Protection of Older People in the Community Presentation to: Joint Policing Committee 12 th February 2018 1
Clare Age Friendly Programme WHY HAVE AN AGE FRIENDLY STRATEGY? • Life expectancy is rising faster in Ireland than anywhere in EU. • By 2041, 25% of the population will be over 65 (12% now). • The population over 80 will increase by 400% by 2041. • 1 in 3 Newborns will live to 100. 2
Clare Age Friendly Programme A GLOBAL EFFORT TO MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE • In 2007 the World Health Organisation established a Global Framework for Age Friendly Cities & Communities. • In 2013 the Dept. Health developed the National Positive Ageing Strategy . 3
Clare Age Friendly Programme WHO RECOMMENDS A ‘DELIVERY FRAMEWORK’ INVOLVING MULTI-AGENCY APPROACH FOR IRELAND TO BECOME TRULY AGE-FRIENDLY ALL SECTORS OF SOCIETY, GOVERNMENT, SERVICE PROVIDERS, LOCAL AUTHORITIES, POLICE AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC MUST BE INVOLVED. WE ALL HAVE OUR PART TO PLAY. 4
Clare Age Friendly Programme AGE FRIENDLY ALLIANCE BOARD The Board comprises senior decision makers from public and not-for-profit organisations: Shared Vision: To make Clare a great County in which to grow old. 5
Clare Age Friendly Programme The Age Friendly Alliance works closely with the Older People’s Council The Role of the Older People’s Council : • To represent the voice of older people in Clare at local & national level • Prioritise key areas for implementation • Monitor the objectives of the Clare Age Friendly Strategy 6
Crime Prevention and Safety of Older People: • A ‘Crime Prevention and Safety’ checklist has been developed by Gardaí in partnership with the Clare Library Network. • Issued to older people with a focus on personal safety and safety in the home. • Available through the 16 branch libraries, local events and distributed by An Post. • Names of local Postmen & Postwomen established by Gardaí in Ennis, Ennistymon & Kilrush. They were briefed by Gardaí to identify anything of suspicious nature and how to report concerns. 7
Community Alert and Neighbourhood Watch: Community Gardaí are attached to each scheme in each Garda district. Core Function: • To facilitate communication and thereby assist in the prevention of crime. • To reduce people’s fear of becoming a victim of crime ensuring a better quality of community life. 8
Text Alert Scheme: • Originally piloted in Ennistymon, now operating throughout North & West Clare. • In East Clare the Scarriff scheme combines 10 groups who have amalgamated – working well. • Promotion of ‘Text Alert’ by engaging with communities at local meetings. • Particularly successful in rural areas. Community contact forwards ‘Alert’ to group. 9
Clare Age Friendly Programme New Strategy 2018 – 2022 - Draft Six suggested ‘Action Areas’ to develop a strong & vibrant Age Friendly County: • Age Friendly Town (Ennis) • Age Friendly Rural Initiatives • Health & Wellness of older people • Age Friendly Business Programme • Age Friendly Annual Exhibition (of services) • Age Friendly Airport (Shannon) 10
Clare Age Friendly Programme What the Healthy and Positive Ageing Initiative (HaPAI) Survey found in Clare: 11
Clare Age Friendly Programme Breakdown of HaPAI data: • However the survey found that a total of 21.6% of all urban respondents felt unsafe (day or night) compared with 10.1% of rural respondents (countryside or village). • Women in urban areas were most likely to feel unsafe (25.6%) and this was mostly explained by feeling unsafe ‘out and about’ at night. By comparison, less than 10% of women living in open countryside or villages feel unsafe ‘out and about’. 12
Clare Age Friendly Programme What Older People told us: Older People said they felt they could achieve a greater sense of safety in their homes and greater connection with the community by: • Becoming more active • Being involved in the development of local neighbourhood watch schemes • Having Text alert in their Community • Expanding the current ‘Community Alert’ system into more rural areas • Developing closer relationships with the local Gardaí • Reducing threat of bogus callers - Developing a list of readily available, reliable, reasonably priced, trustworthy trades people in each community • Increasing Gardaí community presence • Developing a home-calling programme 13
Clare Age Friendly Programme Age-Friendly Urban Safety Initiatives • Extend Urban Community Policing • Expand ‘Neighbourhood Watch’ schemes • Provide designated Parking for Older People closer to town • Develop Age-Friendly Town Bus Service • Combat sub-conscious fear of groups of young people - develop Intergenerational Projects (e.g. TY students) • Combat fear arising from sense of isolation - expand current Befriending services e.g. Clarecare ‘ Conas atá Tú ’ • Address fear of falling down - Pavement Surfacing, etc. 14
Clare Age Friendly Programme Age-Friendly Rural Safety Initiatives • Combat fear of Rural isolation - increase Transport options in Rural areas • Expand ’Community Alert’ and ’Text Alert’ Schemes • Expand and Modernise Seniors’ Alert Scheme (e.g. Pendant Alarms) • Combat fear arising from sense of isolation - expand current Befriending services e.g. Clarecare ‘ Conas atá Tú ’ • Combat sub-conscious fear of groups of young people - develop Intergenerational Projects (e.g. TY students) • Develop lighted Bus Shelters in Rural Areas • Develop multi-agency community centres, to include Garda clinics 15
The active participation of Community Gardaí is critical to gaining and maintaining the confidence of the community. 16
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