Live Longer Better is a campaign addressing the serious health crisis for people living in later life across the whole country.
We are facing a serious health crisis for people living in later life across the whole country. The over 80s population will double within ten years, with the majority of those aged over 65 likely to experience poor health for more than half of their remaining years. We are living for longer and in the majority of cases with one or more long-term health conditions.
A recent report produced by Age UK demonstrates the extent to which Covid has exacerbated the situation and the enduring effect this is having on older people. To help address this crisis Active Sussex are delighted to be working with Sir Muir Gray and his Optimal Ageing Programme, to deliver a transformational initiative designed to help older people “Live Longer Better.”
In 2021 Active Sussex joined the 2-year Live longer Better (LLB) Community of Practice and Learning (CoPL), working alongside 20 other Active Partnerships, the Active Partnerships National Team and other key national partners including the Centre for Ageing Better, Age UK and Sport England.
The CoPL is united behind the transformational shared purpose – to develop a new culture: from “care to enablement”, using physical activity as the driver to increase healthspan for older adults. The key is to support people in remaining active, physically, cognitively and emotionally. Furthermore the network strives to enable people to live longer better and to reduce the need for health and social care.
This is a cultural revolution and revolutions need a favourable conducive environment as well as committed revolutionaries, and three highly significant changes in the environment are taking place as we move towards Phase 3 of the CoPL:
The Live Longer Better system delivered by local networks is an excellent model and forms a very good foundation for people engaging with the new NHS organisations.
“For the future of social care, we need a revolution not a reorganisation. We need to reduce the need for social care by making the term ‘care’, meaning just doing things for people redundant and enabling people to achieve physical and cognitive development as they live longer.”
To ensure this is having a meaningful impact on the ageing population at a local level, Active Sussex will be investing funding and resources into increasing physical activity provision for those in later life over the next 12 months, in order to ensure they are able to overcome practical, digital and psychological barriers. Active Sussex will be working with local partners from the health, physical activity and voluntary sectors, as well as local authorities and public health teams to ensure we are reaching those most in need of support.
Active Sussex will be delivering its Stronger for Life project which aims to improve strength and balance of individuals that will reduce the risk of falls in later life.
Ross is responsible for working with partners to tackle inequalities locally in order to address inactivity. He has a focus on increasing the levels of physical activity for older people and people living with long-term health conditions. Ross is also the Active Sussex Strategic lead for Brighton & Hove.
Email: rjoannides@activesussex.org