Adult social care early invention and prevention

Key issues

  • There have been reductions in funding for social care and increasing demand on resources. This translates to a greater need for a preventative approach to social care demand.
  • Nationally and locally there are greater numbers of older people, people with disabilities and increasing complexity. Reducing tobacco use can have short term significant impacts on social care use. While fewer people in South Tyneside than ever before are smokers, quitting smoking remains one of the biggest opportunities for preventing social care use.
  • Falls and hip fracture related admission to social care account for 16% of overall admissions, whilst community based prevention services are well evidenced as effective but locally limited.
  • Loneliness and isolation, obesity, and limited exercise all have strong links to social care use, but limited evidence for effective interventions.