Care & Repair Unveils Ambitious 5-Year Strategy to Support Older People in Wales

Care & Repair Cymru has launched an ambitious 5-Year Strategy, emphasising their commitment to help older people and ease the pressure on carers and the Welsh NHS.

The new strategy comes at a critical time as the organisation responds to the growing needs of an ageing population, amid the challenges of a cost-of-living crisis and hospital waiting times.

The charity delivers Wales-wide services that involve repairing and adapting homes, as well as supporting with hospital discharge through their Hospital to a Healthier Home service.

Jayne Bryant MS, Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government, launched the new Care & Repair strategy with a visit to Gillian Arnold, someone who has experienced Care & Repair services first hand.

64-year-old Gillian had a stroke in January 2024, leaving her with speech and mobility challenges. Being discharged from hospital and into her small 100-year-old cottage near Pontypool was not straight forward, but Care & Repair was able to make the changes required.

Gillian Arnold, Care & Repair client, said:

“I had a stroke on 7 January 2024 and was hospitalised for three months. I was under an occupational therapist [while in hospital] and they wanted photographs of my house, so my daughters took some photos so they could see. They said you can’t go home until you have rails on the stairs and rails at the front of the house. So, they got Care & Repair to speak to my daughters.

“By the time I came home everything was done! I had rails in the garden, on my stairs and by the door, I have had lifters on my sofa and a shower seat fitted in the bathroom. I have also had a key safe and security light put by my front door.

“Care & Repair got me home! The impact is that I can now live in my house.”

Jayne Bryant MS, Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government, said:

“It was wonderful to meet with Gillian to hear about her experience and see first-hand how Care & Repair has helped her.

“These essential services not only help make homes safer to help people return home sooner, but they also eliminate the stress and worry involved with adapting your home.

“Smaller, more targeted services such as this can have real-life impacts in our communities, and I’d like to thank the staff at Care & Repair for their hard work and dedication.

“It’s so important that we continue to support more people living independently in their homes safely and without fear of trips, falls or readmission to hospital.”

Chris Jones, Chief Executive of Care & Repair Cymru, said:

“We are thankful to the new Cabinet Secretary for her support so that we can continue to grow our work of making sure older people in Wales have homes that are fit for their needs.

“The new five-year strategy comes at a critical time as we respond to the growing needs of an ageing population. It underlines our ongoing commitment to the wellbeing of older people, reducing hospital admissions, tackling fuel poverty and easing the pressure on our health and social services.

“Each year we support some 40,000 households, arranging adaptations and repairs that improve health and wellbeing. These changes to homes prevent accidents and illness and keep older and disabled people out of hospital.”

The importance of Care & Repair’s work is increasingly acknowledged for improving health outcomes and supporting independent living. In 2023 alone, Care & Repair saved the Welsh NHS around £24m due to fewer hospital admissions and ambulance callouts.

The new strategy includes a commitment to expand fuel poverty and decarbonisation services in Wales. High energy prices have led to many older people cutting back on their energy use. One Care & Repair client was spending 62% of their total income on energy and water bills. In response to this, Care & Repair has recently launched a fuel poverty service called Older Not Colder, which aims to keep homes warm and reduce energy bills of older vulnerable people.

Central to the new strategy is Care & Repair’s unwavering commitment to ensuring older people are heard and their housing needs understood. Feedback is essential, not just for shaping services, but also when reporting back to funders and decision makers the reality of what people in Wales are experiencing.

One Care & Repair client from Bridgend articulated their feedback recently: “Navigating the declining health of an elderly relative can be so challenging, and you often don’t know where to go for support. As my father-in-law’s needs have progressed, Care & Repair have been with us every step of the way. They are so responsive and quick to install mobility aids.”

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ENDS

Notes To Editors

About Care & Repair in Wales

Care & Repair helps older people in Wales to repair, adapt and maintain their homes.

We are a Wales-wide charitable movement, working to ensure that older people have homes that are appropriate to their needs.

We support over 40,000 households in Wales each year, preventing thousands of hospital admissions and saving the Welsh NHS over £20m annually.

Our vision is a Wales where all older people can live independently in safe, warm, and accessible homes.

Links

Welsh Government Press Office have also covered the Cabinet Secretary’s visit to Gillian:
https://media.service.gov.wales/news/home-adaptations-supporting-safer-independent-living

Photo of Jayne Bryant, Gillian Arnold and Chris Jones:
https://careandrepair.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Jayne-Bryant-MS-Gillian-Arnold-and-Chris-Jones-scaled.jpg

Photo of Jayne Bryant MS speaking with Gillian Arnold, Chris Jones and Donna Coughlin:
https://careandrepair.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Jayne-Bryant-MS-visits-Care-Repair-client-scaled.jpg 

Media Contact

Jack Bentley
Marketing and Business Development Manager
07818 554 385
jack.bentley@careandrepair.org.uk