Age Friendly initiatives launched in Kilkenny and Thomastown

The Minister of State with special responsibility for Older People and Mental Health Jim Daly was in Kilkenny on Monday, where he launched the Geriatric Emergency Medicine Service (GEMS) and the Age Friendly Hospital Initiatives at St Luke’s Hospital.

GEMS is an interdisciplinary team, consisting of a Consultant Geriatrician, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Occupational Therapist, Physiotherapist and Administrative support. All patients who are aged 75 years and over, who attend the acute floor are screened at triage for frailty.

When a patient is deemed to be positive for frailty, they then receive a Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment. A designated inpatient ward area has been assigned and reconfigured for GEMS patients, to support the delivery of optimum care for those that do require admission overnight.

After visiting the hospital, the Minister of State also spoke to a delegation of business owners and their staff in Workhouse Square at Mac Donagh Junction Shopping Centre. 

”I am especially pleased that a total of 61 businesses in Kilkenny City and County have joined The Age Friendly Business Recognition Programme," he said.

The Age Friendly Business Recognition programme forms a key part of the overall Age Friendly Ireland strategy. Informed by the very successful Age Friendly Cities and Counties programme, Age Friendly Ireland, a shared service function of Local Government, with the support of Chambers Ireland coordinates this nationwide programme. The programme supports and encourages businesses to take small steps to make their products and their service more accommodating to the needs of their older customers.

Kilkenny Chamber of Commerce committed its support to the Kilkenny Age Friendly Programme and outlined its ambitious plans to have over 100 Age Friendly Accredited Businesses in the next 12 months.

From there, it was on to Thomastown, where a large group of dignitaries and older people gathered in the Concert Hall to attend the launch of the Thomastown Age Friendly Town Plan. The event was officiated by Michael Delahunty, Age Friendly Programme manager for Kilkenny County Council.

The plan contains key actions to make the public open spaces more accessible; provide an age friendly bus shelter in the town, increase the number of seats and resting places, address public transport issues, provide exercise classes for older adults, provide a directory of services available in the town to older persons, provide access to IT and computer classes, facilitate social dancing events, improve walking tracks and address parking issues including more age friendly and
disabled persons parking.

Cathaoirleach Peter ‘Chap’ Cleere praised the work of the Thomastown Age Friendly Committee who produced the plan, and highlighted the consultation that was undertaken with the town’s older citizens. He said the committee asked them what was important to them, what issues did they have with regards to key services in the town, and how did they see these issues being resolved. The committee then considered the views expressed and with the benefit of their knowledge and understanding prepared this plan.

Chief Executive of Kilkenny County Council and Chair of the Kilkenny Age Friendly Alliance Colette Byrne  highlighted that Kilkenny Age Friendly Programme will be 10 years old in 2020.

"The three events today are testament to the wide ranging Age Friendly Programme being implemented by 12 different agencies here in Kilkenny which is overseen by our Age Friendly Alliance."

The Chief Executive thanked all the volunteers who participated in preparing the plan through their participation in the Walkability surveys, on street surveys, workshops and by offering their comments on the proposals.

“We wanted the plan to be relevant and by identifying your issues and the solutions to your issues I hope the plan is relevant to you," said Ms Byrne.

"I, as chair of the Alliance, will ensure that the needs of Thomastown older citizens are highlighted at the Alliance so that we can all contribute to the successful implementation of this plan."