Healthy Ageing in Ireland, Policies, Practice and Evaluation

Healthy Ageing in Ireland, Policies, Practice and Evaluation The National Council on Ageing and Older People (NCAOP) is pleased to present this report, which provides a comprehensive overview of current practice in the promotion of healthy ageing in Ireland. The Council considers â?~healthy ageingâ?T to be a positive concept relating to personal development and the exercise of personal choice. Healthy ageing therefore includes activities that influence social and environmental changes, which promote health, well-being and activities that prevent illness. Click here to download PDF 515kb

Healthy Ageing in Ireland, Policies, Practice and Evaluation

Click here to download PDF This is a publication of The National Council on Ageing and Older People

Population Ageing in Ireland Projections 2002-2021

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Health and Social Care Implications of Population Ageing In Ireland 1991-2011

This report has two main objectives. The first is to set out national and health board area population projections for Ireland in the period 1991-2011, with special reference to the elderly population. The second is to consider the implications of the predicted trends in the elderly population for health and social care services over the same period, taking account of official policy objectives and service norms for the health services. Download the Report here

Accidents and Safety - Ageing in Ireland Fact File No. 14

Accidents and SafetyAlthough the number of deaths caused by accidents has fallen by 37% across all age groups in Ireland over the past twenty years, accidents and falls continue to be relatively common causes of death and injury among older people, often resulting in serious longterm difficulties and even premature death. Consequently, the reduction of accidents in the older population is considered to be an important factor in promoting the general well-being of older people. The 1998 Health Promotion Strategy for Older People, Adding years to life, life to years, which was formulated by the National Council on Ageing and OlderPeople in co-operation with the Department of Health and Children, set a target to reduce the death rate from all accidents and their adverse effects in people aged 65 and over by at least 17% in the year 2005. It also set a target of reducing hospital admissions due to falls in people aged 65 and over by at least 17% in the same year.����

Public Policy and Ageing in Northern Ireland: Identifying Levers for Change

Public Policy and Ageing in Northern Ireland: Identifying Levers for Change Judith Cross, Policy Officer with the Centre for Ageing Research Development in Ireland (CARDI)��������Introduction Identifying a broad range of key public policy initiatives as they relate to age can facilitate discussion and create new knowledge within and across government to maximise the opportunities afforded by an ageing population. This article looks at how examining the current public policy frameworks in Northern Ireland can present opportunities for those working in this field for the benefit of older people. Good policy formulation needs to be evidence-based, flexible, innovative and look beyond institutional boundaries. Bringing together architects and occupational therapists, for example, has the potential to create better and more effective ways relevant to health, housing, social services and government departments. Traditional assumptions of social policy towards older people have tended to be medically focused with an emphasis on care and dependency. This in turn has consequences for the design and delivery of services for older people. It is important that these assumptions are challenged as changes in thinking and attitudes can lead to a redefinition of ageing, resulting in policies and practices that benefit older people now and in the future. Older people, their voices and experiences, need to be central to these developments. The Centre for Ageing Research and Development in Ireland The Centre for Ageing Research and Development in Ireland (CARDI) (1) is a not for profit organisation developed by leaders from the ageing field across Ireland (North and South) including age sector focused researchers and academics, statutory and voluntary, and is co-chaired by Professor Robert Stout and Professor Davis Coakley. CARDI has been established to provide a mechanism for greater collaboration among age researchers, for wider dissemination of ageing research information and to advance a research agenda relevant to the needs of older people in Ireland, North and South. Operating at a strategic level and in an advisory capacity, CARDI�۪s work focuses on promoting research co-operation across sectors and disciplines and concentrates on influencing the strategic direction of research into older people and ageing in Ireland. It has been strategically positioned around the following four areas: Identifying and establishing ageing research priorities relevant to policy and practice in Ireland, North and South;Promoting greater collaboration and co-operation on ageing research in order to build an ageing research community in Ireland, North and South;Stimulating research in priority areas that can inform policy and practice relating to ageing and older people in Ireland, North and South;Communicating strategic research issues on ageing to raise the profile of ageing research in Ireland, North and South, and its role in informing policy and practice. Context of Ageing in Ireland Ireland �۪s population is ageing. One million people aged 60 and over now live on the island of Ireland. By 2031, it is expected that Northern Ireland�۪s percentage of older people will increase to 28% and the Republic of Ireland�۪s to 23%. The largest increase will be in the older old; the number aged 80+ is expected to triple by the same date. However while life expectancy has increased, it is not clear that life without disability and ill health has increased to the same extent. A growing number of older people may face the combined effects of a decline in physical and mental function, isolation and poverty. Policymakers, service providers and older people alike recognise the need to create a high quality of life for our ageing population. This challenge can be meet by addressing the problems relating to healthy ageing, reducing inequalities in later life and creating services that are shaped by, and appropriate for, older people. Devolution and Structures of Government in Northern Ireland The Agreement (2) reached in the Multi-Party Negotiations in Belfast 1998 established the Northern Ireland Assembly which has full legislative authority for all transferred matters. The majority of social and economic public policy such as; agriculture, arts, education, health, environment and planning is determined by the Northern Ireland Assembly at Stormont. There are 11 Government Departments covering the main areas of responsibility with 108 elected Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLA�۪s). The powers of the Northern Ireland Assembly do not cover ��� reserved�۪ matters or ��� excepted�۪ matters . These are the responsibility of Westminster and include issues such as, tax, social security, policing, justice, defence, immigration and foreign affairs. Northern Ireland has 18 elected Members of Parliament (MP�۪s) to the House of Commons. Public Policy Context in Northern Ireland The economic, social and political consequence of an ageing population is a challenge for policy makers across government. Considering the complex and diverse causal factors that contribute to ageing in Northern Ireland, there are a number of areas of government policy at regional, national and international levels that are likely to impact in this area. International The Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (3) and the Research Agenda on Ageing for the 21st Century (4) provide important mechanisms for furthering research into ageing. The United Kingdom has signed up to these. The Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing commits member states to a systematic review of the Plan of Action through Regional Implementation Strategies. The United Kingdom�۪s Regional Implementation Strategy covers Northern Ireland. National At National level, pension and social security are high on the agenda. The Pensions Act (5) became law in 2007 and links pensions increases with earnings as opposed to prices from 2012. Additional credits for people raising children and caring for older people to boost their pensions were introduced. Some protections are included for those who lost occupational pensions as a result of underfunded schemes being wound up before April 2005. In relation to State Pensions and benefits, this Act will bring changes to state pensions in future. The Act now places the Pension Credit element which is up-rated in line with or above earnings, on a permanent, statutory footing. Regional At regional level there are a number of age related public policy initiatives that have the potential to impact positively on the lives of older people in Northern Ireland. Some are specific to ageing such as the Ageing in an Inclusive Society (6) and others by their nature are cross-cutting such as Lifetime Opportunities: Governments Anti-Poverty Strategy for Northern Ireland (7). The main public policy framework in Northern Ireland is the Programme for Government: Building a Better Future, 2008-2011(PfG) (8) . The PfG, is the overarching high level policy framework for Northern Ireland and provides useful principles for ageing research and public policy in Northern Ireland. The PfG vision is to build a peaceful, fair and prosperous society in Northern Ireland, with respect for the rule of law. A number of Public Service Agreements (PSA) aligned to the PfG confirm key actions that will be taken to support the priorities that the Government aim to achieve over the next three years. For example objective 2 of PSA 7: Making Peoples�۪ Lives Better: Drive a programme across Government to reduce poverty and address inequality and disadvantage, refers to taking forward strategic action to promote social inclusion for older people; and to deliver a strong independent voice for older people. The Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) have recently appointed an Interim Older People�۪s Advocate, Dame Joan Harbison to provide a focus for older peoples issues across Government. Ageing in an Inclusive Society is the cross-departmental strategy for older people in Northern Ireland and was launched in March 2005. It sets out the approach to be taken across Government to promote and support the inclusion of older people. The vision coupled with six strategic objectives form the basis of the action plans accompanying the strategy. The vision is: ���To ensure that age related policies and practices create an enabling environment, which offers everyone the opportunity to make informed choices so that they may pursue healthy, active and positive ageing.�۝ (Ageing in an Inclusive Society, Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister, 2005) Action planning and maintaining momentum across government in relation to this strategy has proved to be slower than anticipated. It is proposed to refresh this Strategy in line with Opportunity Age ��� meeting the challenges of ageing in the 21st Century (9). There are a number of policy levers elsewhere which can also be used to promote the positive aspects of an ageing society. The Investing for Health (10) and A Healthier Future:A 20 Year Vision for Health and Well-being in Northern Ireland (11), seek to ensure that the overall vision for health and wellbeing is achievable and provides a useful framework for ageing policy and research in the health area. These health initiatives have the potential to positively impact on the quality of life of older people and provide a useful framework for improving current policy and practice. In addition to public policy initiatives, the anti-discrimination frameworks in terms of employment in Northern Ireland cover age as well as a range of other grounds. Goods facilitates and services are currently excluded from the Employment Equality (age) Regulations (NI) 2006 (12). Supplementing the anti-discrimination measures, Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 (13), unique to Northern Ireland, places a statutory obligation on public authorities in fulfilling their functions to promote equality of opportunity across nine grounds, one of which is age(14). This positive duty has the potential to make a real difference to the lives of older people in Northern Ireland. Those affected by policy decisions must be consulted and their interests taken into account. This provides an opportunity for older people and their representatives to participate in public policy-making, right from the start of the process. Policy and Research Interface ���Ageing research is vital as decisions in relation to policy and practice and resource allocation will be made on the best available information�۝. (CARDI�۪s Strategic Plan 2008-2011) As outlined earlier, CARDI has been established to bridge the gap to ensure that research reaches those involved in making policy decisions. CARDI is stimulating the ageing research agenda in Ireland through a specific research fund that has a policy and practice focus. My work is presently focusing on helping to build a greater awareness of the key policy levers and providing opportunities for those within research and policy to develop closer links. The development of this shared understanding by establishing these links between researchers and policy makers is seen as the best predictor for research utilization. It is important to acknowledge and recognise that researchers and policy makers operate in different institutional, political and cultural contexts. Research however needs to ���resonate�۪ with the contextual factors in which policy makers operate. Conclusions Those working within the public policy field recognise all too often that the development of government policies and initiatives in respect of age does not guarantee that they will result in changes in actual provision of services, despite Government recommendations and commitments. The identification of public policy initiatives as they relate to age has the potential to highlight persistent and entrenched difficulties that social policy has previously failed to address. Furthermore, the identification of these difficulties can maximise the opportunities for progressing these across government. A focus on developing effective and meaningful targets to ensure measurable outcomes in public policy for older people can assist in this. Access to sound, credible and up-to-date evidence will be vital in this respect. As well as a commitment to working across departmental boundaries to effect change. Further details: If you would like to discuss this paper or for further information about CARDI please contact: Judith Cross, Policy Officer, Centre for Ageing Research and Development in Ireland CARDI). t: +44 (0) 28 9069 0066; m: +353 (0) 867 904 171; e: judith@cardi.ie ; or visit our website at: www.cardi.ie References 1) Centre for Ageing Research and Development in Ireland (2008) Strategic Plan 2008-2011. Belfast. CARDI 2) The Agreement: Agreement Reached in the Multi-Party Negotiations. Belfast 1998 3) Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing. http://www.un.org/ageing/ 4) UN Programme on Ageing (2007) Research Agenda on Ageing for the 21st Century: 2007 Update. New York. New York. UN Programme on Ageing and the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics. 5) The Pensions Act 2007 Chapter 22 6) Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister (2005). Ageing in an Inclusive Society. Belfast. OFMDFM Central Anti-Poverty Unit. 7) Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister (2005). Lifetime Opportunities: Government�۪s Anti-Poverty and Social Inclusion Strategy for Northern Ireland. Belfast. OFMDFM Central Anti-Poverty Unit. 8) Northern Ireland Executive (2008) Building a Better Future: Programme for Government 2008-2011. Belfast. OFMDFM Economic Policy Unit. 9) Department for Work and Pensions, (2005) Opportunity Age: Meeting the Challenges of Ageing in the 21 st Century. London. DWP. 10) Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSS&PS) (2002) Investing for Health. Belfast. DHSS&PS. 11) Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSS&PS) (2005) A Healthier Future:A 20 Year Vision for Health and Well-being in Northern Ireland Belfast. DHSS&PS. �� 12) The Employment Equality (Age) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 SR2006 No.261 13) The Northern Ireland Act 1998, Part VII, S75 14) The nine grounds covered under S75 of the Northern Ireland Act are: gender, religion, race, sexual orientation, those with dependents, disability, political opinion, marital status and age.

An exploratory study of the wealth of older people in Ireland ��� North and South

In 2012, CARDI was asked by The Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister in Northern Ireland to carry out a series of research projects on ageing in Ireland, North and South. This study, An exploratory study of the wealth of older people in Ireland – North and South, was led by Professor Paddy Hillyard, Queen's University Belfast. It had the following objectives: Examine what information is available on the wealth of older people on the island of Ireland. Describe the type and level of housing, property and other assets. Provide comparable estimates of the wealth of older people in Northern Ireland (NI) and the Republic of Ireland (ROI). Draw out the policy implications of the research. Stimulate a wider discussion about wealth and inequalities. Key findings: In NI the total personal wealth was estimated at just under �100 billion. People aged 50 and under were estimated to have 35% of the total wealth, while people aged 50 and over had 65%. Existing data does not allow for a similar comparison in ROI. People aged 65+ in NI have a median disposable weekly income of �280 compared to �494 for those aged 25-49, �452 for those aged 50-64 and �251 for those aged 16-24. In ROI, people aged 65+ have a median disposable weekly income of €446 compared to €790 for those aged 25-49, €654 for those aged 50-64 and €418 for those aged 16-24. In NI, people aged 65+ have the highest rate of home ownership (63%) and the lowest level of outstanding mortgage (3%) of any age group. They also have the highest level of savings (�4,000 on average) but the lowest level of value of household goods (a median of �525). In ROI, 87% of people over 65 own their house outright and 2% own their house with a mortgage. The average value of savings held by this age group is €5,519. In ROI the total value of owner-occupied housing stock was estimated to be €280 billion, of which 54% was held by those under 50. In NI people over 50 had �42.5 billion (60%) of owner-occupied housing assets while those under 50 had �28.2 billion (40%).

A framework for quality in long-term residential care for older people in Ireland / National Council on Ageing and Older People

In 1999 the National Council on Ageing and Older People commissioned a postal survey of all long-term residential care facilities in the country to determie: - whether facilities had quality initiatives in operation - providers' views and aspirations for future provision of long-term care - providers' views on the introduction of a national quality monitoring policy This report is the outcome of the programme of work conducted by the Council on the quality of long-term residential care provision for older people in Ireland. The aim of the report is to provide a framework for developing quality in long-term residential care settings with a focus on the well-being, dignity and autonomy of older residents.

A Picture of Ageing Research in Ireland, North and South

This publication provides a snapshot of the ageing research landscape across the island of Ireland.�� By 2030 one in five people on the island of Ireland will be 65 years or older. As the population ages research into ageing and older people is vital to help plan for healthier and more active later lives for everyone. Academic institutions across the island are engaged in a wide range of research programmes and projects relating to ageing. ��Ageing is increasingly viewed as a research priority for these institutions and the island of Ireland is gaining recognition as a place of excellence for ageing research. This publication provides an overview of research relating to ageing being carried out in their various third level institutions in Ireland, North and South. ��It combined these profiles with information about a selection of major collaborative research projects and CARDI’s research funding activities to produce an update of a previous directory published in 2010. A Picture of Ageing Research 2014 illustrates the continued growth and quality of research being carried out in a wide range of disciplines by a growing community of researcher in Ireland, North and South. CARDI Director Dr Roger O’Sullivan says, “We are delighted to present this publication which captures the innovative and high quality nature of ageing research being carried out by researchers in Ireland, North and South. ��Ageing research is vital to providing a valuable evidence base for building a better future for our ageing populations”.

Home Help Services for Elderly People in Ireland - Conference Proceedings

The National Council for the Elderly was established in 1981 as the National Council for the Aged. The terms of reference of the Council are: To advise the Minister for Health on all aspects of ageing and the welfare of the elderly either on its own initiative or at the request of the Minister It is long established national policy to maintain the elderly in their own homes for as long as possible. The Years Ahead report of 1988 made specific recommendations as to how care in the community for the frail elderly could be organised. The recent strategy document from the Department of Health, Shaping a Healthier Future, has presented a target, that not less than 90 per cent of those over 75 years of age should live at home Download the Report here

Adding Years to Life and Life to Years - A Health Promotion Strategy for Older People in Ireland

This Health Strategy points to the need for promoting healthy ageing in conjunction with the then National Council for Elderly – a goal which was re-iterated in the 1995 Health Promotion Strategy, in which older people were identified as a priority  population group with particular health promotion needs  

A Framework for Quality in Long-Term Residential Care for Older People in Ireland

The National Council on Ageing and Older People has long been concerned about the quality of long-term residential care for older people in Ireland. In 1986, its predecessor, the National Council for the Aged published “It’s Our Home”. The Quality of Life in Private and Voluntary Nursing Homes. In 1999 the Council commissioned a postal survey of all long-term residential care facilities in the country to determine whether facilities had quality initiatives in operation; providers’ views and aspirations for future provision of long-term care; providers’ views on the introduction of a national quality monitoring policy Download the Report here

Improving Quality of Life for Older People in Long-Stay Care Settings in Ireland

The quality of life of older people in all care settings is a primary concern of the National Council on Ageing and Older People (NCAOP); a concern echoed by the National Economic and Social Forum (NESF) in its recent report Care for Older Peoplein which it stated that â?~enhancing quality of life of older people in different settings should be a key policy priorityâ?T (NESF, 2005). Read the Report (PDF, 3.25mb) Read the Report on Conference Proceedings (PDF. 484kb)

The Quality of Life of Older People with a Disability in Ireland

The Quality of Life of Older People with a Disability in Ireland For many years the National Council on Ageing and Older People (NCAOP) has advocated the importance of meaningful consultation with older people in order to inform public policy and facilitate the development of services to meet their needs. This research study was commissioned to present a picture of quality of life in older age for people with a disability in Ireland and was grounded in consultation with them. It is the first such study to be undertaken here. Click here to download PDF 1.9mb

End-of-Life Care for Older People in Acute and Long-Stay Care Settings in Ireland

The National Council on Ageing and Older People (NCAOP) and the Irish Hospice Foundation (IHF) are pleased to present this report, End-of-Life Care for Older People in Acute and Long-Stay Care Settings in Ireland. The report details the results of research that focuses, for the first time in Ireland, on the quality oflife and quality of care at the end-of-life for older people in various care settings including acute hospitals, public extended care units, private nursing homes, voluntary nursing homes and welfare homes. The report provides a new model for care at the end-of-life which goes beyond specialist palliative care provision to embrace a compassionate approach that supports older people who are living with, or dying from, progressive, chronic and life-threatening conditions, and attends to all their needs: physical, psychological,social and spiritual. Download document here