rights of Older People Living in Care Homes Group and, with their support, producing guides for older people on their rights, copies of which went to every care home in Wales.
- Working with community organisations to explore the experiences of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic older people, to increase awareness and understanding and protection of rights including through publication in 2024 of ‘Growing Older in Wales’.
When I took up post, a great deal of discussion and debate was already underway in Wales about older people’s rights, and how these could be strengthened and protected, including through the use of legislation. But awareness about older people’s rights, including amongst older people themselves, was relatively limited, which is why my first publication for older people was ‘Know Your Rights: An Easy Guide’.
Protecting older people’s rights was a key focus of my work during the Covid-19 pandemic. We
saw potential breaches of people’s rights to liberty, and to respect for private and family life,
enshrined in Articles 5 and 8 of the Human Rights Act, with many older people living in care
homes facing significant, prolonged restrictions, and being unable to have face-to-face contact
with loved ones.
That is why I worked in partnership with the Equality and Human Rights Commissioner Wales to explore whether potential breaches of human rights had occurred and to assess whether the Welsh Government had complied with relevant equality and human rights duties in response to the pandemic. We requested and reviewed evidence on three areas: testing for care home residents and staff, access to personal protective equipment, and care home visits.
We found that there were shortcomings in the Welsh Government’s decision-making processes
with regards to equality and human rights considerations during the first months of the pandemic. We also found that they were not able to adequately evidence the appropriate
consideration of older people and their rights.
Following the scrutiny, challenge and actions that we took, Welsh Government took a number of steps to improve and embed the consideration of the rights of older people into its policy and
decision-making processes. This included setting up an internal working group to help embed
practice, undertaking Equality Impact Assessments, and including an explicit commitment to the
rights of older people in the new Strategy for an Ageing Society.
The experience of the pandemic showed an urgent need for increased awareness of the rights
of older people living in care homes, as well as measures to strengthen rights in practice. I
established the Rights of Older People Living in Care Homes Group in April 2021, bringing
together key organisations from across the UK to work together to strengthen the rights of older
people living in care homes and ensure that they and their families know and understand their
rights and are able to exercise them.
Another issue brought into sharp focus by the pandemic was the impact of digital exclusion on older people which left many individuals unable to access crucial information, support and
services. I used my legal powers to issue formal guidance to local authorities and health boards in November 2021 link setting out the kinds of action they should be taking to ensure people can access information and services via non-digital means, and to support older people who want to get online and stay online. Issued under Section 12 of the Commissioner for Older People (Wales) Act, local authorities and health boards must have regard for the guidance when discharging their functions. I also required local authorities and health boards to report to me on the actions they were taking.
The shift to digital information, communications and services continues to move at a fast pace,
and thousands of older people are at risk of, not just digital exclusion, but social exclusion as a
result. I have therefore continued to gather the experiences of older people and the impact of digital exclusion on their lives and published ‘Access Denied: Older People’s Experiences of Digital Exclusion in Wales’ in January 2024. My team continue to advise public bodies throughout Wales on how to ensure that older people are not excluded, and where necessary
challenge poor practice.
The pandemic had a disproportionate impact on Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people,
including older people, and pre-existing inequalities were exacerbated. There was little evidence
about Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people’s experiences of growing older in Wales, including the extent to which their rights were being upheld. I therefore used existing network and methods of engagement to connect with older people and asked those organisations that facilitate such engagement to gather the personal accounts and experiences of what it is like for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people to grow older in Wales.
I published the report ‘Growing Older in Wales: Perspectives of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Older People’ in May 2024 and prior to publication connected again with the organisations and older people who had taken part, in the format which best suited them. I met some of them in person, recorded a video for others, whilst some preferred written feedback from me. This enabled me to share the findings of the research and the action I was taking as a result.
The research showed the difficulties experienced with accessing public services, particularly GPs, and the impact of digital exclusion and influenced my work in these areas. Importantly, the
research and ongoing contact and conversations with Black, Asian and Minority older people
provide essential insights in helping us to better protect and promote the rights of all older people.
The core remit of the Older People’s Commissioner for Wales is to protect and promote the
rights of older people and this will continue to be the case. The pandemic and the response to it,
showed that the rights of older people need to be better understood and more firmly embedded,
not just in policy and practice, but in the culture of government and public services too. There is more to do, not just in Wales but at an international level too, where we need to see a UN
Convention on the Rights of Older People.
Ending ageism and age discrimination
“I feel like I’ve committed a crime by living longer.”
Older person in conversation with the Commissioner Impact
- Empowering older people throughout Wales to take action against ageism through
delivering training sessions and providing information and resources. - Challenging myths and stereotypes about older people, and highlighting the impact of ageism and age discrimination through my #EverydayAgeism campaign.
- Developing guidance for journalists with the Centre for Ageing Better, which is now
included on the Independent Press Standards Organisations (IPSO) resources hub for journalists. - Producing guidance on avoiding ageism in communications and sharing it with public sector organisations.
- Supporting the establishment of a Cross Party Group in the Senedd focused on promoting solidarity and understanding between generations.
- Initiating new work on the links between ageism and abuse, and providing information to help practitioners recognise the connections and improve their practice.
- Delivering an online training session to 650 Welsh Government staff to help them recognise and avoid ageism in communications and decision-making.
Ageism – the stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination against people on the basis of their age – underpins many of the challenges we can face as older people. It affects the opportunities available to us as we get older and, as a growing body of evidence shows, many aspects of our
health and well-being and our ability to age well, particularly when ageism is ‘internalised’ and
we essentially discriminate against ourselves.
Ageism can also negatively influence decisions made by society, meaning the services, facilities
and opportunities that we need to help us age well can be inadequate and discriminate against
us, whether directly or indirectly. It is very prevalent – the World Health Organisation (WHO)
states that globally one in two people are ageist against older people. Drawing on the WHO
evidence of effective interventions, I have focused on policy and law, educational interventions,
and intergenerational work.
In 2019 I developed a training course designed for older people, ‘Taking Action Against Ageism’
which examined ways that ageism and age discrimination may manifest themselves in a number of settings including the workplace, in health care and other services, and within the media, helping participants to understand the ways that ageism can be challenged. The course content was adapted into an information booklet which continues to be distributed and has reached many thousands of older people.
To reach the public I launched my #EverydayAgeism campaign to highlight and challenge the
ageism faced by many older people throughout Wales every day. This encouraged people to make an #EverydayAgeism pledge – publicly stating the action they would take to play their part in tackling ageism. Pledges were made by Welsh Government Ministers as well as by senior leaders from public bodies and other organisations, older people’s groups and community organisations.
Ageism is another area where there needs to be more research and evidence. I commissioned
research into the portrayal of older people in the news media, the findings of which were
instrumental in supporting the development of a guide for journalists, in partnership with the
Centre for Ageing Better, to provide information and tips on language, tone and imagery. The
guide is now included as part of press regulator IPSO’s resources hub for journalists.
Similarly, I developed a guide for professionals that includes practical advice about how to avoid ageism in communications, as well as examples of good practice, which has been widely shared with public bodies and other organisations throughout Wales.
This has led to work with officials to identify how the Welsh Government could be an exemplar
in terms of age-positive practice, which has included delivering a ‘Let’s Learn’ training session to over 650 staff to help them recognise and avoid ageism when making decisions and communicating. My team is now working on developing an online training module so that more organisations can access learning about ageism.
As the WHO evidence shows, strengthening bonds between generations is an effective way of combatting ageism and age discrimination. I therefore worked with Members of the Senedd
to establish the Cross-Party Group on Intergenerational Solidarity, which brings together older and younger people, politicians, researchers, intergenerational practitioners and others, to support intergenerational development and action. One of the areas the Group is focusing on is
tackling ageism.
We will not make sustainable progress in improving the experience of growing older unless we combat ageism. Encouragingly there is now a Global Campaign to Combat Ageism and the opportunity to share the challenges, successes and learning with organisations across the world. Closer to home the Centre for Ageing Better is leading a major anti-ageism campaign, ‘Age Without Limits’ and this should lead to an increased awareness of the damaging effects of ageism, and how to combat it.
Stopping the abuse of older people
“The biggest barrier to coming forward is a belief that no-one is going to help, no-one is going to listen.”
Older abuse survivor
Impact
- Enabling older survivors of abuse to have a voice by supporting them to contribute
directly to events and reports, and by sharing their experiences with policy- and
decision-makers. - Increasing knowledge and understanding amongst public services staff about the signs of abuse, and where older people can access help and support through training and awareness raising.
- Helping to secure the removal of the upper age limit of 74 in the England and Wales
crime survey to ensure that older people’s experiences are not rendered invisible due to a lack of data. - Launching a directory of abuse support services in Wales to connect older people, their families and professionals with contact details for over 150 organisations providing support to people experiencing (or at risk of) abuse.
- Bringing together key organisations to drive forward change through my Stopping Abuse Action Group.
- Securing a National Action Plan to Prevent the Abuse of Older People, the first of its kind in the UK, introduced by the Welsh Government in 2024.
- Ensuring greater recognition of older people’s experiences within Welsh Government by securing agreement for an ‘older people’ workstream within the government’s Violence Against Women Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (VAWDASV) work programme.
- Publishing new research to fill significant data gaps in terms of older people’s experience of abuse in Wales, and older men’s experiences of abuse.
- Helping organisations to improve the information available to older people about scams and other financial crimes, through working with older people to develop guidelines for impactful information and communications.
Abuse can take many forms and affects thousands of older people in Wales. Despite its scale and impact, the abuse of older people often remains a hidden issue, making older people who
experience abuse especially vulnerable. To change this it was necessary to:
• Raise public awareness
• Improve support and services
• Undertake research and improve data
• Capture older people’s voices and experiences
• Support staff through training and information
• Influence policy and legislation
These objectives were taken forward through setting up the Stopping Abuse Action Group of key organisations and older people to work together, share experience, knowledge and expertise. Early in the pandemic the Group developed and distributed information to older people and their families about how they could protect themselves and others from abuse and financial fraud, and where to find help and support. This information reached over 50,000 individuals online, while over 20,000 copies of the ‘Get Help Stay Safe’ leaflet have been distributed throughout Wales.
One of the challenges in making progress was the lack of evidence and data on older people’s
experiences of abuse. A stark example of this was the fact that the England and Wales crime
survey did not even collect data for anyone over the age of 74 – rendering older people’s
experiences invisible. Working with other organisations we succeeded in changing this, and this
will provide much needed evidence for further progress to be made.
In addition, it was necessary to discover more about older people’s specific experiences in Wales and use this to identify the action needed to improve understanding and recognition of abuse, and the support and services available. Research was undertaken into the accommodation needs of older people experiencing abuse, through a survey of the Association of Directors of Social Services, and an online workshop featuring the experiences of an older abuse survivor. This increased the recognition of the need to provide accommodation suitable for older people who needed to leave their home because of domestic abuse.
This research was followed by a mapping exercise to identify the types and availability of abuse
support services in Wales, and a review of the (limited) existing evidence about older people’s
experiences of abuse. The report, ‘Support Services for Older People Experiencing Abuse in Wales’, highlighted the need for more services and support tailored to meet the needs of older people, as well as a number of barriers that can prevent older people from accessing services and support.
Using the information collected through the mapping exercise I developed an Abuse Support
Services Directory which enables older people, family and friends, and professionals to search for help and support in their local area of seek support from national or more specialist organisations.
There was very little evidence relating to older men’s experience of domestic abuse, even though up to a third of victim survivors are male, with older men finding themselves at greater risk. Evidence was captured through in-depth interviews with male survivors aged 50+ and the
research report, ‘Improving Support and Services for Older Men Experiencing Domestic
Abuse’, examines the ways men may experience abuse, the barriers and challenges they often face when trying to access support, and the ways in which services and support in Wales need to improve. This research has led to greater recognition of the abuse of older men, as evidenced in the Welsh Government’s National Action Plan to Prevent the Abuse of Older People.
I set out the need for a national action plan early in my term of office, and worked with the Welsh
Government and members of the Stopping Abuse Action Group, resulting in the publication of
the National Action Plan to Prevent the Abuse of Older People in March 2024. The publication of
the plan – the first of its kind in the UK – marks a major step forward and, importantly, the Welsh Government will be reporting on progress including to the Stopping Abuse Action Group.
Over the last six years much has been achieved to raise awareness of abuse, build the evidence base, change policy and practice, and secure commitments to action. This provides a strong platform for further progress and the Stopping Abuse Action Group continues as a committed and influential group, working to ensure that older people at risk of or experiencing abuse can access the support and services they may need.
Enabling everyone to age well
“Listen to communities! Older people’s needs are not all the same, they’re different and unique.”
Older person at Age-friendly Wales conference Impact
- Influencing the development of the Welsh Government’s Strategy for an Ageing Society and securing its commitment to an age-friendly Wales.
- Inspiring action from local authorities and their partners to commit to becoming
age-friendly communities, with half of all local authorities now in membership, or in the process of applying to the WHO Global Network of Age-friendly Cities and Communities. - Becoming an Affiliate Member of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Network of Age-friendly Cities and Communities, giving us the opportunity to share learning and insights internationally, and provide advice and support to local authorities with their applications to join the Global Network.
- Leading the development of age-friendly policy and practice through establishing the Age-friendly Wales Partnership Group and setting up the Age-Friendly Community of Practice.
- Increasing the number of new Pension Credit claimants by 26% during a campaign
encouraging older people to claim what they’re entitled to, and securing pledges from members of Welsh Government and others to take action. - Highlighting the impact of transport on older people’s ability to access health services, and influencing the Welsh Government’s Llwybr Newydd Transport Strategy.
- Gathering the experiences of over 900 older people about their access to GPs, taking forward recommendations for improvements as set out in the subsequent report Access to GP Practices in Wales.
- Developing a guide for older people on their rights in accessing GP Practices, copies of which have gone to every GP Practice in Wales and circulated widely to older people.
‘Adding life to years, not just years to life’ encapsulates what ageing well means. It means being
able to get out and about and do the things that matter to us as we age, along with being valued
and having opportunities to participate and contribute in our communities and society more
broadly.
But without the right infrastructure, services and support as we get older, we may find ourselves unable to do these things, and at risk of becoming excluded, isolated and left behind. Developing ‘age-friendly’ communities is an effective way to ensure that we can age well. The WHO has identified eight ‘domains’ of age-friendly communities, which include community support and health services, but also things like outdoor spaces and buildings, transport, and respect and social inclusion. In my 2019 strategy I committed to taking action to encourage and support age-friendly communities to be established throughout Wales and began a programme of work to make this happen.
I travelled throughout Wales to meet local authorities to talk about how they could develop as
age-friendly communities and to offer the support of me and my team to do so. This included
supporting them to apply to become members of the WHO Global Network of Age-friendly Cities and Communities. To date, six local authorities, working in partnership with older people and local organisations, have joined the Network, with applications from other authorities nearing their final stages.
To support the development of an age-friendly Wales, I became an Affiliate Member of the WHO Global Network, established an Age-friendly Wales Partnership Group to encourage the development of age-friendly policies in Wales, and a Community of Practice to enable the
sharing of effective practice in age-friendly development and to inspire further action.
In order to ensure that there was support for an age-friendly Wales at a national level, I worked
with the Welsh Government to influence the development of its strategy for an ageing society.
‘Age Friendly Wales: Our Strategy for an Ageing Society’ was published in October 2021 and
contains commitments to the development of age-friendly communities, including funding to
each of the 22 local authorities to support their work to become age friendly.
In my contact with older people over the last six years there have been two issues which have been raised consistently – public transport, especially buses, and access to GPs. I have therefore undertaken specific work on these issues, for example in carrying out research with older people on transport to health services, to influence the content and focus of the Welsh Government’s Llwybr Newydd Transport Strategy. I also worked with older people’s groups, transport organisations and providers to develop guidelines to improve older people’s experiences of bus travel. The roll-out of these guidelines was unfortunately prevented by the pandemic, but it is hoped that there will be opportunity in the future for these to be taken forward.
My work on access to GPs saw more than 900 older people respond to a survey sharing their
experiences and views, complementing the issues and discussions at meetings with older people’s groups. The report, ‘Access to GP Practices in Wales: Older People’s Experiences’ was published in March 2024 and contains recommendations for GP Practices, health boards, Welsh Government and other health bodies and organisations. As highlighted in my recently published progress report, the findings were welcomed and progress is being made on the recommendations. This work will be continuing over the next few months, together with the
ongoing distribution of a new rights guide for older people on GP practices which has already
reached thousands of older people.
The cost of living crisis has had a major impact on older people, and causes anxiety and
hardship for many, with consequences for their health and wellbeing and ability to manage,
particularly during the winter. I have spearheaded work in Wales to increase the take-up of the financial entitlement, Pension Credit, which older people on low incomes are eligible for. This included a specific campaign in 2019 during which I included information about claiming Pension Credit with information posted out to every bus pass holder in Wales (an estimated 500,000 individuals). This resulted in a 26% increase in new Pension Credit claimants, meaning more than £500,000 a year extra being paid to older people in Wales.
The work to increase the take-up of Pension Credit continues through providing information to
older people, working with the Welsh Local Government Association on the crucial role that local
authorities can play in increasing take-up, and encouraging and advising Welsh Government on action it should take. With around 80,000 older people in Wales not receiving the Pension Credit to which they are entitled, there is more to do, including action that the Westminster Government needs to take.
There has been very positive progress on the development of age-friendly communities in
Wales as a route to enabling people to age well. The Welsh Government has played a key role
in encouraging and supporting this, including through providing funding to local authorities. Over the coming months more local authorities will become members of the Global Network of Age-friendly Cities and Communities, demonstrating their commitment to an age-friendly Wales.
The UK Covid-19 Public Inquiry
“There can be no successful recovery without engaging and enabling older people to play their part in it … older people’s rights need to be better protected, and where they have been removed, reinstated. The exclusion that many older people have experienced and felt must not be allowed to continue.”
Commissioner’s evidence to UK Covid-19 Public Inquiry
Since 2022 the Covid-19 Public Inquiry has been underway and will be continuing for some time. I was required to submit written evidence to two ‘modules’ of the Inquiry – relating to decision-making in Wales (module 2B) and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on healthcare systems in the UK (module 3). At the time of writing, I am working on evidence for module 6 on the care sector and will be continuing to respond to the requirements of the Inquiry after my term of office ends.
It has been both a responsibility and a privilege to submit the evidence of the work carried out by me and my team during the pandemic, the impacts on older people, and to identify lessons learned and what needs to change. I am acutely aware, however, that Public Inquiries take
significant time to gather evidence, produce reports and make recommendations. That is why I have acted on the issues shared with me by older people, and the evidence I gathered about what needs to change.
As highlighted above, this has included action to protect the rights of older people living in care homes, improve information and communication about DNACPR decisions, tackle digital exclusion, and increase understanding about ageism and how to combat it.
The evidence I have given and will give to the Inquiry is available on the Inquiry website.
Final reflections
As I reflect on the past six years, I am particularly grateful for all the opportunities I’ve had to
work with older people and organisations throughout Wales; together we have been able to make progress even during the most challenging of times.
I have been privileged to hear directly from older people about the positive impact that this work
has had on their lives, from the direct support provided by my advice and assistance service, to the victims of abuse knowing that they are being listened to and change is happening as a result, to older people knowing and exercising their rights. There is much more to do, of course, but there is a strong platform to build on, and a track record of impact.
This impact has been many years in the making. In signing off as the third Older People’s
Commissioner for Wales I pay tribute to my predecessors and to all those who have worked in
the Commissioner’s office. I was able to draw on a wealth of experience, research and insights as I began my work, and it’s now my turn to pass this on to my successor.
I know that with a continued focus on ensuring that older people’s experiences and expertise are at the heart of the Commissioner’s work, much more will be achieved in the future, to make Wales a place where older people are valued, rights are upheld and no-one is left behind.