Age Friendly Strategy & Action Plan 2024-2027 p2
Context for the Age Friendly Strategy
Defining Age Friendly
An Age Friendly environment is an environment (such as the home or community) that fosters healthy, active ageing by building and maintaining intrinsic capacity throughout the life-course and enabling greater functional ability in someone with a given level of capacity.
Age-Friendly cities and communities are designed to meet the needs of the wide diversity of older people, promote their health, autonomy, inclusion and contributions in all areas of community life, respect their decisions and lifestyle choices, and anticipate and respond flexibly to ageingrelated needs and preferences.
*Source: National Programme for age-friendly cities and communities. A Guide. World Health Organisation.
Impacting Policy Areas
Given the cross-cutting nature of Age Friendly work, it is recognised that many policy areas and priorities are impacted on in order to develop an Age Friendly society.
The Age Friendly Strategy and Action Plan needs to connect with other strategies and policies so that it is supported by a wide range of organisations that consider the needs of older people in everything they do.
This section of the Age Friendly Strategy considers some key policies and strategies relevant to Mid and East Antrim, while recognising that the Age Friendly Strategy and Action Plan will impact across a much broader policy agenda at regional level and beyond.
The policies outlined within this strategy provide a sample of thewider policy environment across both Mid and East Antrim and Northern Ireland.
The sample illustrates the all-embracing nature of Age Friendly work, its ability to impact across policy areas and the value of collaboration in programme development and implementation.
The Age Friendly Strategy and Action Plan for Mid and East Antrim, by aligning with both the World Health Organisation domains and the Mid and East Antrim Community Plan, will ultimately contribute to a wide range of policy objectives and Programme for Government outcome areas.
World Health Organisation Age Friendly Communities Framework
The World Health Organisation Age Friendly Communities framework comprises of eight domains to address in order to improve structures and services to meet older people's needs and those of an ageing population.
The Framework was developed by the World Health Organisation in consultation with older people and is evidenced based to support healthy and active ageing, supporting organisations to make their areas and communities good places to grow old in.
The eight domains are interlinked to some degree and, by identifying and addressing barriers to the wellbeing and participation of older people, they cover all aspects of community life to be considered in developing plans and projects.
Age Friendly city or community
These domains are cross-cutting in nature, as is the Age Friendly concept itself, and designed to help to identify and address barriers to the wellbeing and participation of older people.
The Framework recognises that Age Friendly environments are created through the development and promotion of accessible, inclusive, safe and supportive communities which provide people-centred services.
They are communities where age is not a barrier to living well and where the environment, activities and services support and enable older people.
These contributions can only be achieved if the health and participation of older people is encouraged and promoted – implementing an Age Friendly agenda recognises the crucial role older people play in their communities through a variety of forms which can include paid or volunteering work, sharing of experience and knowledge.
Programme for Government, Northern Ireland Executive
The Programme for Government Draft Outcomes Framework 2021 contains nine strategic outcomes which an integrated Age Friendly Strategy and Action Plan can play an active part in contributing to, including the following:-
- We have an equal and inclusive society where everyone is valued and treated with respect
- We all enjoy long, healthy, active lives
- We have a caring society that supports people throughout their lives
• Everyone feels safe – we all respect the law and each other.
Older people are identified as a priority, the framework recognising the need to consider the health and social care needs of an ageing population, promote positive attitudes to older people and tailor support to enable them to enjoy better health and active lifestyles.
Other relevant action areas include:
- Promoting positive attitudes towards mental health and wellbeing
- Address issues that lead to inequality and disadvantage in terms of health and healthcare
- Tackling issues that lead to inequality and disadvantage in terms of welfare and poverty, and providing support where it is needed in both urban and rural communities.
The multiplicity of outcomes and priorities applicable to the Age Friendly Strategy and Action Plan illustrates the crosscutting nature of the topic and its impact across a wide range of sectors and strategic priorities, highlighting value of a partnership approach in project development and delivery.
Active Ageing Strategy (Department for Communities Nov 2020)
“Our vision is one of Northern Ireland being an age friendly region in which people, as they grow older, are valued and supported to live actively to their fullest potential; with their rights respected and their dignity protected.”
The Active Ageing Strategy seeks to transform attitudes to, and services for, older people.
It aims to increase the understanding of the issues affecting older people and promote an emphasis on rights, value and contribution.
It recognises the positive contribution older people make to society and seeks to provide an active ageing framework which welcomes and values older people as diverse individuals with their own views, experience, values, beliefs and rights to inclusion and equality.
It recognises that the number of older people in Northern Ireland is increasing and will continue to do so.
The strategy aims to provide a focal point for positive policies towards older people across government, recognising that the issues facing older people are cross cutting in nature.
As a cross-cutting Executive Strategy, it is reliant on contributions from a number of departments, as reflected in its identified outcomes as follows:
- Older people live independently for as long as they can, free from poverty and in suitable, safe homes.
- Older people are involved in their family and community and in civic life.
- Older people are healthier for longer.
- Older workers remain in employment for as long as they wish or need to.
- Older people participate in cultural, educational and physical activity.
- Older people’s dignity and human rights are effectively safeguarded.
Making Life Better 2013 -2023: Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety
Making Life Better is the strategic framework for public health designed to provide direction for policies and actions to improve the health and wellbeing of people in Northern Ireland and to reduce health inequalities.
The strategy has set the following vision and aims:-
“Through strengthened coordination and partnership working in a whole system approach, the framework will seek to create the conditions for individuals and communities to take control of their own lives and move towards a vision for Northern Ireland where all people are enabled and supported in achieving their full health and wellbeing potential.
"The aims are to achieve better health and wellbeing for everyone and reduce inequalities in health.”
Key thematic areas such as “Creating the Conditions” and “Empowering Communities” seek to address the wider structural, economic, environmental and social conditions impacting on health at population level, and within local communities.
“Developing Collaboration” considers strengthening collaboration for health and wellbeing at regional and local levels.
In particular, an Age Friendly society will benefit from the following themes and outcomes:-
Theme: Equipped Through Life
Through outcomes relating to life-long learning and participation and healthy active ageing, this theme includes initiatives which encourage and engage people at any age in social, cultural, sport and leisure activities, impacting on both physical and mental health and wellbeing, as well as on such issues as creativity, social inclusion, and good relations.
Actions can also support inter-generational working.
The strategy recognises that participation in such interests offers lifelong enjoyment and fulfilment and is an essential part of healthy living.
In addition, it notes the value of volunteering which benefits individuals, communities and wider society with the potential to build capacity, capability and selfesteem in the young, and also promote social inclusion and intergenerational activity.
Theme: Empowering Communities
This theme seeks to promote healthy and thriving communities at local level, with a particular focus on disadvantaged areas, through:
- Maximising collaboration to tackle determinants of health
- Increasing access to and use of sports, arts and other leisure programmes
- Maximising land/green space/woodlands use at local level to promote outdoor activities
- Increasing access to public facilities for use by the local community
Commissioner for Older People Northern Ireland (COPNI) Corporate Plan 2022 – 2024
The COPNI Corporate Plan has been developed in the knowledge that Northern Ireland has a growing population of older people and heightened life expectancy.
Under the Overarching Priority of Tackling Ageism, Commissioner for Older People NI has established six priority issues:
- Better Health and Social Care
- Impact of Covid 19: Call for a public enquiry into care homes
- Affordable energy
- A Programme for Government that prioritises older people
- Loneliness and Social Isolation
- Crime Against Older People
Northern Area Loneliness Framework 2021 (Northern Health and Social Care Trust)
This framework for tackling loneliness and social isolation across the generations was produced by the Health and Wellbeing Manager Lead for Loneliness and Social Isolation in the Northern Health and Social Care Trust.
It notes that loneliness has been recognised as a public health priority with damaging effects on health and wellbeing.
The framework takes the view that tackling loneliness is most effective when delivered in a strategic partnership approach and that this will require innovative and imaginative approaches.
“Whilst ‘loneliness’ and ‘social isolation’ are often used interchangeably they do not mean the same thing although isolation is frequently but not always a trigger for loneliness.
They are two distinct concepts and initiatives should not be designed to address social isolation and loneliness but rather one or the other.”
The establishment of the Loneliness Networks within the Northern area is cited as examples of good practice.
The framework identifies ten priority areas for action, including:
Reducing the stigma of loneliness; Creating all-inclusive environments; Promoting health, wellbeing and confidence; Removing barriers to participation; Volunteering and Progressing Loneliness Networks.
These highlight the importance of working with Northern Health and Social Care Trust and its partners in progressing both the framework and the emerging strategy and action plan for Mid and East Antrim.
The Northern area loneliness framework also has much in common with the World Health Organisation Age Friendly domains, including recognising that older people should be able to work for as long as they want to promote their wellbeing and maintain a good standard of living and that they have a wealth of knowledge, skills and experience to share.
Mid and East Antrim Community Plan
‘Putting People First’ is the community plan for Mid and East Antrim Borough for the 2017 – 2032 timeframe and following review in 2022 identifies four key themes:
- Tourism and the Economy
- Good Health and Wellbeing
- Progress in Education and Employment
- Community Safety and Cohesion.
Within the community and cohesion theme, the key strategic priority is to ensure that our older people live healthy, active lives in their community.
Mid and East Antrim Borough Council recognises there are particular challenges faced by its older people and their families, and many issues, such as transport, participation and access to services (particularly for rural communities) are crosscutting in nature.
In addition, the demographics of the borough are recognised: Census 2021 data calculates the Mid and East Antrim population aged 65+ at 19.7% compared to a Northern Ireland average of 17.1% with the 65+ age group experiencing a 1.6% population increase from 2015.
Community Planning provides a valuable platform for Council (as lead partner in community planning) to plan and promote activities, including joint working with Community Planning partners to ensure best use of resources and alignment of outcomes.
Responding to the borough’s ageing population is identified as a strategic priority within the Community Plan and has included progress towards making the borough Dementia Friendly as a key priority.
This includes plans to roll out Dementia Friendly Town training and connect dementia groups in towns and villages throughout the borough.
Through its commitment to an Age Friendly Strategy and Action Plan, Council is best positioning the borough to provide environments and opportunities for its older residents to have meaningful engagement with valuable contributions for individual, family and wider community benefit.
Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s vision is that of adopting the role of civic facilitator of the Age Friendly strategy and Action plan.
Council recognises the importance of design and co-delivery of the strategy by older people, as well as statutory agencies and organisations in the community, voluntary and private sectors all of which have a role in supporting older people.
This would involve Council convening an Age Friendly Alliance with representation from statutory, voluntary and community sectors to implement the Age Friendly Strategy and Action Plan.
By providing a framework for collaboration on Age Friendly actions, the action plan recognises the work undertaken to date with the borough’s older citizens through the Community Plan as well as organisations such as Mid and East Antrim Agewell Partnership (AGEWELL).
This is an established age sector network of more than ten years’ standing.
As such, Council, through the Age Friendly Alliance will work closely with AGEWELL and other stakeholders as equal partners to ensure co-ordination and added value.
Mid and East Antrim Ageing Well Model
This is a Council-led partnership to obtain services for Ageing Well in the borough.
The model is based on a community planning led partnership approach to support and promote longer, independent and quality living for older people.
It supports positive ageing with assistance, where ‘our older people are active, respected and supported in their community’.
The Ageing Well Model is an evolving model and requires that partners continue to work together and also continue to engage with older people in the local community to identify and meet needs using approaches which are both innovative and responsive.
The Mid and East Antrim Agewell Partnership is currently delivering this contract on behalf of Council.
Through the Ageing Well Model, AGEWELL currently provides the following services:
- Good Morning Telephone Calls
- A telephone support scheme which allows for daily contact
- The telephone support scheme also promotes key health messages, raising awareness and promoting healthy lifestyle choices
- Referring Older People to relevant programmes
- Progression strategies are in place, both to reduce the number of telephone calls provided (i.e. from five days a week, down to one or two phone calls a week) and exit from the service by supporting and linking elderly people to other community activities and programmes.
- Handyman Service
- The Handyman service supports older people to remain in their homes by completing necessary, small maintenance jobs
- This can include an odd jobs service such as path clearing, decorating, general maintenance and minor works.
- Home Security
- A Home Security Scheme which includes home safety checks, and the provision and installation of equipment i.e locks, security lighting and other appropriate security devices
- A home security calendar has been produced to provide older people with home safety tips.
- Community and Social Engagement
- Promoting and supporting volunteering opportunities for older people and providing a link to support groups
- Providing training and ongoing technical support that encourages older people to use information and communication technologies such as mobile telephones, internet-enabled TVs and computers
- Mid and East Antrim Borough Council will continue to work collaboratively with the Agewell partners to ensure that our older people continue to be supported and that they receive the services that they need.
With 18% of the borough’s current population being 65 and over it is vital that the Ageing Well Model continues to provide for our older people.