Active Retirement Ireland, the country’s largest community-based older people’s organization, yesterday called on the government to publish the long-awaited implementation plan for the National Positive Ageing Strategy and end the “plague of loneliness” that is one of the biggest contributing factors to poor health in old age.

 

Speaking at the organization's Annual General Meeting in the Slieve Russell Hotel, Co. Cavan yesterday morning, Mai Quaid, President of Active Retirement Ireland, said the challenge of loneliness is growing more difficult for community groups to overcome. She said: “Life expectancy figures are rising and as the number of people aged 80 and older in Ireland is growing so too is loneliness and isolation. The National Positive Ageing Strategy was published in 2013 and recommends the actions needed to see an end to loneliness among older people, but more than two years later we are still waiting for an implementation plan.” The actions needed include investment in rural transport, universal access to healthcare, protection of rural communities, a redevelopment of community care and a focus on keeping older people in their own homes by supporting them and their families.

 

Active Retirement Ireland’s aim in 2015 is to highlight the serious issue of loneliness in our older communities and ensure actions are taken to alleviate this issue. Mai Quaid added: “We are fully aware that older people want to stay in their own homes as they age but without the full implementation of the National Positive Ageing Strategy this is an impossible endeavor. Our members and older communities should have the support of comprehensive community services so they can age with dignity and with support. We must see action from the Government to alleviate the isolation and loneliness that impacts our older people.”