Planning the future of care
Our Community Conversation on the future of care for older residents will take place over three weeks from 9 March to 30 March. It will help inform the council’s future direction and plans for all aspects of its support for older people’s independence and wellbeing, including:
- adaptations, technology and personal support to help people remain in their own home,
- reablement support and intermediate care beds to help people return to their own home after a spell in hospital, or to prevent the need to go into hospital
- access to the right mix of affordable specialist housing offering support and care
- modern residential care, with facilities and services that are fit for the future
- specialist support for people with severe dementia
On this page you will find an online survey for residents, and an online survey for organisations that support older people. We will also be out and about across Westmorland in Furness chatting to residents.
Before we develop our future options, we want to know what matters most to YOU when you think about your future.
Find out more
Cllr Patricia Bell, Westmorland and Furness Council Cabinet member for Adults, Health and Care says:
“Some of the most important and difficult care decisions to be made as you get older are about housing - where you will live and how you can retain your independence for as long as possible.
“We want to hear what is most important to people as their needs grow, what people mean by independence as they get older, and what awareness there is of different kinds of housing that supports older people.
“If you can no longer live safely at home then the only option doesn’t have to be moving to a residential care home – we think there needs to be more affordable specialist housing and care options available between your own home and going into a care home, and we want to see what residents think about that.
"The Community Conversation is being launched because Westmorland and Furness has an ageing population, with numbers aged 65 and over projected to rise 28% from 58,500 in 2021 to 75,000 in 2043. The numbers of people living with advanced dementia also are going to rise significantly.
“This is all going to put unsustainable pressure on accommodation for older people, including residential homes,” says Cllr Bell, “so we need your help to understand your preferences, so we can plan effectively and make the best decisions for the future.
“A preventative approach with early support in the community is vital too, so we want to hear what you’d like to see in order for you to stay happy, healthy and active for as long as possible.
“At the same time as these demographic challenges, Government funding for Westmorland and Furness Council has been cut significantly, so it is even more important we look at innovative ways of working and new models of care. It is also important for the council to clearly define its role so that we are making the best use of our resources by concentrating on providing modern services that the independent market cannot reliably provide on its own.
“Within that role we very much want to be ambitious and innovative, with modern, fit-for-the-future services and are looking at new ideas and best practice from around the UK and Europe.”
Following the Community Conversation and other research by the council, the council’s Cabinet will meet in July to consider the future strategy for its care services and decide future options, with a period of full Public Consultation to follow.
“I hope you will join the Community Conversation – your voice matters and we want to plan the services that you and your family in Westmorland and Furness expect and deserve in the future.”
Project phases
March, 2026 - Community Conversation
This Community Conversation will help inform our future Adult Social Care plans and strategies for providing support and care for older people. It will also help the council plan future specialist housing provision for older people.
April to July 2026 - Options development
The results of this Community Conversation and other work by Adult Social Care will help the council create a shortlist of future options for support for older people, for consideration at a meeting of the council’s Cabinet in July. Cabinet may then decide to go ahead with a Public Consultation on one or more of the options.
Public consultation
If Cabinet agrees to move forward on one or more options, a full Public Consultation involving residents and stakeholders, lasting three months would take place. Following consultation, a decision would be made on the way forward. The next step would be to create detailed business plans for the changes.
Join our Community Conversation
Complete our residents survey
Where you choose to live as you grow older, and what extra support or care you may need, are key decisions most of us have to make at some point. We need to ensure there is the right mix of living choices and support options for older people in Westmorland and Furness in the coming decades. Before we begin more detailed planning we want to hear what residents think about their future: what will living well looks like as you get older? What do you know about different housing options...
Complete our survey for organisations
Where people choose to live as they grow older, and what extra support or care they may need, are key decisions most of us have to make at some point. We need to ensure there is the right mix of living choices and support options for older people in Westmorland and Furness in the coming decades. Our Community Conversation on the future of care for older residents takes place over three weeks from 9 March to 30 March. It will help inform the council’s future direction and plans...
Out & about in Furness
Our Community Conversation team will be out and about in Furness the week commencing Monday 9 March . Here are some of the places we'll be:
- Asda, Barrow: Wed 11 March
- Furness General Hospital (DWP Benefits Bus): Thu 12 March
- Cavendish Park, Barrow (Be Well pop-up): Fri 13 March
Out & about in South Lakes
Our Community Conversation team will be out and about in South Lakeland the week commencing Monday 16 March. We will post more details here.
Out & about in Eden
Our Community Conversation team will be out and about in Eden the week commencing Monday 23 March. We will post further details here.
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