Health and Social Care

Active and Healthy Ageing: An Action Plan for Scotland 2014 – 2016

May 13, 2014 by Eilidh Smith No Comments | Category Uncategorized

Our vision is for all older people in Scotland to enjoy full and positive lives – happy and healthy at home or in a homely setting. This positive vision values older people and their contribution to society and empowers them to be active partners in the way support and services are planned and delivered.

Community Planning Partnerships (CPPs) are expected to focus on six key priorities to deliver better outcomes for communities through their Single Outcome Agreements. One priority is to increase physical activity and promote early intervention and preventative approaches in reducing health inequalities. Another priority is to improve outcomes for older people.

To build on the momentum from our PATH to Active Ageing event in 2012, the Joint Improvement Team (JIT), NHS Health Scotland and the Scottish Government worked closely with partners from health, social care, housing, Third sector, Care Inspectorate, and with the Scottish Older People’s Assembly (SOPA) to develop a plan for Active and Healthy Ageing in Scotland.

The actions are grouped around 4 themes that older people told us are important:

• “I want to have fun and enjoy myself”
• “I wish to remain connected to my friends”
• “I wish to be able to contribute to society for as long as I want”
• “Don’t talk about me without me, and respect my beliefs and values”

These themes align with the outcomes framework being developed by NHS Health Scotland to support delivery of National Outcomes for older people. Implementing the actions will help create a society in which we can all age healthily.

The Action Plan was launched by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing at the Co-production conference on April 23rd. A small team from NHS Health Scotland, the JIT and the Health and Social Care ALLIANCE will support national organisations and local partnerships to implement the actions.

Improving the health and wellbeing of older people is not just the responsibility of health and social care services. We all have a role to play – families, neighbours and communities; providers of services like housing, transport, leisure, community safety, education and arts; and also shops, banks and other commercial enterprises. Older people as empowered consumers and active participants of societies and labour markets bring value to the economy and prosperity to local communities.

We must all work together, and with older people and local communities, to make this plan a reality. Active and Healthy Ageing is everyone’s responsibility.

It’s All Our Futures

For more information contact

Anne.Hendry@scotland.gsi.gov.uk  or Mark.McGeachie@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

Tags: health inequalities, Healthy Ageing, JIT, NHS Health Scotland, scotland

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