Positive Ageing supports required for every county in Midlands North West – Carberry

Older people living in Midlands North West must be enabled to continue to contribute fully and to their own communities and every county should have ample resources to support the delivery of its Age Friendly Strategy, a Fine Gael European election candidate has said.

Nina Carberry, Fine Gael’s European election candidate for Midlands North-West said: “Positive ageing is a subject that I’m passionate about. With an ageing population, there is a clear and immediate need to accelerate delivery of plans for our older people, which places their life experience, needs and ambitions at the centre.

“Throughout my own life, and particularly during the last few weeks of my campaign, it’s clear to me that people are ahead of policy makers in understanding the shortcomings of present approaches. Losing independence is one of the greatest fears people have about getting older, followed by financial concerns, health and social care, loneliness, security and accessing any care required.

“Building wider involvement in community life would help dispel some of those fears. The Men’s Shed is just one example of a movement which ensures everyone benefits from the skills and expertise of our older people and how they can play a vibrant active role in our communities.

“With regards to accessing needed care for our older population, nearly all families and communities are required to care for an elderly relative at some stage. Often this care is provided by the women in the family, many of whom have younger children to care for too.

“Each Local Authority in Midlands North West and indeed around the country needs to charge its County Age Friendly Alliance to audit existing policy and services to deliver positive ageing strategies. There are policies and schemes in place, but they are not necessarily known about and require deeper resources. This needs to change.

“The EU budget is supporting long term care reforms and investments and it’s essential that we continue to lever the European Care Strategy to deliver crucial supports for Ireland’s care sector. Whilst it has been adopted by member states, we need to see its full implementation across the lifetime of the next parliament to see affordable long-term care options for the elderly and vulnerable people.

“Growing older is a privilege not afforded to everyone. Evidence shows us that where people are active, connected and engaged, it not only enhances their own well-being, it also delivers more gains to the wider society. A new robust Age Friendly Strategy, building on Programme for Government’s Vision of an Age Friendly Ireland, at European, national and local level will re-model how we live and how the generations interact. This strategy is overdue and something I’ll be prioritising, if elected to the European Parliament on June 7^th.”