Age Friendly Strategy & Action Plan 2024-2027 p3
The journey so far
The Age Friendly Strategy, alongside our Community plan, will build upon the existing work in the sector and the solid foundation of existing relationships, partnerships and programmes already in place to further its aspiration of becoming an Age Friendly Borough where citizens have opportunity to live, long, healthy and fulfilling lives.
Notable achievements to date include working with AGEWELL and the Loneliness Network to provide support to the borough’s older residents, including during the pandemic.
This work has been vital in developing an Age Friendly Strategy for the borough and has highlighted the benefits of partnership working to encourage innovative service development and delivery.
Through AGEWELL, Community Planning has actively supported and resourced an Ageing Well model, engaging with older people in a variety of ways to reduce isolation and promote health and wellbeing.
- 2019 - Joined Age Friendly Network Northern Ireland
- June 2021 - Age Friendly Co-ordinator post funded by Public Health Agency
- 2021- 2022 - Age Friendly Work – review of best practice locally, regionally & globally
- March - June 2022 - Joined World Health Organisation Age Friendly Global Network, UK Age Friendly Network
- June 2022 - Age Friendly Baseline Survey launched
- December 2022 - Survey findings used as basis of first Draft Age Friendly Strategy
- November 2023 - MEA Age Friendly Alliance established
- January 2024 - Age Friendly Alliance Workshop on Strategy and Actions
- April - May 2024 - Public consultation on draft Strategy
- June 2024 - Age Friendly Strategy and Action Plan
Through practical support such as Good Morning calls, Handyman service and home security measures, the Ageing Well model has impacted positively on the wellbeing of the borough’s older people.
AGEWELL has also facilitated community engagement and activities which provided a platform for discussion and development of community connections.
This grass roots engagement further highlights the benefit of a community planning led partnership model of delivery.
So far we have
- Launched both Chatty cafés and benches alongside Mid and East Antrim Loneliness Network
- Assisted the consultation process for Department for Communities (DfC) Active Ageing Strategy, Department for Infrastructure (Dfi) Concessionary Fares Review and AgeNI Pensioner’s Parliament
- Facilitated bookings for several Council events for those not on-line
- Delivered Positive Ageing Month
- Established Mid and East Antrim Borough Council Age Friendly Internal Working Group, delivered Awareness Training to Group and completed Service Self-Assessments with recommendations made
- Facilitated Age Friendly events such as Tea Dances, Movie Screening
- Provided advice to residents and made referrals to partner agencies
- Developed Age Friendly Awareness Reflective Training/Toolkit with Agewell
- Met with Commissioner for Older People Northern Ireland Eddie Lynch
- Promoted kindness post box project alongside Mid and East Antrim Loneliness Network.
The process of developing an age friendly society is one of a cycle of continuous improvement.
An effective Age Friendly strategy and action plan will provide older people and their stakeholders with the tools needed to tackle issues associated with growing older, better enabling them to play a full role in society where their contributions are recognised and valued.
This includes older people being empowered to participate in community life through removal of barriers and making meaningful contributions to decision making about issues which impact them.
Development and implementation of an action plan will better enable service providers to respond to the needs of older people and improve access to services through directing resources and adopting Age Friendly practices to delivery.
Key to the success of this strategy, however, is monitoring and review.
By evaluating outcomes, measuring progress and identifying gaps, the strategy will remain nimble and relevant to the overarching vision of growing an age friendly society.
Age Friendly Environments
Engage & Understand
- Set up a committee/working/steering group
- Perform a participatory assessment
- Create a baseline profile
- Disseminate findings
- Gain political commitment
Plan
- Unite stakeholders behind a common vision
- Analyse strengths and weaknesses
- Develop a comprehensive strategy
- Get approved
- Define responsibilities
Act
- Make an action plan
- Consult on plan
- Implement an action plan
- Scale up successful action
- Secure support and resources
Measure
- Monitor progress
- Carry out income and impact evaluation
- Continue and expand partnerships
- Sustain and continually improve action
- Exchange internationally