Download full text
(external source)
Citation Suggestion
Please use the following Persistent Identifier (PID) to cite this document:
https://doi.org/10.17645/si.7448
Exports for your reference manager
Preventative Social Care and Community Development in Wales: "New" Legislation, "Old" Tensions?
[journal article]
Abstract Prevention is becoming ever more central in UK care policy for older people, though precisely what this entails, and how it works most effectively in social care and support, remains ambiguous. Set against the "newness" of recent social care legislation in Wales, this article explores the perspectiv... view more
Prevention is becoming ever more central in UK care policy for older people, though precisely what this entails, and how it works most effectively in social care and support, remains ambiguous. Set against the "newness" of recent social care legislation in Wales, this article explores the perspectives of professionals on prevention and community development, particularly for older people. This draws on qualitative data collected from 11 Welsh local authorities, four NHS Wales health boards, and eight regional third-sector organisations, incorporating 64 interviews with directors, executives, and senior managers. Recent research has highlighted concerns over the slipperiness of prevention as a concept, resulting in multiple interpretations and activities operating under its banner. Consistent with this, our data suggested a kaleidoscopic picture of variously named community-based initiatives working to support the intricate web of connections that sustain older people, as well as provide practical or material help. Similarly, professionals highlighted varied agendas of community resilience, individual independence, and reducing the need for state-funded health and social care, as well as a range of viewpoints on the roles of the state, private sector, and the third sector. Analysis revealed fragments of familiar themes in community development; positive hopes for community initiatives, tensions between the mixed agendas of state-instigated activities, and the practical challenges arising from systems imbued with neo-liberal ideas. Realising the promise of prevention will require deft steering through these challenges.... view less
Keywords
aging; development; municipality; elderly; dependence; social support; social policy; prevention; Great Britain
Classification
Gerontology
Health Policy
Free Keywords
ageing; community development; independence; older people; social care
Document language
English
Publication Year
2024
Journal
Social Inclusion, 12 (2024)
Issue topic
Community Development and Preventative Care With Older People: New Values and Approaches
ISSN
2183-2803
Status
Published Version; peer reviewed