Sharing the Vision: National Implementation and Monitoring Committee Submission
This letter from ALONE concerns the inclusion of older people’s mental health in Ireland’s upcoming Sharing the Vision Implementation Plan. ALONE expresses appreciation for past correspondence and reiterates the urgency of addressing mental health needs among older adults, particularly given Ireland’s ageing population and limited service provision.
In the submission, ALONE strongly advocates for the inclusion of actions related to Recommendation 12 in the new plan. It also states that, while the Commission on Care has been assigned responsibility for developing a Positive Ageing Strategy, ALONE is concerned that it has limited focus on mental health, and has not yet completed its first module of work.
ALONE stresses that this delay should not hold back progress on mental health strategies for older people. The letter urges the National Implementation and Monitoring Committee (NIMC) to take immediate action, independent of the Commission’s timeline.
Furthermore, ALONE argues that older people’s mental health should be addressed under other relevant recommendations. These include Recommendation 46, which should consider the shortage of acute inpatient beds for older adults, and Recommendation 16, highlighting the need for accessible counselling and talk therapies across all age groups.
Finally, ALONE calls for the establishment of a dedicated workstream within Sharing the Vision focused solely on older people’s mental health, and reaffirms its willingness to support NIMC in this important work.
