There are over 650,000 over-65s in Wales, representing 21% of the Welsh population. Making Wales a good place to grow old is a priority for government, public services and communities. The Older People’s Commissioner’s programme ‘Ageing well in Wales’ and the Welsh Government’s Strategy for Older People in Wales (2013-2023) ‘Living longer, ageing well’ show that there is appetite for improving the lives of older people in Wales now and in future.
Hosted by the Wales Centre for Public Policy and SPARK, Dr Anna Dixon, Chief Executive at the Centre for Ageing Better looked at what changes are needed in policy and practice to create a society where everyone enjoys later life. She then talked about the evidence and insights from Ageing Better’s work in areas including employment, health, housing and communities as well as wider work on ageism.
She also discussed Ageing Better’s role as a What Works Centre and how they use evidence to bring about change, as well as supporting innovation and implementation.
Anna’s talk was followed by a panel discussion involving Heléna Herklots, Older People’s Commissioner for Wales, and Dr Martin Hyde, Associate Professor of Gerontology at the Centre for Innovative Ageing, Swansea University, with a Q&A opportunity to explore the relevance of Ageing Better’s work to priorities in Wales.