Dignity & Independence First

Help people remain independent for as long as possible.

Policy should support older people to live safely in their own homes, close to family, friends and the communities they know.

Residential care should be available when genuinely needed — not become the default because suitable support was not provided earlier.

Suitable Homes for Later Life

Provide real alternatives for people who want or need to downsize without being forced away from their community.

• Bungalows and accessible single-storey homes
• Smaller homes close to shops, transport and community facilities
• Supported and assisted-living accommodation
• Homes designed for changing mobility needs

Well-planned downsizing can also release larger family homes back into the housing market.

Care at Home Before Institutional Care

Where it is safe and practical, care should come to the person rather than requiring the person to leave their home.

• Home-care services
• Rehabilitation after illness or hospital treatment
• Home adaptations
• Community nursing
• Support for family carers
• Assisted-living services

End Unnecessary Delays in Care

Older and vulnerable people should not be left waiting indefinitely for assessments, care packages or suitable placements.

CHANGE will require clear standards for care assessments, home-care decisions, rehabilitation, supported living, residential and nursing care, and hospital discharge arrangements.

Departments and health services must work together rather than pass responsibility while the individual waits.

Healthcare That Works in Later Life

Age must never become an excuse for accepting poorer healthcare.

Alongside CHANGE's wider healthcare reforms, particular attention will be given to services heavily relied upon by older people:

• Cataract and eye treatment
• Hearing services
• Dentistry
• Mobility support
• Rehabilitation and physiotherapy
• Dementia support
• Community nursing

Support the People Who Provide Care

Family members provide an enormous amount of unpaid care across the Island. They should not be expected to carry that responsibility without support.

CHANGE will review respite provision and practical assistance for family carers, while ensuring resources reach front-line care rather than being absorbed unnecessarily by administration.

Financial Security in Retirement

People who have worked, contributed and paid into the system throughout their lives deserve security in retirement.

CHANGE will protect pensioners from policies that disproportionately increase the basic costs of heating, transport and everyday living, and review pension provision against the actual cost of living on the Isle of Man.

No Digital-Only Government

No person should be required to own a smartphone, use an app or access the internet simply to deal with their Government.

Telephone. Paper. Face-to-face. Digital.

The citizen chooses the method that works for them. Digital services should add choice — not remove it.

Keep Communities Connected

Isolation is not solved by another government strategy document. People need transport, places to meet and communities that remain accessible.

• Dependable public transport
• Local community facilities
• Voluntary organisations
• Social activities
• Accessible town and village centres

Government Must Plan Ahead

An ageing population is not an unexpected event. Government knows how the Island's population is changing and must plan accordingly.

CHANGE will require long-term planning for later-life housing, home-care capacity, residential and nursing care, dementia services, healthcare demand and community support.