There were no major differences in sex, age, or the prevalence of multimorbidity (two or more long-term health conditions) between those accessing reablement care in Bridgend and Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT).
Most of those accessing reablement care were female (64.2% in Bridgend and RCT). This was larger than the proportion of females in the general adult population (51.2% in Bridgend and 51.5% in RCT).
Older adults made up many of those accessing reablement care. In Bridgend, 86.7% of those accessing reablement care were over 65, compared to only 24.9% of the general adult population. In RCT, 91.2% of those accessing reablement care were over 65, compared to 23.5% in the general population.
People accessing reablement care were more likely to have multimorbidity (see methodology document) than those who did not access these services (83.6% vs. 62.7% in Bridgend; 84.1% vs. 65.7% in RCT). The most common long-term conditions among those accessing reablement care were painful conditions, chronic kidney disease (CKD), depression, diabetes, and hypertension. These conditions were more prevalent in those accessing reablement care than those who did not access reablement care, indicating poorer health and more complex needs.
The distribution of deprivation and rurality among those accessing reablement care was similar to that of the general adult population in Bridgend and RCT. However, this may indicate an unmet need. Since long-term conditions are generally more common in more deprived areas, we might expect greater demand for reablement services in these regions.
These findings show that reablement services are mainly accessed by older individuals with long-term conditions, in line with the Welsh Government’s goal to help these groups maintain or regain independence (12).