Plans for Calderdale dementia centre of excellence and age-friendly homes

Steps to become an Age Friendly Calderdale, where people can live full, healthy and happy later lives, will be discussed at the Council’s Cabinet.

This comes after the International Day of Older Persons which is celebrated by the United Nations every year.

It recognises the valued contribution of older people in society and raises awareness of the issues they face.

At the meeting councillors will be asked to approve the objective to become a World Health Organisation Age Friendly Community; to agree for Calderdale to become a member of the UK Network for Age Friendly Communities.

Councillor Josh Fenton-Glynn, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult Services and Wellbeing, said: “Our Vision2024 for Calderdale is to be a place where everyone can achieve their potential. A great place in which to live, have a family and grow older. We have a long-standing commitment to enable people of all ages to live healthy and active lives, to remain independent, to do the things they love and make valuable contributions to their communities for as long as possible.

“Now we want to go a step further and officially show our support for inclusivity by becoming an Age Friendly Calderdale, where older residents help to shape the place where they live. Their experiences, stories and talents are incredibly valuable to us as we plan our services now and for future generations.

“Too often when we talk about older people and Council services, we talk about care, but we also want to focus on people being able to live active social lives as they get older. We want to engage with our older citizens to ensure they play a key role in shaping Council services and town planning.

“We also want to develop services and communities which will help people continue to live active and independent lives as they age. This includes plans for a dementia centre of excellence and a commitment to provide age-friendly homes.

“Becoming an Age Friendly Community is a joint effort. One of the ways people can start to get involved is by taking part in the International Day of Older Persons on 1 October. We would love to see as many pledges as possible.”

The Council is encouraging local people to show their support on social media using the hashtag #AgeFriendlyCdale and, if they wish, posting a photo of themselves holding a statement saying ‘I support the International Day of Older Persons’. People of all ages are welcome to post any pledges they wish to make to help Calderdale become an Age Friendly Community, and to share their views on what age friendly means to them.

Age Friendly Calderdale would see the Council, residents, local groups and businesses working together to help people to age healthily, actively and safely, including making changes to transport, outdoor spaces, leisure, volunteering and employment.

A new Age Friendly Alliance, made up of a range of local organisations, will drive this work and will be responsible to the Health and Wellbeing Board.

The aim is to make it easier for people to continue living independently in their own homes; to take part in the activities they value; and to remain an active part of their communities for as long as possible.

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