An independent voice and champion for older people

It is an honour to be the independent Older People’s Commissioner for Wales and I am pleased that my term of office has been extended for a further two years to August 2024. I look forward to continuing the work underway with older people and organisations across Wales.towards the long term vision of making Wales the best place in the world to grow older.

During the next two years, and reflecting on the impact of the pandemic on older people, my focus will be working to ensure that older people are valued, rights are upheld and no-one is left behind. I will take forward and build on the progress made under my four priorities of rights, ageism, abuse and ageing well as set out in this work programme. I am also responding to the new challenges older people are facing including the cost of living crisis and access to NHS services and treatment.

Much of what has been achieved since I became Commissioner in 2018 has been through working closely with older people and in partnership with many different organisations and individuals across Wales. This way of working is fundamental to my approach as Commissioner, and particularly in these challenging times, it is only by working together and drawing on each other’s skills and experiences that we will make sustainable progress and impact.

As the Older People’s Commissioner for Wales I have a number of statutory functions supported by a set of legal powers – to hold public bodies to account, to provide assistance to older people, to encourage best practice, to scrutinise policy and legislation affecting older people. These enable me to be an independent voice and champion for older people and I know how important this is for older people, their families and friends. Together with my team we continue our commitment to do all we can for older people throughout Wales and would like to thank all those we work with for the inspiration, challenge and support that they provide.