The Age Friendly Programme
The proportion of older people is increasing in almost every country of the world. Ireland at present is a “young” country, but the number of older people will soar in the years ahead. The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), in a report in 2017, projected that by 2030 the population aged 80 or above would increase by between 89 per cent and 94 per cent.
Central Statistics Office (CSO) figures predict that those aged 65 years and over will increase significantly from a level of 629,800 in 2016 to potentially nearly 1.6 million by 2051.
This shift will have considerable social and economic implications at an individual, family and societal level. The implications for public policy areas as diverse as housing, health, urban and rural planning, transport, policing and the business environment are considerable.
As life expectancy increases, the need to ensure that Ireland becomes a great country in which to grow old is increasing too. We need to plan now to create the kinds of communities in which older people live autonomous and valued lives.
The focus of the Age Friendly programme
The national Age Friendly network supports cities, counties and towns across Ireland to prepare for the rapid ageing of our population by paying increased attention to the environmental, economic and social factors that influence the health and well-being of older adults.
Age-friendly city and county programmes work to provide walkable streets, housing and transportation options, access to key services and opportunities for older people to participate in community activities. By doing so, these communities are better equipped to become great places, and even lifelong homes, for people of all ages.
The Age Friendly Cities and Counties Programme is informed by a positive ageing perspective and seeks to enhance and improve the lives of older people across the country by giving them a voice in the decision-making processes that affect their ability to live full and active lives. Initiatives focus on areas such as housing, transport, caregiving, community engagement, volunteering, social inclusion and combating isolation among older citizens.
The Sligo Age Friendly Alliance
This is a high-level cross-sector group, chaired by the CE of Sligo County Council, whose member agencies form an overarching strategic partnership to develop and oversee the realisation of the Sligo Age Friendly Strategy. It is necessary to develop a new Age Friendly Strategy for Sligo 2022 – 2026 as the previous strategy was for the period 2016 – 2020.
The main benefit of the Age Friendly Alliance is the cross-sector co-operation to find ways to improve the lives of older people in terms of their health, housing and social and personal wellbeing in their communities. It is about being prepared for the future and future proofing all services for ageing. Membership of the Sligo Age Friendly Alliance includes Older Persons representatives, HSE, Sligo LEADER Partnership Co., Sligo PPN, An Garda Síochána, Sligo Sport and Recreation Partnership, Muintir na Tire, IT Sligo, Sligo Citizens Information Centre and Mayo Sligo ETB. Meetings are held 4 times per year – once every quarter.
The schedule of meeting for 2022 is as follows:
- Thursday 31st March at 10am
- Thursday 30th June at 10am
- Thursday 29th September at 10am
- Tuesday 13th December at 10am