2011

Older & Bolder is alarmed at proposed cuts to community nursing homes and the threat to community care services

“What will happen now to older people? Where are older people to live as they age?

Deep concern for the welfare of older people – Older & Bolder respond to Minister Reilly
 

Days before the 2012 Budget, Older & Bolder Director Patricia Conboy said, “It is crucial that we protect what we already have in place. This is the clear thrust of the messages Older & Bolder have been receiving as part of the campaign, Make Home Work – The Right to Age Well at Home.”

During the first six months of 2011, Older & Bolder met hundreds of older people at our Forums on Health and Social care.  The clear message from those discussions was that health is about more than medicine alone.  Older people place a high value on access to GP, primary care and hospital services.  But older people also shared with us their broad understanding about what is needed to age well at home: accessible local transport, a secure income, involvement in vibrant community and voluntary groups, and clarity about the right – when illness occurs – to supports in the

Older & Bolder welcomes the Government’s commitment to ensure economic protection for older people

The Older & Bolder alliance has called for the Irish Presidential Election campaign to be free of ageism: that is discrimination against people on the basis of their age.
 
The alliance has said that the key factors to be considered in assessing candidates’ suitability for the Presidency should be their character, track record, judgement and vision for the role of President. 
 

The Older & Bolder alliance today expressed its surprise and concern that the Government has announced cuts to fuel, electricity and phone allowances in the absence of the appropriate and promised planning framework, the Fuel Poverty Strategy.

Older & Bolder shares older people’s deep concern that the 2011 funding for the Fair Deal Nursing Home Scheme has run out in the first half of the year. The direct effects of this shortfall will be felt by highly vulnerable older people now at the point of transition from home or acute hospital to nursing home care.

The Older & Bolder alliance has welcomed this afternoon’s announcement that Kathleen Lynch TD has been appointed at the Minister for Older People. 

Older & Bolder  highlighted five key issues, our HIGH FIVE, for older people in General Election 2011.  Our summary of the political parties’ proposals in relation to those key issues is set out below.  In terms of the implementation of any proposals by a new Government, the devil will be in the detail. Older & Bolder has identified some of the details that will, we believe, need to be tracked during and after the formation of the next Government.