Living well in later life in Scotland

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to describe the development, implementation and early impact of a national action plan for active and healthy ageing in Scotland.Design/methodology/approachThe Joint Improvement Team, NHS Health Scotland, the Scottish Government and the Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland (ALLIANCE) co-produced the action plan with older people from the Scottish Older People’s Assembly. Together they supported partnerships to embed the action plan as an important element of the reshaping care for older people transformation programme in Scotland.FindingsA cross-sector improvement network supported health, housing and care partnerships to use a £300 million Change Fund to implement evidence based preventative approaches to enable older people to live well. Older people in Scotland spent over two million days at home than would have been expected based on previous balance of care and impact of ageing.Practical implicationsImproving the health and wellbeing of older people is not just the responsibility of health and social care services. Enabling older people to live independent, active and fulfilling lives requires coordinated effort that spans national and local government policy areas, mobilises all sectors of society, and involves all health and care disciplines. Success starts with listening to what matters to older people, and working together, and with older people and local communities, to make that a reality.Originality/valueThis case study from Scotland offers transferable learning for other systems who have an ageing population and an ambitions to enable them to live well in later life.