Have your say and help deliver positive change for older people

The Older People’s Commissioner for Wales is inviting older people to make their voices heard and help shape the action she takes to deliver positive change for older people.

Launching her ‘Have Your Say’ consultation today (5 December), the Commissioner says she wants to hear from older people from a wide range of backgrounds and communities, so that their voices and experiences shape the Commissioner’s Strategy and Work Plan.

The Commissioner is encouraging older people to get in touch to highlight anything they are concerned or worried about, or issues that make growing older in Wales more difficult. She is also keen to hear about things that work well and make a positive difference that could be introduced in other parts of Wales to support older people.

Older people can share their views and ideas about the changes and improvements they’d like to see by completing a short questionnaire, which covers four key areas crucial to our quality of life: access to services and support; feeling safe; fair treatment; and voice, choice and control.

The Commissioner also wants to hear from groups and organisations working with and for older people, about the issues they are seeing and any key areas they think her work should focus on.

Discussing the launch of her consultation, Older People’s Commissioner for Wales, Rhian Bowen-Davies, said:

“I want Wales to lead the way in empowering older people, tackling inequality and enabling everyone to live and age well, and as Commissioner I have a key part to play in making this vision a reality.

“It’s crucial that the action I take as Commissioner is guided by older people’s voices and experiences, which is why I’m inviting older people from different backgrounds and communities across Wales to get in touch to highlight the issues affecting their lives and share their views and ideas about the changes and improvements that would make a positive difference.”

The Commissioner is working with organisations across Wales to distribute paper copies of her questionnaire to older people, which can be returned to her office via freepost, and the questionnaire can also be completed online at www.olderpeople.wales/haveyoursay.

Older people who would prefer to speak with a member of the Commissioner’s team to share their experiences team can get in touch by calling 03442 640 670.

The closing date for the Commissioner’s consultation is 28 February 2025.

The Commissioner added:

“Any information shared by older people, as well as their family and friends, and the groups and organisations working with and supporting them, will be hugely helpful as I develop my strategy and work plan, and take action with my team to transform policy and practice in a range of key areas to deliver positive change.”