The urgent need to focus on housing as a core part of the continuum of support and care for older people was the key message of a housing seminar, organised by Mayo Social – an initiative between Mayo County Council, the HSE, Sage Advocacy and other agencies to address the challenges and opportunities of an ageing society.
A central theme of the ‘Big H’ seminar looked at how to plan the future of housing and care needs of Ireland’s increasing older population – moving away from an overreliance on private nursing homes towards a ‘household model’, which emphasises less institutionalised approaches focused on neighbourhoods, social connectedness and community development.
The seminar, which took place in Castlebar, Co. Mayo on 16 April, was addressed by Minister for Social Protection Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht Dara Calleary TD, and Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and at the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, Alan Dillon TD.
Former Dublin City Council Deputy Chief Executive Brendan Kenny outlined the particular challenges experienced in the area of housing and older people. Trinity academic Tom Grey, and planning specialist for older people Ann Coyle, focused on design issues – in particular an alternative approach to traditional nursing homes based on a ‘household model’.
Opening the event the Cathaoirleach of Mayo County Council, Cllr John O’Hara, noted the inclusion in the Programme for Government of a reference to the development of an annual Social Enterprise Empowerment and Development allocation (SEED) to unlock the potential of the social enterprise sector for sustainable job creation and community services.
“An ageing society is bringing challenges, but it is also offering opportunities. There is a considerable body of evidence to support the view that the wellbeing of older people is deeply rooted in social connectedness, and so we need to explore opportunities for innovation that builds on existing social infrastructure such as pubs, cafés, sports facilities, meals on wheels and to help bring life back into our villages and towns.”
Pictured at the Mayo Social seminar in Castlebar, Co. Mayo on 16 April (l-r): Mervyn Taylor, Sage Advocacy; Tom Gilligan, Director of Services (Housing), Mayo Co Council; Dr Michael Browne, Research Advisor, Sage Advocacy; Dr Jerry Cowley, Chair, St Brendan’s Mulranny; Denis Gallagher, Chair, Castlebar Social Services; Deirdre Waldron, General Manager, Castlebar Social Services; Cllr Ger Deere, Mayo Co Council; Sheila Hunt, Regional Advocate, Sage Advocacy; Mark Mellett, Chair Maritime Area regulatory Authority & Chair Sage Advocacy; and Des Mulligan, Older Peoples Services, HSE West/North-West Region.
Minister Dara Calleary said that Mayo is one of several counties in the west and north-west with a growing population of older people, and pointed out that thousands of them are living alone. “Housing and neighbourhoods need to be designed to take account of this and public services for all citizens, especially older citizens, need to be designed so that they become more ‘wrap around’ and less ’send around’.
“If public service reform means anything it means responding to realities on the ground. It means thinking, planning and developing in ways that build resilience and community solidarity. It needs services which are informed by useful data, well-practiced in inter-service collaboration, agile and pragmatic in their responses and valuing and actively involving the community and voluntary sector in their planning and responses.”
Minister Alan Dillon said he was heartened by the collaboration that led to the seminar and described as “encouraging” the focus by Mayo County Council, the HSE, Sage Advocacy, Castlebar Social Services and St Brendan’s Mulranny in addressing the challenges and opportunities of an ageing society.
“The experience of Storm Éowyn has shown how vulnerable older people can be, especially when living alone, but it has also shown us the great strengths that lie within our communities when faced with the serious consequences of climate change,” the Minister noted.
Key issues from this seminar will be used to inform the work of Mayo Social, and several other consultations across a wide range of sectors are now planned as part of the initiative.
