Louth Older People’s Forum Report Policy Day 9th Feb, Westcourt Hotel Background The Louth Age Friendly County Initiative was launched at a seminar by Dermot Ahern, Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform on the 10th November 2008. Over 180 people attended the seminar and took part in the workshops held during it. The 16 workshops were asked “What would an Age Friendly County look like”. From the feedback areas of immediate concern were access to information on services for older people and the establishment of an Older People‟s Forum. The feedback also fed into the draft strategy for Older People. The draft strategy and the structure of the Louth Older People‟s Forum were presented to a follow up seminar in March 2009. Feedback on the strategy was recorded and the final Louth Age Friendly County Strategy was launched at a seminar on the 10th November 2009 after an extensive public consultation process which covered Drogheda, Ardee, Dundalk and Carlingford. The launch seminar was hosted and presented by the Louth Older People‟s Forum and once again older people in general were invited and their views were garnered on what priority areas the Louth Age Friendly Initiative should prioritise during the 2010 period. Louth Age Friendly Alliance The Louth Age Friendly Alliance (AFA) is a high level strategic group made up of officials from the local authority, the HSE, Ageing Well Network, SEI, the LOPF, Irish Council of Social Housing, the IFA, DkIT and the Netwell Centre and An Garda Siochana. The AFA is tasked with the overall implementation of the Louth Age Friendly County Strategy and forming strategic alliances to ensure its implementation. Louth Older People’s Forum (LOPF) The Louth Older People‟s Forum was established during 2009. The structure of the forum was agreed by Older People during 4 workshops held in Drogheda and Dundalk and comprises of Older People‟s Groups, Advocacy Groups, Nursing Homes, Day Care Centres and individuals. There are 66 people registered with the Forum to date. An executive working group of 12 people has been elected and has formally met on a monthly basis since its inception. Three countywide meetings of the wider Older People‟s Forum were held in 2009. The first significant action undertaken by the LOPF was the management and hosting of a seminar in November 2009 which officially launched the Louth Age Friendly County Strategy document and the Citizen‟s Information Services Directory of Services. The forum engaged in the transport audit public consultation process in December 2009. As part of the Terms of Reference of the LOPF it was agreed that the Forum would formulate an action plan on a yearly basis. The policy day run in the Westcourt Hotel was the first attempt at agreeing an action plan for 2010 and from general feedback the day was very successful.
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