This is the first but very important Age Friendly Strategy for Offaly.
A successful Age Friendly County Programme works to create the kinds of communities in which older people live autonomous, independent and valued lives. Positive health and wellbeing as we age is fundamental to our vision for Offaly. A great deal of the Offaly Age Friendly County Programme will also focus on actions and developments in other areas; in creating walkable, attractive and accessible communities and age-friendly spaces, and by introducing actions to address participation and inequality. People of all ages across Offaly will be supported to enjoy healthier, more active and connected lives.
The Stakeholders:

Collaboration is central to this: collaboration between agencies and organisations across Offaly, collaboration with older people themselves across our towns, villages and rural communities.
This Age Friendly County Strategy has been prepared by the Offaly Age Friendly County Alliance in consultation and cooperation with older people across Offaly. This Alliance is a senior level, cross sector group whose member agencies have formed an overarching strategic partnership to develop and oversee the realisation of the Offaly Age Friendly County Strategy. Member organisations include;
– Offaly County Council
– Health Service Executive
– An Garda Síochana
– Offaly Local Enterprise Office
– Offaly Older People’s Network
– Local Link Laois Offaly Laois Offaly
– Laois Offaly Education and Training Board
– Midland Regional Hospital at Tullamore
– Athlone Institute of Technology
– Offaly Library Service
– Offaly Local Development Company
– Offaly Sports Partnership

The Aim
The ultimate aim of the Age Friendly County Programme is to make Offaly a county in which:
– Older people are supported to influence the decisions that impact on their lives.
– Older people can exercise autonomy in relation to the systems, services and decisions which affect them
– There is real respect for older people and their contribution to the county and the communities in which they live is fully valued
– Older people are supported to live independently for as long as they wish to,
– Older people experience excellent quality of life
– Better integration of services reduces dependency and avoidable duplication and costs
This strategy will involve the implementation of real change – very often in a range of practical, imaginative and cost-effective ways. The strategy involves a commitment to action on the part of a range of agencies and organisations. We see this strategy document as a call to action to agencies and organisations in the statutory, community and business sectors from across the county to collaborate with older people and to work creatively together to make Offaly a great county in which to grow older.