DRINK WISE AGE WELL is a Big Lottery funded partnership programme helping people making healthier choices about alcohol as they age. Our vision is the harms caused by alcohol will reduce in our older population and they will live longer, healthier lives.
We are aware of the increase in alcohol consumption in the over-50 population, the stigma and shame associated with misuse, and the link between age-related life transitions such as bereavement, redundancy, retirement, social isolation etc.
Cwm Taf is one of five demonstration areas across the UK delivering this multi-level campaign to address alcohol use in the over-50s.
CLICK HERE to visit the project’s website, read our blog, and find out more about Drink Wise Age Well.
Local delivery by DACW
As well as national and corporate partners, the local delivery partners are made up of DACW members TEDS, WCADA, Kaleidoscope and lead partner Drugaid, plus the Royal Voluntary Service – who between them employ a team of 17 staff.
These staff operate out of our Pontypridd office, engaging with and within communities across Merthyr Tydfil and Rhondda Cynon Taf for the five-year life of the programme.
Unlike typical alcohol treatment services the programme is delivered across four work streams, namely –
Prevention
We raise awareness of the issues of alcohol misuse among people over 50, change attitudes, combat stigma, convey harm reduction messages and influence community. The team deliver Alcohol Brief Interventions (ABIs), alcohol awareness workshops in communities and work places, and attend a high number of public events to engage a range of stakeholders.
Resilience
We work to increase both individual and community resilience to alcohol problems among people over 50. Drink Wise Age Well supports individuals and groups with life coping skills, through structured group work, social events and skills activities — in turn reducing social isolation. With support from volunteers, individuals can receive a befriending service
Direct Engagement and Support
We help reduce hazardous, harmful and dependent drinking and related harm among people over 50. One-to-one, family and peer support is provided and service users are seen at home or in community settings, receiving a range of interventions evidenced by a number of appropriate outcome measurement tools.
Training
We help increase the extent to which community service providers and employers who have regular contact with people over the age of 50 are able to recognise and respond to risky drinking. Our trainer delivers both structured and bespoke training, which is free to practitioners and non practitioners alike, improving their knowledge and skills.
Research support
As well as providing strong preventative messages around alcohol use in older adults, Drink Wise Age Well is supported by significant research led by SMART, The University of Bedfordshire and supported locally by Wrexham Glyndŵr University. As part of our research during the life of the programme, the Cwm Taf delivery area will be compared to a Welsh control area made up by part of the region covered by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.
We hope our programme will combine this research to help develop a body of evidence on how to prevent alcohol misuse in people over 50 which will influence future service delivery and policy.
Contact us
Call the Drink Wise Age Well team on 0800 161 5780 or email wales@drinkwiseagewell.org.uk for more information.
Or find out more about about the project by clicking here to visit our website.