6. Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Services: Age Friendly Wales: Our strategy for an Ageing Society

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:56 pm on 30 November 2021.

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Photo of Altaf Hussain Altaf Hussain Conservative 4:56, 30 November 2021

Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Ageing is a blessing. The ministerial advisory forum on ageing in 2018 convened five working groups to focus on the key areas that Members felt we must get right in planning for ageing, including how to make rights real for older people. Minister, surely it is now time to enshrine in law the rights of older people. We need to set a standard for others to follow. So, does she agree that making rights real means establishing what those rights are? Many older people are vulnerable to attack. Building the capabilities of older people sometimes relies on good-quality information. My question to the Minister is: would you support my call for the Welsh Government to run annual awareness campaigns against elder abuse, age discrimination and scams and swindles to help inform and arm our older population? Many older people will be wary of yet another strategy without a clear vision from Government as to what positive benefit they will see in practice. Minister, at the time of the next Senedd election, how will Wales be more age friendly, and how will you know what success actually looks like? Thank you.