Ageing Well Engagement Page

The council’s overall direction for adult social care is built on three core strategies named ‘Ageing Well’, ‘Caring Well’, and ‘Living Well' , which set out priorities up to 2027. The three strategies were co-designed with people who use the services and their friends and families. They focus on how the council will support people across the city, whether they are older people, those with a care and support need with learning disabilities, mental health challenges, autism, living with additional physical or sensory difficulty, or the friends and family of people with additional needs.

A Partnership group manages the development, delivery, and monitoring of the yearly action plans for each strategy. This will build on the work of the previous year and consider emerging needs and trends. All action plans contain a desire to further develop co-production, meaning there will continue to be multiple methods for residents to be a part of the work going forward.

There are multiple ways to work with us, whether this is via membership of the partnership group, our residents’ forum (more details below), focused pieces of work on specific activities or design, or by engagement through the website and social media. We are also aware that people may be interested in more than one of the strategies and as such we will link these together so people can navigate between them easily.

The Ageing Well strategy considers the needs of people as they get older. The strategy does not limit its ambition to an arbitrary age but instead aims to create an environment and community that embraces ageing and allows people of all ages to live well together in Southend.

What are we going to do? Our priorities for action:

• Outdoor spaces and buildings – carry out an audit of public buildings with a view to recommending improvements.
• Transport – carry out a review of transport availability and options for older people to create community focused solutions.
• Housing – encompassing a number of actions, with the aim of moving away from an over reliance on residential and nursing care, considering what other options are available and developing a business case for investment.
• Social Participation – connecting active participants in the community with older people living on their own.
• Respect and social isolation – promote intergenerational understanding and respect.
• Civic participation and employment – work with the existing VCSE sector in Southend to coordinate a volunteering bureau.
• Communication and information – signposting the streamlined offer for Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG).
• Community support and health / social care services – increase investment in prevention and early intervention to promote better outcomes for older people.

We value your feedback…

The Ageing Well User Voice Group is a residents’ forum for us to gather feedback and for you to share your views on local services:

• Learn more about free local services and activities.
• Share your thoughts directly with SCC officers in person.
• Be part of decision-making in your community.
• Make new friends.

The group meets typically every 6 weeks at a central Southend location. For more details, please contact Nicky Riches – nickyriches@southend.gov.uk