West Sussex County Council: £3.5M Boost To Promote Independence For Older People

Date: Jan 5, 2007

Press Release Number: PR1209

£3.5M Boost To Promote Independence For Older People

West Sussex has been awarded £3.5 million to fund a key pilot project aimed at giving greater independence to older people.

The Council is one of 10 local authorities who successfully bid for funding as part of the Partnerships for Older People Projects (POPPs) programme. POPPs is designed to help people stay independent for longer to avoid the need for institutionalised care.

The aim of the project in West Sussex will be to improve the quality of life for older people by providing more choice of preventive services and support. Its main objectives are:

To help reduce emergency admissions and delayed transfers of care into the community from hospital

To increase the number of opportunities for active older people to be in employment or working as volunteers.

To support more older people live at home or in supported housing instead of long-term residential care

Under the project local community networks will be set up with joint prevention teams. These teams will provide a single point of access to a wide range of services and information. They will advise people with more complex needs on how to get help from health and social care services.

They will also help older people identify how their health and quality of life can be improved in ways they can manage themselves. The project will be supported by a new resource and information database.

Pat Arculus, West Sussex County Council Cabinet Member for Adults' Services, said: "I am delighted that we have been chosen to pilot this vitally important and valuable project.

"We know that people want to stay in their own homes and communities and remain independent for as long as possible. This project will help them to do this and in doing so improve their quality of life.

"I hope lessons learned as a result of our work here will be used nationally to improve the lives of thousands of older people in the future."

Contact: CE.Communications.Team@westsussex.gov.uk