Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 70: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the policies she has in place to encourage active and healthy lifestyles amongst the over 60s; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5830/07]

Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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"Adding Years to Life, Life to Years: A Health Promotion Strategy for Older People" was developed by the Department of Health and Children in collaboration with the National Council on Ageing and Older People (NCAOP), as the first strand of the Healthy Ageing Programme. This strategy provides a framework for action and informs health promotion activity for older people at national and regional levels. The Department continues to support the NCAOP in the development of further strands of the programme.

The second and third strands involve supporting the implementation of the strategy through various means including the development of an information and support network for promoting the health, welfare and autonomy of older people and identifying and promoting models of good practice for healthy ageing. The programme also aims to support a range of sectors with a role to play in healthy ageing through development and capacity-building practice in the areas of networking, training, materials, models of good practice, national partnership initiatives, public awareness and evaluation of initiatives.

To date the programme has: developed the Healthy Ageing Database, through widespread consultation with relevant stakeholders. This database is a valuable information resource for sharing information and experience on healthy ageing initiatives; published "Healthy Ageing in Ireland: Policy, Practice and Evaluation" Report, analysing current healthy ageing initiatives around the country and presenting models of best practice; published the "Directory of Healthy Ageing Information Resources for Older People", to provide older people with information on leaflets, videos and posters relevant to healthy ageing (produced by both statutory and voluntary organisations); developed a Healthy Ageing Residential Care Initiative for long-stay institutions and residential facilities for older people in Ireland; and published "Older People in Ireland: A Profile of Health Status, Lifestyle and Socio-Economic Factors from the National Health and Lifestyle Surveys (SLAN)". The programme is assisting the development of a national falls and fractures prevention, treatment and rehabilitation strategy. Annual healthy ageing conferences are organised on Safety and Older People, Social Inclusion of Older People at Local Level, and Nutrition and Older People in Residential and Community Care Settings.