Louth Age Friendly County Strategy: Empowering Older People, Enhancing Communities

2. Introduction Underling principles • Operating within existing structures • Finding the voice of Older People • Developing a model that can work in any City/County

3. A New Alliance • Louth County Council • The Health Services Executive • The Gardai • Dundalk Institute of Technology • Sustainable Energy Ireland • The Ageing Well Network • Older People’s Forum • Irish Council of Social Housing • IFA

4. Garda EI/IDA NGOs L.As. HSE C of C Structure & leadership Louth Age-Friendly County LOUTH COUNTY DEVELOPMENT BOARD ECONOMIC CULTURAL SOCIAL LOUTH AGE-FRIENDLY COUNTY ALLIANCE LOUTH OLDER PEOPLE’S FORUM LOUTH AGE-FRIENDLY COUNTY OFFICE LOUTH SERVICES PROVIDERS FORUM LOUTH BUSINESS FORUM

5. Framework for Delivery • Outdoor spaces and public buildings • Social participation • Transportation • Communication and information • Respect and Social Inclusion • Housing • Civic participation and employment • Community support and health services

6. What is the thinking behind the Strategy • A recognition that older people are critical contributors to our society and a resource, not a burden, to society; • Communities that fine imaginative ways of capitalising on the diverse assets of older adults can find ways of addressing many of their complex challenges and providing much needed services; • A commitment to the direct involvement of older people in deciding priorities, shaping actions and bringing about change;

7. Louth Journey So Far

8. Listening to the Message • Launched initiative at a seminar in Nov 2008. Produced a document on older people’s key priority areas to start the ground work on the strategy. (Your Views—copy in pack) • Presented draft strategy and structure for Older People’s Forum to follow up seminar in March 2009. Loosely agreed with content. (Copy in pack) • Carried out 4 targeted consultation sessions in Drogheda, Ardee, Dundalk and Carlingford. Ardee had particular emphasis on the vulnerable older person including patients in nursing homes, a retirement village, reps from St Bridget’s psychiatric hospital, St Mary’s Drumcar, IWA and Irish Association for the blind. • The LOPF presented the strategy document as their endorsement of the initiative at a seminar in Nov 2009

9. Louth Older People’s Forum • LOPF was formed based on a structure developed and agreed by older people • Process: 4 consultation sessions held to accommodate the widest input as to the final agreed structure. • Currently 66 members in LOPF with an executive of 12 (working group) • Executive meets monthly • Full Forum met 3 times in 2009, expected to meet 4 times per year. • Policy day 9th Feb 2010 where full forum will agree action plan based on Age Friendly County Strategy for 2010. • Sub groups will emerge to implement actions. • LOPF have engaged in the consultation on the Transport audit and are engaging in the consultation on the “Nice One” Card, Dundalk

10. Data Collection • DkIT carrying out a baseline study on attitudes to services for older people on a sample population of 1,500 people over 50. • AFA acquired funding from Dept of Transport to carry out an audit of routes and services in the county. Interim report in. • LCC are in the process of carrying out a study on housing aids for older people with an emphasis on preventative aids. • DkIT, funded through PEACE lll are conducting research on the issues with regard to foreign national home care workers and their clients and the differences they experience. • DkIT students under the supervision of Dr Lucia Carragher are carrying out an accessibility audit on 40 streets in Dundalk. Their results will help to identify how our outdoor environment poses problems for older residents.

11. Research • Tele-health, Tele-care • Bosch—East Border Region—Interreg Knowledge • 1st European trial by Bosch. • Technology to assist chronic disease management supporting 30 people in the Louth area. • CAWT • Interreg project providing Assistive Technology (tele-care and tele-health) to people aged 50+. The project will be delivered to 120 over 3 years in Louth • Home Sweet Home • CIP Inclusion programme FP7. Project will run over a 3 year timeframe. Louth is one of 5 regions in the European project. Partners in Louth include LCC, HSE and DkIT. The project will be delivered to 30 clients + 30 not on intervention (randomised control) • Home Solutions, HSE Tele-health • Targeting those who received a Special Housing Aid for Elderly Grant, and/or Home Care Package or otherwise be considered to be at risk of losing independence. • Learning to be collated by DkIT

12. Transport Audit • Objectives: • Identifying passenger transport needs of key target groups in the county, both met demand and latent demand, and comparing this to existing supply; • Identifying the cost of the current system, designing more optimal solutions and offsetting the costs of these solutions; • Addressing how to deliver and manage this new improved network. Interim report in

13. Housing • Barrack St Housing Project • Collaboration between Dundalk Town Council, HSE North East and DkIT • Enhances Quality of Life through • Innovations in sustainable housing design • Smart Living Technologies • Person Centred Community and Health Supports • Development consists of 16 2-bedroom apartments with sensors to help safety and security, falls and fear of falling and managing chronic healthcare conditions. • Clients come from LLA housing lists, HSE lists and others • Teaghlach • The Teaghlach Project aims to change the culture of care in nursing homes from the predominant task-orientated model to one which supports residents to direct their own lives supported by consistent and valued health and social care teams in an environment reflective as much as possible of the older person’s own home. • Housing Grants • Review of Process

14. Age Awareness Training • The Respect Training Project • Funded under PEACE lll • It is a research and training initiative involving Home Support Workers and particularly foreign employees. • Through the Respect Project, the Netwell Centre hopes to raise awareness of cultural diversity and in doing so support care workers, migrant and indigenous, to provide the best possible care they can to older people.

15. IT Initiatives for Older People in Louth • LLA Libraries • eLearning project with FÁS • Mobile phone training + PC skills with Age Action Ireland • Learning Centre – Silver Surfers • Photographic Classes and Exhibition • LLP delivered computer and gadget training classes to 1,500 people in Louth • Stella O’Connor, Lourdes Recreation Centre, won ICT volunteer of the Year with Age Action

16. Intergenerational Project SPIRAL (Storytelling to Promote Intergenerational Reconciliation and Learning) • Objective of project • To create opportunities for conversation between different generations and within different generational groups, drawing on life stories and shared understanding • Through life stories, community based older adults will be supported to tell their stories and share their learning experiences with younger people to promote PEACE in an uncertain world • St Oliver’s Nursing Home and Scoil Mhuire na nGael, Dundalk Intergenerational Programme • The aim of the programme is to bridge the gap between the two generations, project a positive image of older people and to provide a sense of occasion and enjoyment for the patients. • This programme has gained interest in the county and already Mooorhall Lodge, Nursing Home, Ardee is interested in replicating the programme in Ardee

17. Sports for Older People • Participation projects for target groups • Increasing Participation by Older Adults • Older Adults Activity Festivals – 3 held in 2009, 111 people in attendance trying out a range of activities including Boccia, Kurling, Tai Chi, Zumba Dance, Line Dancing and Parachute Activities • Boccia and Kurling Activity organised in Redeemer Community Centre & St. Olivers Dundalk, Ballsgrove Community Centre Drogheda on a weekly basis • FitLine Pilot Project – now extended • Go for Life Grant Scheme for Sport and Physical Activity for Older People – workshop held to support older people filling in grant application forms • PALs (Physical Activity Leader) Training for those working with active retirement groups.

18. Volunteering • Drogheda Senior Citizens Group and Cuidigh Linn, Dundalk: • run befriending services, bereavement counselling services, information support, provision of panic buttons, care and repair services, liaison services with the HSE, hospitals, PHNs, Gardai etc. Other initiatives run by Drogheda Senior Citizens group include Failte Isteach and Good Morning Drogheda. • In June 2009 the Drogheda Senior Citizens Groups launched the Senior Help line operating from Drogheda. • During the recent bad weather: • Drogheda Senior Citizens Group organised shopping arrangements for older people who were unable to leave their homes. • Moorehall Lodge nursing Home, Ardee provided hot meals mid-day for vulnerable older people living in the Ardee area. • The Birches Alzheimer Day Care Centre assisted clients who were living alone and had experienced problems in their homes

19. Communication & Branding • Launch of Louth Citizen’s Information Services Booklet. • The booklet covers information on supports for people living at home, people considering living in nursing homes or already in nursing homes, care supports for older people, home improvement grants, transport and mobility, community support services, safety and protection and positive ageing (Copy in pack) • Age-friendly branding • The branding focuses on the eight strategic objectives of the Louth Age Friendly County Strategy which mirror the eight action areas recommended by the World Health Organisation. • The branding consists of 8 coloured petals spreading out representing the evolution of the initiative as it grows. This branding can be replicated by other counties should they wish to use it.

20. Thank You