By 2031, the population over 75 years of age is estimated to increase by almost 94 per cent. This means that the range of current services will need to adapt to provide services to more people in the future.
Councillor David Raw, Executive Member for Social Work, said: "We know that there will be an enormous increase in the Borders' older population by 2031 and we have had the courage to make the big decisions and secure their future."
The new services make a shift away from mainstream residential care homes to new forms of housing with support which will allow people to live as independently as they want to. It is fully anticipated that implementation of the recommendations will significantly improve the quality of life for older people at an affordable cost.
Director of Social Work, Andrew Lowe, said: "We have listened to what Borderers have had to say. People's expectations of later life are changing and services need to change to reflect that and support people to live the lives they want to lead. We will try to help people to help themselves wherever we can."
Elements of the new services will be delivered in all five areas of the Borders within the first three years of the programme with the roll out of most services in the five principal localities completed by 2016.
By taking this approach, the implementation plan will ensure the Council is able to continue to provide sustainable care and support arrangements for older people for many years to come. The main service developments include:
- more intensive home care arrangements
- creating housing with care places
- developing extra care housing places
- re-designing council care home places
- making sure there are places for short term intermediate care
- commissioning external care home places
- investing in new day care service dates
- producing places in social centres
- establishing different types of preventative services
Annette Scobie, Co-ordinator of the Borders Voluntary Community Care Forum said: "We appreciate that the Council has made a real effort to consult with older people and their carers in local communities and that the feedback has been taken on board. We don't under-estimate the challenges ahead to meet the needs of older people in the Borders and to provide good quality care and support. We in the voluntary sector see that we will play a very important role in working together with the statutory services by developing new models of care and new ways of providing more support in local communities."
More information
For more information, visit the Scottish Borders Council website.
