Flintshire is proud of its commitment to its older population. Introduced in 2008, Flintshire’s older people’s engagement project has enabled opportunities for older people to play an active part in shaping communities, ensuring that people aged 50 and over are able to plan for and lead healthy, active, fulfilled lives. The local government appointed Age Friendly Champion (formerly Older People’s Champion) has played an important role to ensure that the needs of older people are understood and are at the heart of decision making.
In 2014, the Council signed the Dublin Declaration demonstrating its commitment to developing age-friendly communities that encourage active ageing and enhance quality of life as people age by optimising opportunities for health, participation and security.
The Ageing Well in Flintshire plan (2016 -2020) identified actions needed to deliver on the five priority areas (defined by the Older People’s Commissioner for Wales) that are essential for enabling older people to age well. This plan has enabled positive local action supporting the development of age-friendly and dementia-friendly communities in Flintshire.
This work continues to be a priority for the Council and its partners, supporting Welsh Government’s vision to create an age friendly Wales that enables people of all ages to live and age well. The Ageing Well team in Flintshire undertakes continuous engagement with older people through the older people’s engagement project ensuring public sector and voluntary sector partners understand the needs of older people so that we can work together to identify, develop and implement actions across the eight age-friendly domains. The team also encourages and supports community groups to develop local age-friendly projects and initiatives. Collectively, we will continue to deliver services, projects and initiatives that encourage people of all ages to be healthy, active and get involved in community activities through
• improving access (e.g. community transport; community based services; housing needs);
• increasing participation (e.g. community cafés, continued learning);
• supporting healthy and active lives (e.g. intergenerational walks, strength and balance exercise sessions);
• keeping people informed (e.g. digital tablet loans and training, community “What’s On” guides, providing information in different formats);
• contributing to their community (e.g. consultation/engagement opportunities; older people’s groups and forums, volunteering opportunities)