Knowsley has a strong history of developing policies, programmes and services targeted at older people. Success to date is largely due to having the enthusiastic participation of older residents alongside the active contribution of numerous partner agencies who provide services or support for older people.

Knowsley Older People’s Voice, an older people’s forum with over 500 members, has been the co-ordinating agency for much of this work since 2003. Using this model, Knowsley has developed a succession of 3-5 years strategies to help address the key issues identified by the older people living in our borough. The most recent strategy (2018-2021) helped deliver a range of improvements around the key themes of Health & Wellbeing, Crime and Personal Safety, Loneliness and Social Isolation, Transport, and Finance.

Knowsley’s many successes include:
Developing and providing information such as older people’s calendars, local service directory, alcohol awareness booklet, and doorstep crime pack

Development of appropriate services such as a Postural Stability Programme (falls prevention), Assistive Technology Service, and Community Frailty Service

Influencing local provision such as an improved Blue Badge application process, resisting digital only services, and development of housing

Transport issues such as maintaining and improving public transport arrangements, promoting safe driving in old age, and pedestrian safety

Improved housing opportunities, such as Knowsley’s flagship Extra Care offer and property maintenance services

There is still more that Knowsley would like to do and undertaking future work as a registered ‘Age-friendly community’ makes perfect sense. We are determined that specific areas of work to make Knowsley more age-friendly will be directed by the views and experiences of local older people, and they will be strongly represented on the Age-friendly Knowsley Steering Group. In the immediate aftermath of the global Covid pandemic, forthcoming age-friendly work areas might include opportunities for improving the financial position of local older people.