The ageing revolution is not just about retirement living, it is also about the environment and its functionality. What is needed is a change in thinking and an acceptance that what has been done in the past was not ideal, says David Williams, chief executive, The St Monica Trust
Three years ago, when we began our listening programme, it became clear that what our residents, customers and service users wanted wasn’t a tinkering around the edges. What they were demanding in terms of their living environment, the provision of services and levels of community integration was nothing short of a revolution – and a revolution is long overdue.
The nature and type of services and environments the sector has provided for older people could be considered the last major civil rights issue facing the UK. Our traditional models of care have not changed much over the past 25 years. They have led to society hiding away older people and the issues associated with ageing behind gated communities.
When questioned, we as a sector roll out the same old justifications; that we are protecting the vulnerable, ensuring safety and security. These are the same arguments we used to justify mental health asylums and large scale learning disability institutions, both of which have now been replaced largely with integrated community models of care. The same has not happened within the elderly care sector.
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