In May 2012 Belfast was the first city in Northern Ireland to join the World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Network of Age-friendly Cities and Communities.

In 2014 we produced our first action plan with the vision that Belfast will be a city where older people live life to the full.

In 2017 we came to the end of our first Age-friendly Belfast Plan and began the process of assessing our achievements, identifying challenges and developing a new Age-friendly Belfast Plan for 2018 – 2021.

Our key strategic themes for the next 3 years are:

Partnership

• Effective partnership working in delivering the Plan.

Infrastructure

• Improved physical environment which encourages walking and active ageing,
• more accessible public transport network, and
• increased provision of suitable housing.

Social inclusion

• Older people are better informed and supported to engage in social, social, cultural and civic life,
• older people are more connected and less isolated,
• older people feel more respected and
• improved community safety.

Health and wellbeing

• Older people know how to access services,
• older people make better lifestyle choices and
• older people have improved access to Health and Social Care services and support.

Financial security

• Improved employment opportunities,
• improved access to benefits and entitlements and
• better protection from financial scams and fraud.