Speaking in the Assembly Chamber this afternoon, North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood has described older people in Wales as “everyday heroes” and urged the Welsh Government to introduce an Older People’s Rights Bill to extend and promote their rights.
During the Welsh Conservative Debate on Older People, Mr Isherwood emphasised the huge contribution older people make, through work, activism, volunteering and community work, caring for families and providing childcare, but said that despite this they are often overlooked by society.
He said:
“They deserve dignity and respect, independence and the freedom to make decisions about their own lives.
“As Age Cymru states, negative attitudes towards older people and ageing are pervasive in our society, based on inaccurate stereotypes, and assumptions about a person’s ability and competence due to their age.
“They add that the Welsh Government should further explore what role the introduction of a Bill of Rights for Older People could play.
“I therefore commend the call in our Motion for the introduction of an Older People's Rights Bill, to extend and promote the rights of older people – and for a duty on public sector bodies to consult older people when making decisions which affect their live.
He added:
“Cartrefi Conwy was formed when Conwy tenants voted to transfer their Council Housing stock. I was a guest at Cartrefi Conwy’s Older Persons’ Day on 30th September, celebrating their older tenants and the contributions they make to the communities in which they live, and publicising the services available to their older people in order to promote Independent Living – empowering and enabling them to take control of their lives, not letting their age, or anything else affect them, their independence or quality of life.
“If they have not already done so, I urge those Local Authorities which retained their housing stock to embrace a similar approach.
“Our 2016 Manifesto stated a Welsh Conservative Government would implement a £400 weekly cap on residential care, and protect £100,000 of assets for those in residential care. The Welsh Government’s failure to do the same is regrettable.”
Mr Isherwood also referred to the Older People’s Commissioner for Wales ‘Dementia- More than just memory loss’ report which found that there is still a lack of knowledge and understanding of dementia, that dementia services often lack the flexibility to effectively meet the needs of people living with dementia and their carers, that a lack of co-operation between services creates unnecessary difficulties and barriers for people living with dementia and their carers, and that there are still significant variations across Wales in the quality of services available, and said that Alzheimer’s Society are calling for the proposed Welsh Government Dementia Strategy to set out clear targets for increased Dementia diagnosis rates, currently the lowest in any UK nation, ensure support from a Dementia support worker, ensure Dementia awareness training in all clinical and care settings – and much more.