Seanad debates
Thursday, 1 February 2024
Gnó an tSeanaid - Business of Seanad
Health Promotion
9:30 am
Seán Kyne (Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
I first want to thank the Cathaoirleach’s office for choosing this Commencement matter this morning. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Joe O'Brien, to the Chamber. As he is aware, this is the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing 2021-2030, where the focus is on the second half of life. The UN Decade of Healthy Ageing is a global collaboration, bringing together governments, civil society, international agencies, professional academia, the media and the private sector for ten years of concerted and collaborative action to foster longer and healthier lives. It has four areas: age-friendly environment, including better places in which to grow, live, work, play and age; combating ageism, which involves tackling stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination towards people on the basis of age; integrated care, because older people require a comprehensive set of services to prevent slow or reverse declines in their physical and mental capacity; and long-term care, involving access to good quality long-term care for those who need it.
The number of people aged 65 and over is estimated to have risen by more than 40% between 2013 and 2023, from 569,000 persons to 806,000. It is expected to double again in this country by 2051, with an almost 80% increase the number of people aged over 70 and older holding full driver's licences between 2012 and 2022 from 205,000 to 366,000. The number of marriages registered by people aged 60 and over has more than doubled between 2012 and 2022 from 505 to 1,028. Also, for 5% of households that were owner-occupied with a loan or mortgage, the owner was a person aged 65 or over. More than 113,000 people aged 65 and over were in employment in the third quarter of 2023, working for an average 31.1 hours per week. Some of these were unfortunately by necessity but many were of course by choice.
This is all CSO data. It is indicative of the increasing number of people aged over 65 who hopefully will have long, healthy lives left ahead of them and who have a lot to contribute to society and to their communities. The positive ageing strategy expired in 2018 and I think it is time that the Department evaluates that and aims to progress a new positive ageing strategy. A number of changes have taken place since the original strategy was enacted. Of course, the data I have given shows the changes in numbers and longer working lives. There is a greater focus year on year on healthy living, and, for example, there are the Men's Sheds. They were in their infancy in 2013 but are now widespread across the country, and, indeed, women's sheds are coming through as well. They play such an important role in both rural and urban communities to give a focus and an outlet for people. These are not always and do not have to be older people, but in the Men’s Sheds that I see and engage with, they are predominately older people.
I believe a new all-encompassing strategy for this growing cohort of people is important. I believe this should be an ongoing strategy. The name of the old strategy was “positive ageing”. There is only one alternative to getting older and it is not too great. It is therefore important that people who get older have something to look forward to. Some of them may not always have a family around them, so they need to get involved in the community. We need to ensure that they can live their best lives and can continue to contribute to the society in which they are living for their own sake and for their communities’ sake as well.
Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
I thank the Senator for raising this genuinely very important issue. The Government is committed to supporting positive ageing across the life course, as well as ensuring that older people can continue to live independently in their homes and communities for as long as possible. This commitment is enshrined in the national positive ageing strategy, which provides a blueprint for promoting older people’s engagement in economic, social, cultural and community life and fostering intergenerational solidarity. Recognising the need for a whole-of-society approach to supporting positive ageing, the strategy’s implementation is a whole-of-government endeavour. This has been advanced through a wide range of initiatives developed and delivered in partnership with the community and voluntary sector.
Ten years on from the publication of the strategy, we have taken great strides in making Ireland a great place to grow old. This achievement was recognised in 2019 when the World Health Organization formally designated Ireland the first age-friendly country in the world. This progress is testimony to the work of a host of organisations to which the Department of Health provides funding, including Age Friendly Ireland, Age Action, Age and Opportunity and Active Retirement Ireland, to name a few. More broadly, at Government level, positive ageing has been mainstreamed through a range of strategies, including the national volunteering strategy, the national sustainable mobility policy and Pathways to Work.
In the Department of Health, key aims of the ongoing Sláintecare reform of our health and social care system include the following: enabling people with care needs to continue to live independently for as long as possible; the reorientation of the provision of care away from acute hospitals and towards primary and community care; and the realignment of hospital and community-based care to ensure that care is provided close to people’s homes. Many of the services currently funded by the HSE for older people are vital to achieving these aims, including home support, day care and meals-on-wheels. The Government’s total investment in older persons’ services in 2024 will be €2.6 billion, over €158 million more than in 2023.
Despite our progress to date across government in supporting positive ageing, we recognise the challenges we will face in a range of areas in the coming years as our population ages. It is within this context that we are currently in the process of establishing an independent commission on care for older people. The purpose of the commission will be to examine the health and social care services and supports provided for older people and to make recommendations for their strategic development. Subsequently, a cross-departmental group will be established under the commission to consider whether the supports for positive ageing across the life course are fit for purpose and to develop a costed implementation plan for options to optimise these supports.
On 14 December 2023, the Minister for Health and the Minister of State with responsibility for mental health and older people announced the appointment of Professor Alan Barrett, CEO of the ESRI, as the chairman of the commission. In the coming weeks the Minister and Minister of State will proceed to appoint the other members of the commission, who will also be independent experts.
Seán Kyne (Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
I thank the Minister for the comprehensive response on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Mary Butler. I welcome the establishment of the commission on care of the older person and the appointment of Professor Alan Barrett. This is a welcome initiative that, hopefully, can lead to a new positive ageing strategy. As I said, this is a very important cohort. Growing older is not what it once was. Like any age group, the senior population has a diverse mix of people, with some married and some single, some with children and others without, some happy to stay working and some happy to retire, some in very good health and others less so and in need of care, and, as we discussed yesterday during Private Members’ business, some in old age who are continuing to care for their disabled adult children or for their husband or wife, and they have challenges as well.
I welcome the response and the fact this is very much on the agenda for the Government. I commend the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, on her endeavours in this regard.
Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
I acknowledge that tremendous work is being done across the country to ensure communities are fully inclusive of our older citizens. The older people’s councils that have been established in every local authority by Age Friendly Ireland to ensure that older people have a voice in local decision-making, the Senior Citizens Parliament and the national network of Active Retirement Ireland associations number among the wealth of initiatives that ensure older people enjoy fulfilling lives in their later years. I thank the Senator for mentioning the men's and women's sheds, of which the Department of Rural and Community Development is a strong supporter.
I take this opportunity to again raise awareness of our seniors alert scheme, which is also an option for people. I ask people to spread the word about the seniors alert scheme when they have the opportunity.
Martin Conway (Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
I thank Senator Kyne for raising what is a very important issue and thank the Minister of State for taking the time to attend, which is appreciated.