Cyngor Gofal Cymru / Care Council for Wales

The Care Council for Wales has launched two new publications to help social care professionals deliver high-quality care for older people. The publications, or knowledge sets, have been produced specifically at the request of practitioners working directly with older people in residential and nursing care. They wanted to build on their basic knowledge and skills so that they felt confident they were delivering the best-possible service to older people with dementia and those nearing the end of their lives.

In Wales, the number of 65 to 84-year-olds is projected to increase by 24% by 2018. Those aged 85 or over are expected to increase by 29% by 2018, with a third of them likely to need 24-hour care. The knowledge sets are practical tools targeted at employers, trainers and social care workers.

As well as providing definitive information on the care of older people, they can also be used as training aids, giving workers the references they need for further information and logs to complete as they learn new ways of working. Work recorded in the logs will also contribute to the attainment of qualifications for social care workers.