ALONE and Social Justice Ireland urge Government to break the cycle of wasteful crisis spending by investing now in our ageing population

ALONE and Social Justice Ireland are calling on Government to act in the forthcoming Budget to meet the social care, health and housing needs of an ageing population.

As society faces several major transitions, including demographic shifts, the way we navigate these changes is crucial. We need to break the cycle of waiting for the crisis to happen. Investing while we can in the right policies will benefit all ages. ALONE and Social Justice Ireland believe that all individuals should be supported to age well in the community, and that this should be Government’s overarching policy goal for an ageing population.

Meeting the social care, health and housing needs of an ageing population is a key challenge in achieving this goal. Their joint paper, ‘Policy Options to Support Ageing Well at Home’, highlights the growing challenges facing older people, including disability, chronic illness, loneliness, mental health concerns, and malnutrition.

ALONE is a national organisation that enables older people to age at home. ALONE’s work is for all older people and aims to improve physical, emotional and mental wellbeing. Social Justice Ireland is an independent social justice think tank and advocacy organisation.

Both organisations support a vision of Ireland where older people can age happily and securely at home and are strongly connected to their local communities.

ALONE CEO, Sean Moynihan said, “Last year we supported over 44,000 older people to age at home and our findings have produced these policy asks. Older people today need support with housing, financial and health needs and the demand that we are seeing will only grow. We are calling on Government to start now in building an Ireland where everyone can age at home, equally with comfort and dignity. Our growing population of older people is to be celebrated, there are many positives to this but we must invest in the right areas to make ageing at home work for all. This is a call for leadership as much as money because the credit for this investment will come later when services are suitable and sustainable.”

Social Justice Ireland CEO, John McGeady commented, “We believe in building a society in which everyone’s rights and responsibilities are honoured. By 2040, it is projected that over 1.3 million people in Ireland will be aged 65 and over, more than one fifth of the population. This is a success story that is to be welcomed. It means that people are living longer and healthier lives. It also means that the housing, health and social care needs of our ageing population is growing. Meeting these growing needs requires vision and planning for our future, and ambitious investment that looks to the long-term demand on resources and how this might be funded. The investment and planning to ensure that our older people can age happily at home and remain part of their local communities must begin now.”

Together they have outlined costed policy asks including;

• Investment in Primary GP Care services.
• Expand community-based rehabilitation beds.
• Expand acute mental healthcare capacity for older adults.
• Invest in falls prevention community exercise programmes.

Both organisations agree that Government must live up to Programme for Government commitments to enhance day care centres, design a statutory home care scheme, and to invest in social programmes and befriending services, but further action is needed if we are to deliver adequate health and social care services for an ageing Ireland.