Older people losing their vision and hearing Influencing the policy agenda

An ageing population In Australia, the number of people aged over

65 years will grow from 2.5 million in 2002 to over 7 million by 2051

In UK, 1 in 5 people over 60 have both hearing and sight loss

What’s happening out there? Demographic change Social welfare systems in trouble In England, the number of dependent older people in

England is projected to grow from 2.5 million in 2001 to just over 4 million in 2031 - an increase of 57%

Local Government Association state current model of providing care is unsustainable

In England, eligibility criteria increasingly only substantial and critical

Older older people In UK, number of people aged over 85 will

increase by 38% between 2005 and 1017 In UK, 270,000 people over 75 have a hearing

and sight loss which means they probably meet the deafblind criteria

Some increased recognition of sensory impairment in old age

Older people and the deafblind field What do these changes mean for the state and for the

locality? What will happen to deafblind services as a result? What should happen?

Deafblind organisations need to consider how they can bring to the attention of policy makers the importance and the value of addressing the needs of older people arising from dual sensory loss. People and services with skills in working with deafblind people need to be involved in older people’s services in a way that is effective and sustainable.

Three changes are needed: Significant investment in the deafblind

specialism Deafblind specialists and services

increasingly focusing on older people Deafblind specialists devoting time and

resources to awareness raising and transferring expertise to mainstream services for older people.

Not a low incidence disability Older people losing sight and hearing is an issue for

all who are responsible for policy and support for older people. We can’t sustain an argument that specialized services are required for such a mainstream issue. However specialized services are required to develop and disseminate solutions and good practice that can be delivered by the mainstream. There will also be a need for specialized services to work with people whose needs are particularly complex and difficult to meet.

Sense’s older people strategyAfter 10 years

We will be a specialist resource working with people who present the most severe challenges

We will be working with local authorities and other bodies who are providing services to older people

There will be an awareness of deafblindness in older people and a higher profile for Sense

Fundraising will have new sources of income – might be easier to fundraise!

Sense’s older people strategy (3 yrs) Policy

Mainly the Fill In The Gaps campaign Developing good links e.g. joint seminar with Help The Aged in

November Direct support / assessment / specialist advice

Mainly developments in Sense outreach work Information

Geared up to respond to requests Membership

Sense Plus Knowledge

Understanding the population and needs Revising the “number of deafblind people” Evidence of successful interventions

Why a campaign? Sense outreach workers had identified two problems:

People don’t get referred for help When they are referred, professionals don’t know what

support to give Older people’s services don’t take account of

sensory loss Everyone sees sensory loss as a natural part of the

ageing process People don’t know what they or the person they

support are entitled to People don’t know what action to take

Evidence of need No social contacts or a restricted social life and are

likely to be much more isolated than other people of the same age 1 in 3 would like to undertake more social activities

Mental health problems 6 times more cognitive problems 2.7 times more depressive symptoms

More frailty and illness than their contemporaries more likely to be unfit / frail and 3 times more likely to

have falls.

Professionals A range of materials is being produced aimed

at the different targets: Local Authority Social Services – 2006 Care homes/domiciliary care – 2007 GP surgeries - 2008

Training events are being organised for each of these target groups

Public Raising awareness amongst the public, especially

those aged 50 – 70 i.e. people who are likely to be carers of older people

Information booklet available from Sense Just because you can’t see or hear too well…. Doesn’t

mean you can’t enjoy “The Good Life” Richard Briers endorsement

Media campaign to publicise Briefing for other organisations information services Single point of entry on Sense website to the

campaign i.e. www.sense.org.uk/fillinthegaps.

Aims of Fill In The Gaps A higher profile for dual sensory loss,

including on the policy agenda The mainstreaming of dual sensory loss in

older people’s services

Results in 2006 Resources were so popular we had to re-print 130 people attended professional seminars All those attending said they were likely or

very likely to use what they learned (72% said very likely)

There is evidence of action following the seminars

Questions for discussion To what extent is policy responding to demographic

change What are the likely consequences for services

(especially for deafblind services) of demographic change?

Are there useful lessons from Sense’s experience and what are they?

Who else has addressed this issue? Is similar action required elsewhere?

For more information

visit www.sense.org.uk/fillinthegaps.

Malcolm MatthewsSenseDirector of Community Support & InformationSense, 11-13 Clifton Terrace, London, N4 3SRPhone: +44 20 7561 3313Mobile: +44 77 9534 8701Fax: +44 20 7272 6012Email: malcolm.matthews@sense.org.uk