Stoke-on-Trent City Council aims to save money while helping older adults stay independent. The plan focuses on community support instead of traditional care homes.

Stoke-on-Trent: The council is making some big changes to help older folks. They want to save £450,000 on adult social care while keeping seniors independent.
Next year, they plan to spend £85.2 million on supporting vulnerable adults. This is up from £77.3 million, thanks to more people needing help as they age.
To balance the budget, the council is cutting costs in some areas. They hope to save £230,000 a year by changing how social work is done. This means some people can get help without a formal care package.
They also want to save £220,000 by promoting extra care housing instead of care homes. Council leaders believe this will help older people live better lives while staying independent.
Peter Tomlin, the director of adult social care, said they want to support independence. He noted that no one dreams of ending up in a care home.
Councillor Duncan Walker mentioned a new approach. They’re asking people what matters to them instead of just focusing on problems. This includes community support options that have worked well.
The council currently supports older people in eight extra care housing schemes. They want to use these more and rely less on care homes.
Cllr Walker emphasized that extra care housing is cheaper and helps people stay independent longer. They aim to reduce care home placements and save money.
Adrian Knapper from the scrutiny committee raised a good point. He wants to see more bungalows built, not just apartment complexes.
Cabinet member Sarah Hill agreed but noted that bungalows take up a lot of land. This is a challenge with the demand for new homes in the city.
Besides these savings, the council plans to review existing care packages to save another £600,000. They believe providing the right amount of care will help people stay independent.
Chandra Kanneganti, a committee member, warned that reviews might not always lead to savings. Sometimes, people might need more support instead of less.
Mr. Tomlin said they plan to review 4,000 care packages. While some might need more help, they expect an overall reduction of 10 percent.
A public consultation on these budget proposals is open until February 10. Residents can share their thoughts online or by mail.