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Wales’ older people’s commissioner wants to hear people’s experiences of social care services as part of a report being published next year.

Rhian Bowen-Davies is working on a report outlining what’s working well for older people in social care and what improvements are needed.

The evidence gathered by the commissioner will help shape the report, which will be published in 2026 and contain recommendations for local authorities and other public bodies.

Ms Bowen-Davies said: “Social care plays a crucial role in the lives of many older people across Wales, offering vital support to enable people to live safely and independently, and have the best possible quality of life.

“And in Wales we have in place a range of legislation, policies, regulations and standards designed to ensure that social care is focused on people’s individual needs and is delivered to the highest standards.”

But she continued: “The issues relating to social care raised with me by older people at engagement events and via my advice and assistance service suggest that this is not always the case, with people experiencing care that falls short of the quality they should expect.

“That is why I want to examine these issues in more detail, using the voices of older people as my evidence base, to identify the difficulties people are facing and identify the action needed to address these.”

Older people who have used social care services can share their experiences with the commissioner by filling in a questionnaire, which can be completed online or over the phone. Paper copies are also available, which can be returned to the commissioner’s office via freepost.

The survey is also open to family members of friends who may wish to complete it on behalf of an older person.