Priority 7 for Setting priorities for social care research in Wales

UNCERTAINTY: What barriers do older people experience in accessing services (e.g. access to information, waiting times, access to online technology, communication, costs)? How can access be improved?  (Priority 7)
Overall ranking 7
JLA question ID 0102/7
Explanatory note Older people and carers asked questions about how people access services now ‘that it’s all on the internet’. Their suggested solutions included alternative ways of communicating as well as IT training. They also asked whether older people know what support is available and are able to navigate the system. Practitioners questioned whether older people are willing to ask for help if they don’t have a family member to help them access support, and whether long waiting times and cost put them off. 
Evidence

Fitzpatrick JM, Tzouvara V. Facilitators and inhibitors of transition for older people who have relocated to a long‐term care facility: A systematic review. Health Soc Care Community. 2019;27:e57–e81. https://doi.org/10.1111/hsc.12647 ~  
Health Research Classification System category Generic health relevance 
Extra information provided by this project
Original uncertainty examples Reasons why people do not engage - e.g. average waiting times for referrals to be actioned, individuals to be seen & impact on peoples choice to engage or not. As in my expereince having to wait 6-12 months for an assessment for a grab rail moreoften puts off would be clients ~ How to get better  information on services and support relating to older people - particularly for older clients who do not have internet access. ~ there is a stigma around accessing it & hence they prefer to rely on close family members for practical assistance ~ What evidence is there that older people have enough technological knowledge to get help or to keep in contact appropriately? ~ Who does it reach and how does the information reach them?  How do we reachout to those from ethnic minority groups and improve that link 
Submitted by 2 x older people, 10 x carers, 7 x group members (a mix of older people and carers), 18 x practitioners, 3 x other 
Project information
Project unique ID 0102
Project name Setting priorities for social care research in Wales
Total number of uncertainties identified by this project. 35  (To see a full list of all uncertainties identified, please see the detailed spreadsheet held on the JLA website)
Date of priority setting workshop 16 & 17 September 2020