THE Welsh Government has come under fire after delaying a long-awaited report into the lives of older people across Wales.

A ministerial strategy to tackle loneliness and isolation amongst older people will not be published until 2019, but the Welsh Conservative Older People’s Champion is warning that 2019 “will come too late” for thousands of older people.

Janet Finch-Saunders AM said: “Loneliness is a significant public health risk, as damaging as smoking, and we need to take urgent steps to improve quality of life for older people in society.

“2019 will come too late for thousands of older people suffering in isolation.

“We need to see a greater focus from the Welsh Government on developing innovative policy solutions to improve quality of life for older people including the long promised, but never delivered integration of health and social care.”

The Government’s Health, Social Care and Sport Committee ?heard last week that around half a million people in Wales feel lonely always or often, and that a lack of social interaction is as damaging as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. It was then disclosed that plans to tackle these concerns have been delayed until 2019.

Age Cymru’s Michael Phillips has also spoken of the charity’s frustration at the delay. He said: “We are disappointed that the Welsh Government is not publishing its strategy until 2019.  Loneliness and isolation is affecting older people right now and needs urgent attention.

“Much of this isolation stems from cut-backs in local services such as buses, day centres and even street lighting, forcing many older people to remain trapped in their own homes, which can lead to a deterioration in both physical and mental health.  Such conditions can, further down the line, require expensive medical interventions or placement in nursing homes.

“Our own research shows that nearly 300,000 older people feel that their days can be repetitive, while 75,000 said they were not looking forward to Christmas, a time that many of us spend with family and friends.

“Voluntary groups play a vital role in keeping older people connected to their communities. We would also urge communities throughout Wales to do their bit in tackling loneliness by including older people in their activities and events. Just popping round to say is everything alright can give a vulnerable older neighbour so much comfort.”

The committee resolved at the meeting to urge the government to review the timescale for the strategy, to aim to secure the funding needed by voluntary sector organisations to continue to provide support for older people by introducing three year funding programmes, and undertake an evaluation to assess the impact of intergenerational contact on people experiencing loneliness and isolation.?

A Welsh Government spokesperson added: “Tackling loneliness and isolation is a priority for us. Research increasingly shows it can have a detrimental impact on peoples’ lives, which is why we have developed a number of programmes and initiatives to help tackle this problem. These include funding and support for Ageing Well in Wales, which specifically identifies the significant and pressing problem of loneliness and isolation in Wales, as well as supporting the work of the British Red Cross and Mind Cymru.

“We are also committed to taking further cross-government action to address this important issue.”