COUNCILLORS will today decide whether to push ahead with a wide-ranging overhaul of care for older people in York.

Early intervention, prevention, and helping people to maintain their independence are all part of the plans to be agreed when City of York’s executive meets this afternoon.

Care bosses say that as the numbers of older people in York grow and grow, they want to stop waiting for people to get to crisis before offering help, and instead pour more resources into making people “resilient” and able to stay in their own homes, caring for themselves for longer.

They have drawn up proposals to shift the focus towards early intervention and preventative work.

The city’s Age UK representatives say they will be involved with the council and the Older People’s Assembly as the plans are introduced, to make sure people get the help they need.

Chief officer Sally Hutchinson said: “We will be working with City of York Council in the future, because these changes are necessary due to government cuts, and a large increase in the needs of older people.”

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She added: “We have been assured by social services that older people will still receive the assessments for care that they are entitled to, and that they will get the support they need to engage with the services.”

The proposals also include a “digital by default” approach so that people can use websites and apps to arrange care and support; and better customer services so people who contact the council for help channelled towards the right support.

But Ms Hutchinson said they had been assured by the council’s social care executives that older people would not be allowed to fall “between a rock and a hard place” but would have access to the services they need.

The change in approach is expected to save the council more than £1.2 million - with lower costs to meet in community support, residential care, and nursing care.

This evening councillors will be asked to approve the plans, and release £360,000 to be spent on finding an external organisation and a project leader for the council, who will be in charge of implementing the changes.