Commissioner's plan to help older people have a voice

The Older People’s Commissioner for Wales has issued new guidance to local authorities across Wales which sets out the action they should be taking to ensure older people have an opportunity to make their voices heard and influence the decisions affecting their lives.

The guidance is designed to support local authorities in their planning and delivery of engagement and consultation activities and help ensure they are meeting their statutory duties.

The Commissioner developed the guidance in response to concerns raised by older people that they often find it difficult to make their voices heard and influence decisions affecting their lives or communities, which can leave them feeling powerless and that their voices don’t matter.

The guidance reflects what older people have told the Commissioner about the ways they feel these activities could be improved, as well as drawing on wider principles that enable inclusive, person-centred approaches to engagement and consultation.

The Commissioner has issued the guidance using her legal powers, which means local authorities must have regard for it when discharging their functions.

The Commissioner, Rhian Bowen-Davies, said: “Since I took up post at the end of last year, older people have frequently raised concerns with me about being unable to make their voices heard when decisions are being made that affect their lives and communities, particularly in terms of changes to public services.

“These kinds of changes can create significant concerns for everyone affected, but older people may have particular concerns due to the impact of other barriers they can face – such as a lack of transport or digital exclusion. 

“So it’s hugely important that listening and responding effectively to older people’s voices is a key part of engagement, consultation and decision-making.

“That’s why I have issued this Guidance to local authorities using my legal powers, to support improvements in these crucial activities, as well as to help ensure greater consistency across Wales.

“Through my Guidance, I want to help ensure that people of all ages in all of their diversity have opportunities and are enabled to make their voices heard in a meaningful way, an ambition I know is shared by our public services across Wales.”