More people are living longer and happy lives. However, Harrow recognises that a growing number also move into older age with a range of complex health conditions and care needs.
We aim to provide access to a range of early help along with personalised care and support services. We want to enable older people, their family, and carers to continue living in good health and wellbeing. We want to enable greater independence at home and in their local communities for as long as possible. Understanding how older people can live better for longer while managing long-term conditions such as dementia and frailty will be important for developing the care and support offer.
Strategic commissioning plays an important role to design and arrange access to effective care and support services. We do this in collaboration and coproduction with local partners and providers. This includes information and advice, early preventative support, technology-based care solutions, equipment aids, and enabling models of care at home in parallel with local reablement therapies.
Where older people are unable to stay at home, we will seek to expand the use of extra care housing. With the vision of maximising independent and safe living in the local community. With aims of further reducing the impact of frailty and social isolation. We will also ensure an effective supply of good-quality care home services that enhance people’s quality of life and end of life care.
Development of our integrated health and social care system, will mean closer collaboration with all partners. This will enable flexible, responsive, and innovative delivery models to improve long-term health and care outcomes.