Age Friendly draft Strategy & Action Plan - Page 2
Year 1 - THEME: Communication and Information
Staying connected with events and people and receiving relevant information to meet personal needs is vital for active ageing.
It is important that information is up to date, practical and accessible to all.
Achievements to Date - Building on Foundations
Ongoing work in relation to internet safety and support to address the threat of scams delivered by MEAAP with support from Community Planning was identified as being very effective in the baseline report.
It is important that such work continues, alongside Age Friendly awareness raising and facilitation with Council departments which has been delivered by MEAAP.
In addition, MEAAP’s “My Easy App” is an important tool in building digital skills and confidence.
|
Issue identified |
How the Age Friendly Affiliation might achieve this |
Indicators | Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Communicating Effectively with older persons |
Focus group with Older persons eg. Through Older Persons’ Forum to hear their views on digital transformation and recognising the threat of digital exclusion. |
Number of older people participating in focus group. |
As we get older we are well informed about things that matter to us. |
|
Staying connected |
Affiliation members to contribute to and share online directories such as Population Plus to raise awareness of the network of support, services and providers within the borough. |
% increase in organisations actively contributing to and sharing online directories. | As we get older we are well informed about things that matter to us. |
Year 1 - THEME: Community Support and Health Services
Community support is linked to good health and wellbeing throughout life, alongside accessible and affordable health care services.
Access to and availability of services is crucial to maintain health and independence and sustainable communities.
Achievements to Date - Building on Foundations
Through its IMPACTAgewell community development integrated care project, MEAAP has undertaken much work in this domain, working with older people through a range of actions including social prescribing using a hub health delivery model in partnership with NHSCT and Community Pharmacies. In addition, MEAAP operates the Community Navigator service in partnership with NHSCT, offering a signposting service for people aged over 50.
This model and experience should be considered and inform any future plans for community support and health services.
|
Issue identified |
How the Age Friendly Affiliation might achieve this |
Indicators | Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health programmes |
Promotion of affordable health and fitness programmes/activities for older people, including physical activity classes and mental health projects. |
Number of older people participating in focus group. |
As we get older we are well informed about things that matter to us. |
Year 2 - THEME: Outdoor Spaces and Buildings
The outside environment and public buildings have a major impact on the mobility, independence and quality of life for people in later life.
Characteristics of the built environment aligned with Age Friendly include public access and safety, green spaces, pavements and road crossings, parking, outdoor seating and accessible buildings.
Achievements to Date - Building on Foundations
In general people reported feeling safe about leaving their homes and spending time in outdoor parks and open spaces while baseline report findings also indicated positive experiences in relation to public buildings and staff being considered accessible and welcoming, providing a solid foundation from which to roll out further actions across the borough.
|
Issue identified |
How the Age Friendly Affiliation might achieve this |
Indicators | Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concerns raised by older people in the development of public realm schemes in relation to the provision of drop kerbs, resurfacing of footpaths, seating and lighting, cars parked on footpaths |
Work with Delivery partners on mechanism for consulting with older people eg. method of consultation on capital works, public realm proposals and policy decisions. Secure commitment of Alliance partners to define assessing the age friendliness of their facilities, public spaces and services. Share Age Friendly Self-assessment guidance and where appropriate work in partnership to take action to address issues. |
% of older people/representatives on consultee list. Effective engagement of older persons forum with AF Alliance. Number of premises who receive copy of Age Friendly Self-Assessment Guide. Number of officers/agencies with increased awareness of Age Friendly good practice (include training statistics). |
Older people feel better included, benefitting from accessible and inclusive facilities. Policy makers benefit from hearing the voice of older people. Age friendly affiliation encourages Good relations, civic pride and a sense of belonging by creating vibrant, shared, cohesive and inclusive communities across the borough. |
Year 2 - THEME: Transport
Transportation, including accessible and affordable public transport, is a key issue for people in later life.
People’s ability to move about in their locality will impact on their participation in and access to services.
Transport infrastructure and services are integral to creating an Age Friendly Community.
Achievements to Date - Building on Foundations
While the baseline report found that public transport was viewed positively in terms of both safety and easy to find information, there is scope for improvement on timetabling and routes.
The baseline also identified a trend across the borough toward using one’s own transport among those responding.
|
Issue identified |
How the Age Friendly Affiliation might achieve this |
Indicators | Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Access to Services including rural communities |
Liaison with transport operators on routes and timetabling to enhance access to health facilities. Raise awareness of free public transport and how to apply. |
Biannual review with operators. Uptake stats. |
Our older people can participate meaningfully in community life. As we get older we are well informed about things that matter to us. |
Year 2 - THEME: Housing
Safe, good quality homes are integral to maintaining and supporting health and wellbeing and community connections.
This requires provision of housing to enable people to grow older in comfort and safety in the community of their choice, supported by co-designed health and well-being solutions.
Achievements to Date - Building on Foundations
Support for home safety and security schemes has impacted positively on older people as evidenced during consultation on the baseline report.
Projects such as the Handyman service delivered by MEAAP illustrate the work underway to date under the Housing domain and highlights the need to avoid duplication.
These schemes should continue, especially given the borough’s ageing population and provide a framework for further work on energy efficiency given current cost of living challenges, building on work undertaken through the Affordable Warmth Scheme and Council’s Energy Efficiency Advice service.
|
Issue identified |
How the Age Friendly Affiliation might achieve this |
Indicators | Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home maintenance and safety |
Advice and information on how to be prepared for emergencies. |
Number of older people accessing advice plus number of awareness raising initiatives delivered. |
Older persons feel safe and are supported to live independently in their own homes for longer. As we get older, we are well informed about things that matter to us. |
Year 2 - THEME: Social Participation
Social participation is strongly connected to good health and wellbeing; it is important to enable people to feel connected and have a sense of belonging with the ability to maintain or establish supportive and caring relationships.
Enabling accessibility, particularly for those with mobility issues, is also key to supporting social participation.
Achievements to Date - Building on Foundations
Valuable progress has been undertaken to date in the form of Good Morning and luncheon clubs as participation tools in addition to initiatives such as Chatty Benches and Chatty Cafés.
The action plan is an opportunity to sustain and further develop these actions, recognising the impact they have had on our older population.
|
Issue identified |
How the Age Friendly Affiliation might achieve this |
Indicators | Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inclusion |
Promote opportunities for older people to become more involved in community life through information events and taster sessions to address loneliness. |
Attendance by older people at events/ taster sessions; % older people |
Older people feel better included. |
|
Accessibility |
Highlight importance of accessibility to venues encouraging participation by older people. Circulate best Practice guidelines and examples to Age Friendly alliance/Partnership Members. |
Number of venues contacted to raise awareness/request commitment to become Age Friendly. Number of Partners committing to increase accessibility and AF environments and services. |
Older people benefit from accessible and inclusive facilities. Older people within the borough are active, respected and supported in their community. |
Year 2 - THEME: Respect and Social Inclusion
An Age Friendly community enables people of all backgrounds to actively participate and treats everyone with respect, regardless of age with intergenerational activities being one way for different generations to learn from one another and develop connections.
Achievements to Date - Building on Foundations
Intergenerational work provides a valuable mechanism for inclusion and building respect across generations. Initiatives such as Linking Generations Inter generational Parliaments (facilitated by MEAAP/NIHE) demonstrate the impact of this work and should continue to be supported as part of a social inclusion model.
Avoiding duplication by working in partnership with established bodies such as MEAAP will ensure best use of resources and maximising opportunities for building respect and social inclusion.
The importance of meaningful consultation processes by public bodies with older people to identify need and identify the barriers to participation which face older people was identified through baseline consultation informing this domain.
|
Issue identified |
How the Age Friendly Affiliation might achieve this |
Indicators | Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hearing older people’s voices |
Community and voluntary groups are proactive in asking older people how best to meet their needs (activities, accessibility etc) through consultation with the Older Person’s Forum. Roll out of simple accreditation scheme for premises to become Age Friendly to include staff training, age friendly assessments, JAM cards and accessible toilet facilities. |
% of older people consulted. No of premises accredited. |
As we get older, we are heard, valued and respected and involved in decisions that affect us. Policy makers benefit from hearing the voice of older people. Older persons are able to participate meaningfully in community life. |
Year 2 - THEME: Civic Participation and Employment
Age Friendly communities provide opportunities for people in later life to continue to contribute to their communities.
Those options can include community and local based interventions to engage the ageing population such as volunteering, mentoring or employment.
Achievements to Date - Building on Foundations
Progress under this theme can be achieved through promotion of re-skilling and training opportunities currently available to older people and Council is already undertaking relevant actions such as the Economic Development Department’s digital and technical skills programmes.
The work of other agencies can also contribute to civic participation and employment e.g. promoting awareness of Libraries NI’s ICT resources (access, training and staff assistance).
|
Issue identified |
How the Age Friendly Affiliation might achieve this |
Indicators | Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opportunities for employment and volunteering |
Encourage uptake of Centre for Ageing Better UK Age Friendly Employer Pledge |
Number of employers signed up to Age Friendly Employer Pledge |
Our older people can participate meaningfully in community life. |
|
Sustainability of community groups |
AF Affiliation to consider hosting a series of volunteer roadshows to promote volunteering. Devise guidance on succession planning for groups to build capacity to maintain sustainability, recruiting new members and wider sharing of responsibilities. |
Number of roadshows and numbers attending roadshows. Guidance produced. |
Older people within the borough are active, respected and supported in their community. |
Year 2 - THEME: Communication and Information
Staying connected with events and people and receiving relevant information to meet personal needs is vital for active ageing. It is important that information is up to date, practical and accessible to all.
Achievements to Date - Building on Foundations
Ongoing work in relation to internet safety and support to address the threat of scams delivered by MEAAP with support from Community Planning was identified as being very effective in the baseline report.
It is important that such work continues, alongside Age Friendly awareness raising and facilitation with Council departments which has been delivered.
In addition, MEAAP’s “My Easy App” is an important tool in building digital skills and confidence.
|
Issue identified |
How the Age Friendly Affiliation might achieve this |
Indicators | Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Effective communication |
Devise reference guidance for organisations to ensure that communications materials and methods, language, signage, font size etc are age friendly. |
Number of organisations provided with a copy of reference guidance. |
As we get older, we are well informed about things that matter to us. |
Year 2 - THEME: Community Support and Health Services
Community support is linked to good health and wellbeing throughout life, alongside accessible and affordable health care services.
Access to and availability of services is crucial to maintain health and independence and sustainable communities.
Achievements to Date - Building on Foundations
Through its IMPACTAgewell community development integrated care project, MEAAP has undertaken much work in this domain, working with older people through a range of actions including social prescribing using a hub health delivery model in partnership with NHSCT and Community Pharmacies.
In addition, MEAAP operates the Community Navigator service in partnership with NHSCT, offering a signposting service for people aged over 50.
This model and experience should be considered and inform any future plans for community support and health services.
|
Issue identified |
How the Age Friendly Affiliation might achieve this |
Indicators | Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accessibility |
Liaise with service providers to lobby for health and community service facilities and routes to be more accessible. |
Number of meetings held, number of facilities/routes with improved accessibility. |
As we get older, we are heard, valued and respected and involved in decisions that affect us. Older people within the borough are active, respected and supported in their community. |
|
Information and awareness |
Improve access to information on community and health services, including home care services and awareness raising about violence against older people. |
Number of initiatives to raise awareness of services a available. | As we get older, we are well informed about things that matter to us. |
Year 3 - THEME: Outdoor Spaces and Buildings
The outside environment and public buildings have a major impact on the mobility, independence and quality of life of people in later life.
Characteristics of the built environment aligned to being Age Friendly include public access and safety, green spaces, pavements and road crossings, parking, outdoor seating and accessible buildings.
Achievements to Date - Building on Foundations
In general people reported feeling safe about leaving their homes and spending time in outdoor parks and open spaces while baseline report findings also indicated positive experiences in relation to public buildings and staff being considered accessible and welcoming, providing a solid foundation from which to roll out further actions across the borough.
|
Issue identified |
How the Age Friendly Affiliation might achieve this |
Indicators | Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accessibility of outdoor spaces |
Accessibility/walkability audits of public spaces eg. Parks, shopping areas, mapped seating/WC’s. |
Audit template development and applied to 4 schemes per year. |
As we get older, we are heard, valued and respected and involved in decisions that affect us. Policy makers benefit from hearing the voice of older people. Older people within the borough are active, respected and supported in their community. |
Year 3 - THEME: Respect and Social Inclusion
An Age Friendly community enables people of all backgrounds to actively participate and treats everyone with respect, regardless of age with intergenerational activities being one way for different generations to learn from one another and develop connections.
Achievements to Date - Building on Foundations
Inter-generational work provides a valuable mechanism for inclusion and building respect across generations. Initiatives such as Linking Generations Intergenerational Parliaments (facilitated by MEAAP/NIHE) demonstrate the impact of this work and should continue to be supported as part of a social inclusion model.
Avoiding duplication by working in partnership with established bodies such as MEAAP will ensure best use of resources and maximising opportunities for building respect and social inclusion.
The importance of meaningful consultation processes by public bodies with older people to identify need and identify the barriers to participation which face older people was identified through baseline consultation informing this domain.
|
Issue identified |
How the Age Friendly Affiliation might achieve this |
Indicators | Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Community engagement |
Development of intergenerational programmes, including rural outreach. |
Number of programmes delivered and attendance. % of rural participants |
Policy makers benefit from hearing the voice of older people. Older people within the borough are active, respected and supported in their community. |
7. Next Steps
In terms of next steps in taking forward the Age Friendly strategy and action plan, the following are proposed:
- Establish Age Friendly Affiliation and agree Terms of Reference
- Facilitate workshop for Age Friendly Affiliation to review and approve draft strategy and action plan
- Circulate strategy and action plan for stakeholder/public consideration
- Review findings of public consultation
- Plan soft launch of Age friendly Strategy and Action Plan 2024-2027
- Schedule meetings agreed for Age Friendly Affiliation
- Implement Action plan
- Ongoing monitoring and regular review of progress, including seeking beneficiary feedback on a regular basis (at least annually)
It is proposed that these steps are undertaken across 2024/25 year, with a continual review and improvement cycle, to provide scope to respond to any emerging issues in the interim.
This will ensure that actions and resources are tailored to need and best placed to support older citizens across Mid and East Antrim lead fulfilling, active and rewarding lives.