An influential All Party Parliamentary Group has expressed strong support for FirstStop's efforts to link up information and advice services for older people. Chaired by Lord Richard Best, the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Housing and Care for Older People has spent several months considering evidence presented by a range of experts to what it termed its Living Well At Home Inquiry. The Group this week delivered a succinct but comprehensive report, identifying the barriers that can prevent older people living well at home and making recommendations as to how Government, local authorities and partners across the voluntary and commercial sectors can help break these down.
Particularly encouraging for FirstStop and its local and national partner organisations was the APPG's resounding support for what we are doing to weld together a national information and advice spine with locally delivered advice, support and advocacy services. It recommends a continuation of central Government (DCLG) funding for FirstStop National (already, in fact, committed) and that local authorities should "be encouraged to coordinate the provision of face-to-face housing information and advice services for older people in their areas and identify sustainable investment in them".
This report of the Living Well At Home Inquiry is well worth reading in full. Download it here!