Age-friendly community planning is also a state and regional issue. In 2012 the State Government adopted “An Age-friendly WA: The Seniors Strategic Planning Framework 2012-17.” The following actions have also been undertaken:

• 2013 the Wheatbelt Integrated Aged Care Plan was published
• 2014 the Wheatbelt Development Commission (WDC) published a guide for Age-Friendly Community Planning
• 2015 WDC provided a small value grants program for minor improvement works targeted at improving age-friendliness (the Shire of Goomalling was successful in getting funding for four improvement projects)
• 2015 Department of Local Government and Communities Grant program to prepare plans (Goomalling again successful).

Community Engagement Methodology

The broad approach adopted by the Shire of Goomalling in preparing an Age Friendly Community Plan consists of a four step solution-focused process to produce a strategy that will be consistent with and complementary to the Strategic Community Plan:

Figure 2: Age friendly planning community process

The third step of the process concerns engagement. As part of the Age Friendly Planning process, and to obtain the knowledge and views of seniors and those who care for them, a Community Reference Group has been established. This group guides and supports the project, liaises with the Department of Local Government and Communities, reviews draft reports and will endorse the final plan. In addition to this, the group has provided input into the design of a community survey and focus groups. Both the survey and the focus group sessions were structured around the eight WHO domains with participants involved in assessing these features in their own communities.

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