The Unforgotten Forces Project Final Report: An Evaluation of Support for Older Veterans in Scotland

The opportunity to evaluate the Unforgotten Forces Project – a consortium of 3rd sector organisations delivering services for older veterans in Scotland - was welcomed. Given that approximately 7% of the population of Scotland are veterans and that the majority of them are over the age of 65 it provided the opportunity to examine service delivery for this vulnerable group of individuals. Older veterans are perceived as being particularly vulnerable due to their geographical dispersal throughout Scotland and consequent difficulties for accessing much needed services to support them in later life. The evaluation provided the opportunity to examine how service delivery across a range of services under the umbrella of Unforgotten Forces might inform policy and service delivery in the future given the rising demand across all public services.

Our findings show how the 3rd sector can and do respond to the complex needs of older veterans in community and care settings and identified the added value and effectiveness of an integrated service delivery model that recognises the importance of the complex and inter-related needs of those they are supporting in later life. Key issues raised included those of identify as an older veteran, the accessibility of information of services, responsiveness of services, joined up partnership delivery and availability of services particularly at times of crisis.