Age Friendly Communities are those that encourage “active ageing by optimising opportunities for health, participation and security in order to enhance the quality of life as people age” (World Health Organisation)1. An Age Friendly Community is one which:
recognises the great diversity among older people;
promotes their inclusion and contribution in all areas of community life;
respects their decisions and lifestyle choices; and
anticipates and responds to ageing-related needs and preferences.
A community that exhibits these qualities is not only an Age-Friendly Community it tends to better cater for the whole population, where a wider range of abilities and needs are met.
The Shire of Goomalling considers age-friendly community planning vital to undertake for the following reasons:
By 2027, Wheatbelt population over 70 will have increased by 75.3%
The proportion of people 70+ will have increased from 10.4% in 2011 to 17% in 20272
In addition to this, older adults generally prefer to remain in their own home and continue to be part of their community. Older adults feel safe, valued and respected in their own community and local governments have a key role in ensuring this can occur.
The Age Friendly Community Plan has been developed and structured using the Wheatbelt Development Commissions Age Friendly Community Planning Guide (based on the World Health Organisation Guide to Age-Friendly Cities and Communities). The WHO eight domains of an age friendly community have been configured to reflect Wheatbelt perspectives: health and community services; outdoor spaces and buildings; transport and movement; housing; sport and recreation; social participation; respect and social inclusion; and communication and information.
An Age Friendly Community Plan identifies the priorities and actions discovered in the resulting process. It identifies the age friendly barriers and areas for improvements that have been recognised by the community and council. An Age Friendly Community Plan is an Informing Strategy under the Integrated Planning and Reporting (IPR) Framework and needs to be resourced and prioritised in the Shire's ongoing corporate planning process.
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