Kilkenny Age Friendly Alliance launches annual report

The Kilkenny Age Friendly Alliance has published its Annual Report for 2017, outlining the significant body of work undertaken in the first year of the Kilkenny Age Friendly County Strategy 2017-2022 to enhance the quality of life for older people in Kilkenny.

The Age Friendly Alliance is a multiagency voluntary partnership that works closely with older people in Kilkenny to ensure that policies and plans reflect their needs. The Alliance is chaired by Colette Byrne Chief Executive of Kilkenny County Council.

“I want to thank the Kilkenny Age Friendly Alliance and its many stakeholders for their commitment and support in implementing the strategy, "said Ms  Byrne.

“We are acutely aware that life expectancy is increasing and that there is therefore a need to create the environment to support active and positive ageing with regards to outdoor spaces and buildings, transportation, housing and housing supports, respect and social inclusion, participation in employment, civic and social participation, community supports, health services, communications and the sharing of information.”

The Kilkenny Age Friendly Alliance holds the responsibility for the development and implementation of Kilkenny’s Age Friendly Strategy and it listens to and takes on board the views of older persons which are represented by the Kilkenny Age Friendly Seniors Forum.

The Forum represents the voice of the older people throughout Kilkenny. This voluntary group gives the opportunity for older people to share their concerns as older people living in their community and to work with key agencies and service providers to resolve these issues.

Chairman of Kilkenny Age Friendly Seniors Forum John Coonan says the Forum ensures that older people in Kilkenny participate in the decisions with agencies which affect their lives.

"It provides an active channel of communication between the Kilkenny Senior’s Forum and the Age Friendly County Alliance and it represents the views of older people at local, regional and national level so as to ensure that Kilkenny is a great place in which to grow old”, he said.

The Kilkenny Age Friendly Annual Report 2017 is being distributed to Kilkenny Age Friendly Seniors Forum members. It is also available to read or download from the Kilkenny County Council website www.kilkennycoco.ie.