1. Advocacy for older people in Wales Louise Hughes Project Manager Elder Abuse Project

2. Introduction Elder Abuse Project ‘Advocacy Counts Reports’ Why advocacy – rhetoric and reality Developing advocacy services & best practice Examples of services across Wales

3. Elder Abuse Project Advocacy Access to Justice Financial Abuse Human Rights Legislation

4. ‘Advocacy Counts’ Reports –Funding –Training –Standards and definitions –Increasing older population and the implications for advocacy –Specialist advocacy –Generic services –POVA referrals

5. Advocacy Counts (2007) Report on advocacy provision in Wales (2007) – launched Oct 07 at the Sennedd Only 23 organisations actually stated they provided advocacy services 7 services would have funding reduced or it would be coming to an end Only 6 organisations clearly quoted a definition that they work to Identified the need for more training especially around specific types of abuse and human rights Repeat in 2008

6. ‘Advocacy Counts 2’ - 2008 Repeat survey – launched in Nov ’09 19 respondents specifically stated they provide advocacy to older people Equates to 1 paid advocate to every 35,000 older people Failure to deliver any significant increase in services Funding issues remain a significant issue Training – in adult protection, human rights and basic advocacy skills. Standards and definitions

7. Why Advocacy? – the rhetoric and the reality National Service Framework for Older People National Minimum Standards for Older People in Care Homes House of Commons Joint Committee on Human Rights Mental Capacity Act – Independent Mental Capacity Advocates Mental Health Act – Independent Mental Health Advocates

8. Older People in Wales – Facts and figures People over 60 in 2001 was 657,700 –One paid advocate per 25,000 older people (approx) Estimated figures for 2011 are 772,000 22.7% of the population in Wales is over 60 Care Homes – approx 21,000 people aged 65+ are in a care home Community services – provided to almost 78,000 aged 65+ Dementia – approx 42,000 people in Wales affected by dementia, prevalence rates increase with age and are thought to be as follows: –1 in 50 aged 65-70 –1 in 20 aged 70-80 –1 in 5 aged 80 or over

9. Developing Advocacy Services & Best Practice Local mapping Local networks Links with national networks Action for Advocacy –Charter, Standards, Code of Practice, Quality Mark Older People’s Advocacy Alliance (OPAAL) Advocacy Consortium UK (ACUK) Communication Sharing examples of service specifications Advocacy pathways / flowcharts Shared service protocolls

10. Things to consider when developing a service specification Independence Free from conflict of interest Realistic outcomes Monitoring – including qualitative outcomes Funding Training and development Standards and code of practice Longer term issues – development of service, issues for rural communities

11. Volunteers Use of volunteers Recruitment, training, supervision Resources Investing in volunteers

12. What is advocacy? It is not… –Befriending –Counselling –Mediation –Legal –Advice –Impartial –Dependency It is about… –Support –Representation –Empowerment –Choices –Rights –Having a voice –Making decisions

13. Types of advocacy It is important to be clear what type of advocacy is being funded –Issue based crisis advocacy –Citizen advocacy –Peer advocacy –Group advocacy –Complaints advocacy –Instructed or non-instructed advocacy –Dementia advocacy

14. Examples of services across Wales Age Concern are the primary provider of older people’s advocacy services –Generic Advocacy –Dementia Advocacy –Hospital and Residential Care –Specialist abuse advocacy –Financial advocacy Independent Domestic Abuse Advocates (IDVA) Independent Mental Capacity Advocates (IMCA) Independent Mental Health Advocates (IMHA) Complaints advocates Mental Health Advocates

15. Contact Details LOUISE HUGHES Project Manager Age Concern Cymru Suite 2, Daniel Owen Precinct, Mold, Flintshire, CH7 1XP 0845 310 3332 louise.hughes@accymru.org.uk FFION JONES Project Assistant Age Concern Cymru Suite 2, Daniel Owen Precinct, Mold, Flintshire, CH7 1XP 0845 310 3332 ffion.jones@accymru.org.uk