Views Of The Public Sought On The Future Of Day Centres

Residents in Powys are being asked to express their views on the future of Day Time Activities for older people across the county. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The council will be consulting with the public on a number of options on the future of the service via an online survey which goes live on Wednesday (August 17th). A paper-based version will be available the following Monday (August 22nd), on request from the council or local libraries. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Earlier this year, the council carried out a number of listening and learning events with staff, service users, families and carers to gather their views and concerns. Their views have helped develop the range of options that the council is now consulting upon. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor Stephen Hayes, Portfolio Holder for Adult Services said; “We currently run six day centres across Powys and help fund five other organisations to deliver services on our behalf. But continued financial pressures and the reduced funding available means we have to review how we deliver services in the future. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We are facing some very difficult choices about the way services are provided and know that some of the changes we need to make in social care and support will not always be popular. So it is crucial that we give as many people as possible the chance to have their say. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We need to meet the needs of every member of the community and develop a wider choice of day time opportunities, especially for those who have difficulty in accessing a service in hard to reach rural areas. We want to tackle social isolation by working with our communities in identifying alternative ways of delivering the service. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We are encouraging anyone who wishes to comment on this issue to do so, and we are having conversations with day centre users, families and carers of service users, staff and management along with a whole range of other partners, agencies and organisations throughout the consultation.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The consultation will close on October 28th, 2016. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​