Agenda item

To receive and consider the attached report of the Director of Public Health that details a refresh of the draft Age Friendly Strategy & Action Plan 2022-2025.

The report of the Director of Public Health provided the Community Committee with a refresh of the draft Age Friendly Strategy & Action Plan 2022-2025 and provided an update on the Public Health approach to building winter resilience.

The Advanced Health Improvement Specialist and a representative from the Leeds Older People Forum attended the meeting, and provided members with an update on the following points:

·  Around 1 in 3 people are aged 50 and over. The number of Leeds residents aged 80 and over will increase by about 50% in the next 20 years.

·  Age Friendly Leeds is one of the eight priorities in the Best Council Plan 2020-2025. The vision for Leeds is that it is a place where people age well, older people are valued, respected, appreciated and seen as assets.

·  The draft Age Friendly Leeds Strategy 2022-25 has been reviewed and refreshed which has been informed by The State of Ageing in Leeds report. The process has been overseen by the Age Friendly Board chaired by Cllr Jenkins. The role of the Board is to provide strategic leadership and set the strategic direction for the Age Friendly Leeds work programme and ensure that the objectives are being met.

·  Leeds is a member of the World Health Organisation Age Friendly Cities programme and has used and adapted the framework to identify and address barriers to the well-being and participation of older people.

·  The strategy sets out six key priority areas: housing; public and civic spaces; travel and road safety; active, included, and respected; healthy and independent ageing and employment and learning. Each of the priorities is headed by a domain lead. Domain leads have been identified and are working to implement the actions set out in the plan. The domain leads will feedback on a quarterly basis.

·  There are a number of services in place to provide information and support on help and financial matters, including energy efficiency and heating advice.

·  A number of grants have been commissioned throughout the city to assist older people during the winter period, as well as a food poverty scheme that looks at providing slow cookers, microwaves, oiled filled radiators and electric blankets.

·  The Leeds Older Peoples Forum (LOPF) gives practical ways for the local community to become involved to strengthen the age friendly approach and Councillors were invited to support and encourage people and businesses to get involved in:

o  The Age Friendly Ambassador Programme

o  Becoming a Dementia Friend

o  Age and Dementia Friendly Businesses

o  The Come in and Rest Scheme

o  Leeds Older People’s Age Friendly Steering Group

Members relayed the following comments:

·  The age ’50’ is widespread and is not considered an ‘old age’, members suggested that a more holistic approach instead of labelling residents be looked at.

·  Council departments must work together to implement the initiatives and strategies in the draft Plan.

·  It was acknowledged that a lot of older people travel by public transport, and liaison with transport providers is a must to provide the support and access people need, Comments were also made regarding private transport being too expensive, and information displayed at bus stops being inaccurate.

·  Members identified that the provision of technology and digital help is a step in the right direction to overcome exclusion barriers. There is a barrier for people who want to be digitally included but cannot be due to the cost of living crisis.

Further to members questions, the following information was provided:

·  In responding to the comment regarding ‘50’ not being an old age, the Plan seeks to provide support for people that are aging and to change habits by implementing a preventative approach. It also provides people with the opportunity to refresh lifelong skills.

·  Services such as Transport and Housing have several objectives in the Plan that they must meet and are held accountable if they do not.

·  A representative from West Yorkshire Combined Authority is yet to be appointed to the Age Friendly Board, but once appointed, discussions can be had regarding ensuring that public transport is accessible to all.

·  100% Digital have undertaken some research that shows a key barrier in people being digitally included, is often fear and getting things wrong. The Plan seeks to build confidence amongst people.

·  There is a map that shows where digital support can be provided to people, and this will be shared with members to provide their constituents. Further clarity as to whether iPad loan schemes are still operational will be clarified. It was also noted that there are a number of digital inclusion sessions being held across the city.

RESOLVED – To:

a)  Note the contents of the report and updates provided at the meeting.

b)  Note the refresh of the Age Friendly Strategy

c)  Consider the work currently underway to support age friendly, winter planning and the cost-of-living crisis in local areas and how we could build on these further.

d)  Consider the needs of the local ageing population and how these needs can be addressed through local age friendly work.

e)  Consider how the work of Age Friendly Strategy and the community approaches lead by LOPF can be embedded within the work of the Community Committees.