Older People’s Commissioner for Wales, Heléna Herklots CBE, said:
“I warmly welcome the publication of the Welsh Government’s Strategy for an Ageing Society, and the commitment to developing an age-friendly Wales.
“I am pleased to see the strong focus on the rights of older people including using the UN Principles for Older Persons to guide action and decisions.
“I also welcome the commitment to publish a national plan to prevent the abuse of older people which affects many thousands of older people in Wales, as well as the recognition of the importance of tackling ageism and age discrimination, and promoting solidarity between generations, which will be vital as we move forward together.
“The strategy should help to ensure that the issues that affect us as we age are a key focus for Ministers, but the upcoming delivery plan will be equally important to ensure that clear actions, milestones and timescales to monitor the strategy’s implementation are in place.
“I will be closely monitoring and scrutinising the action that is taken by the Welsh Government to make the ambition and commitments within the strategy a reality for older people, which will be particularly important as we deal with the next phase of the pandemic, and I will continue to ensure that older people’s voices are heard and influence policy and decision-making.
“An ageing society presents us with many opportunities and it is essential that we have the right policy and practice in place so we can all age well and continue to engage with, participate in and contribute to our communities, living in a Wales where older people are valued, rights are upheld and no-one is left behind.”
