Dublin City Council and Age Friendly Ireland have launched the Dublin City Age Friendly Strategy. The move is the latest step in making Ireland one of the first age-friendly countries in the world, where older people are valued and their needs are considered.
The Dublin strategy represents a framework for multi-agency partnership aimed at making Dublin city a great place in which to grow old and ensuring that all Dubliners are respected and valued, regardless of age.
The document targets 9 key domains including safety, health, outdoor space, buildings and transport, and sets out action points which include:
- Appointing a dedicated Garda with responsibility for older people in every Garda station in Dublin
- Introducing high-visibility, targeted area Garda patrolling in neighbourhoods with a high density of older people
- Rolling out a cross-agency partnership programme designed to support older people to remain in their own homes for as long as possible
Minister Kathleen Lynch TD, Minister of State at the Department of Health with responsibility for Primary Care, Social Care (Disability and Older People) and Mental Health, said: “In 2013 the Government published the National Positive Ageing Strategy and launched Healthy Ireland, a national framework that aims to increase the health and wellbeing of people at all stages of life, including old age. Positive ageing and healthy ageing are in everyone’s interest and the Dublin City Age Friendly Strategy is one of the many ways that we, as a society, will realise the aims and aspirations of these two vital national documents.”
Dublin City Council is one of 26 local authorities throughout the country who have signed up to the Age Friendly Cities and Counties programme.
