29 September 2017
By Bryan Smyth
bryan@TheCork.ie
Cork City Council Chief Executive Ann Doherty Launches First Annual Report of Cork Age Friendly City Strategy 2016-2020
Ann Doherty, Chief Executive
At an event in the Millennium Hall, City Hall, Cork yesterday Ann Doherty, Chief Executive, Cork City Council and chairperson of the Cork Age Friendly City Alliance, launched the Annual Report on the first year of the Cork Age Friendly City Strategy 2016-2020.
The strategy is the result of a detailed consultation process that has brought together the older residents of Cork and Senior Management of Cork City Council, Health Service Executive (HSE), Cork Age Friendly Forum, Age Friendly Ireland, Cork Education and Training Board (CETB), An Garda Síochána, Bus Éireann, Cork Chamber, Cork Business Association (CBA),Cork City Partnership, Cork Healthy City Initiative, COLLAGE (UCC), and Alzheimer’s Society Of Ireland to identify and deliver actions to make Cork an excellent place in which to live, work, enjoy life and grow older.
Special guests at the launch were Joe and Kay O’Regan (both 82) from Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford. Joe and Kay, regular participants in the Cork City marathon , began running marathons at 50 and Kay has run over 115 marathons since. Joe confesses to only having run thirty marathons and “several hundred half marathons” .
Among the key deliverables of the strategy delivered in its first year were:
- Preparation of a services directory for older people which will include 3 main Information sections : Key Regional Groups (statutory and Community) Local Community Information & Health Information. The directory, which is being undertaken by the HSE, is expected to be ready for print and distribution in November. It will also be available online.
- Design and delivery of the Age Friendly Business Programme which has been rolled out on 2 occasions in the last year and, with the help of the CBA, Cork Chamber and the Local Enterprise Office, has reached out to over 40 companies, the first of whom were accredited in December last.
Significant progress was also reported in the regularity and suitability of transport services to and into the major health facilities in the city, educational courses specifically tailored to the needs of older people and innovative projects such as the Friendly Call and Social Car schemes.
