Ahead of the General Election in 2020, this report highlighted four main goals to ensure the needs of older people are represented, namely:
1. Fund home supports and health services which enable older people to age at home: for examplel, implement a statutory home support service, develop a national loneliness strategy with dedicated funding and increase funding for mental health initiatives.
2. Set targets for housing for older people and link to supports to prevent a worsening housing crisis for older people: for example, invest in age-friendly housing, promote long-term leases and develop support specifically for older people experiencing homelessness
3. Halt increases to the pension age and triple lock the State Pension: for example, halt pension age increases, and ban forced retirement before pension eligibility
4. Appoint a Minister of State exclusively for Older People and Demographic Change.
The document also details action commitments within these four areas noting that this is not an exhaustive list of challenges and policies which impact older people.
ALONE believe that by implementing progressive policies and funding in these areas, the State can improve quality of life for older people ageing at home while providing value for money for the Exchequer.
