New chair for older people’s national charity

Age Cymru, the national charity for older people in Wales, has appointed Dr Malcolm Fisk as its new chair for the next four years following a selection process involving trustees, senior charity staff and older people's representatives.

Dr Fisk has extensive experience of working with older people having set up Wales' first the first Care and Repair Service in the Rhondda, where he has lived for the past 35 years. He also chaired the Welsh Government's National Partnership Forum for Older People that helped shape the Strategy for Older People and establish the Office of the Older People's Commissioner for Wales.

Dr Fisk joins the charity during very challenging times for older people. Thousands are struggling with poverty, loneliness and isolation as our communities change and basic services such as day centres and public transport are cut. At the same time, increasing numbers of older people are being targeted by criminal scammers, on their doorstep, through unsolicited mail, over the telephone and increasingly via on-line technologies. Furthermore, cutbacks in local authority services mean that many older people find it difficult to access the social care they need.

Commenting on his appointment, Dr Fisk said: "I am under no illusions that leading this charity for the next four years will be a huge undertaking, as we look for answers to some very difficult questions such as how should Wales establish a fair and effective system for care at home and in care settings. We also want our health and social services working together more effectively so that older people are not stranded on hospital wards waiting for a care package that will return them safely to their communities.

"We will work with local and central governments to help make Wales more accessible and age friendly, offering both opportunities and basic services that are necessary for all of us to live fulfilled lives.

"And of course we will continue to celebrate the huge contributions that older people make to Welsh communities everyday whether as child minders enabling family members to continue working, older workers offering younger colleagues their experience and expertise, or as volunteers running sports and social clubs the length and breadth of the country."

Ends.

Notes to editors about Dr Malcolm Fisk:

Fluent Welsh speaker who will undertake interviews in both English and Welsh. Senior Research Fellow at De Montfort University, Leicester (United Kingdom) Leads the European Commission funded Progressive project addressing 'standards around ICT for active and healthy ageing' which looks at issues such as smart homes and telehealth.Member of a Quality Standards Advisory Committee for NICE, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.