New evidence on how older and disabled people get better outcomes by taking control over their lives

Citation

(2011), "New evidence on how older and disabled people get better outcomes by taking control over their lives", Quality in Ageing and Older Adults, Vol. 12 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/qaoa.2011.55912daa.011

New evidence on how older and disabled people get better outcomes by taking control over their lives

Article Type: News From: Quality in Ageing and Older Adults, Volume 12, Issue 4

Two new reports published today show that: the uptake of direct payments is higher when User Led Organisations (ULOs) deliver Support Planning and Brokerage rather than local authorities (LAs) doing it, and listening and responding to what older people with high support needs say about how they want to live their lives is more likely to result in older people choosing to live at home.

These are amongst the messages from two new summary reports (called NDTi Insights) published today by the NDTi on findings and lessons from government funded demonstration projects on independent living. NDTi worked with the office for disability issues and six LAs between 2008 and 2010 to increase the choice and control that disabled and older people have over the support they need in their lives.

The key messages from the reports are:

ULOs provide services that are felt to be more “human” and less bureaucratic than when delivered through LAs. They can deliver positive advantages in reaching local people and supporting them to negotiate LA systems. ULOs need investment in capacity building and involvement in strategic partnerships with LAs to achieve this. People whose support plan was facilitated by a ULO were more likely to take their personal budget as a direct payment than those whose support plan was delivered by the LA.

Older people with high-support needs want to remain and be treated as active citizens, involved in family and community life, wherever they live. This includes being able to choose where and how you live – and having a much broader range of options open to you. This has significant consequences for the future funding and provision of long-term care, and the implementation of the Dilnot Commission’s recommendations.

Steve Strong, NDTi’s project manager for the support planning and brokerage initiative said: “Information about personal budgets and collaboration between local authorities and ULOs is vital to ensure that disabled people have easy access to the right type of support when they need it”.

Helen Bowers, Director of the Older People and Ageing Programme at NDTi and lead author of the “SERI Story” report said: “The SERI Story highlights what can be done at a local level to increase the voice, choice and control of older people with high support needs living in care homes and those at risk of moving into care. However, much more still needs to be done to increase awareness and understanding about independent living and what this means for older people who need a lot of support in their lives; and to widen access to a greater variety of support that enables older people to carry on living their lives and contributing to the lives of others.”

The full reports and summaries can be accessed from: www.ndti.org.uk/publications/ndti-insights/insights-8-9-independent-living-strategy-projects/