ALONE launches General Election Manifesto to support all older people with housing, health and finance needs

The organisation wants the reality of ageing in Ireland to inform future Programme for Government

With the General Election taking place on November 29th, we would like to share with you our Manifesto to support all older people with housing, health and finance needs.

Ireland has one of the fastest-ageing populations in the EU. That makes older people the fastest-growing population group in the country.

We need the next Government to prioritise planning and delivering for our ageing population or risk a significant fall in living standards among this growing strand of our people. We believe in an Ireland where older people can age happily and securely at home and are strongly connected to their local communities. Last year, we supported 38,000 older people. This year, the number will be higher. No two older people have the exact same needs or face the exact same challenges; needs vary according to background, financial status and personal circumstances. But we are determined to ensure that no older person is left behind, and that’s what our manifesto asks are designed to achieve.

This General Election is our chance to get that message across; to let candidates and parties know that the time for change is now. We need to start planning today for the future we know is coming, and we need to start acting today to ensure that older people aren’t left behind. Every conversation, text and email with a candidate or canvasser helps strengthen our hand.

We have worked constructively with government to try to deliver the legislative and policy changes we need, and while there have been some very welcome victories, a lot remains. The next government needs to be in no doubt that we will push every door possible to get the outcomes our older people need.

The time for commitments is long past – we need to see action and delivery, across the board from benchmarking the pension, to developing an action plan to tackle loneliness, to implementing a positive ageing strategy. These were all measures the outgoing government did not deliver; we need to pull out all the stops to make sure the next government acts on them, whatever its composition when the dust settles on the General Election.

To achieve the future our older people deserve, today and into the future, we’re asking you to share with anyone you know that help us influence the next Programme for Government.

We have seven key asks:

1: A Commissioner for Older People

2: Benchmark the state pension

3: An action plan to combat loneliness

4: Plan for the housing needs of an ageing population

5: Combat energy poverty among older people

6: Increase access to community health and social care services

7: Implement safeguarding legislation to protect everyone against abuse

To read our full manifesto, please see attached document or visit the link here