Age Friendly Ireland convention addresses technological challenges faced by older people in Mayo
Up to 200 older people from across Ireland, including Mayo, have gathered in Kilkenny for the Age Friendly Ireland National Older People’s Councils (OPC) Convention, addressing the pressing issue of the technology gap experienced by older demographics.
The national annual convention at the Kilkenny Ormonde Hotel – held today and tomorrow (May 9 and 10) – will tackle concerns surrounding online banking, a cashless society and automated customer service helplines, offering potential solutions to bridge this divide.
The event – attended by Minister Mary Butler, TD, Minister of State for Mental Health and Older People at the Department of Health, Mary Butler, the Older People’s Councils and 31 local authority representatives – will feature discussions from panel speakers.
They include Áine Flynn, director of the Decision Support Service, and Mark Harrington, national manager, Healthy Age Friendly Homes, while Garret Doocey, assistant secretary from the Department of Transport with responsibility for Land Transport, Investment and Public Transport Policy, will be discussing transport supports such as the travel assistance scheme, JAM card, Wayfinding Centre and accessibility improvements to bus shelters, buses, age-friendly car parking and age-friendly train stations.
Philip Hogan, CEO of Cliffrun Media, a Dublin-based technology company specialising in technology solutions for older individuals such as the ACORN Age-Friendly Smart Tablet, will be demonstrating technology that supports ageing.
Department of Finance specialist Diarmuid Angland, who is leading the development of a national payments strategy, will outline the meaning of digital inclusion and the implications of a cashless society.
The convention will also include seven workshops, panel discussions and the opportunity to network and share learnings.
Hosted by the Kilkenny Age Friendly Programme and Kilkenny County Council in partnership with Age Friendly Ireland in Meath County Council, this year’s theme, 'Ageing with Independence', underscores Age Friendly Ireland’s commitment to building environments conducive to the well-being of older adults. There are approximately 806,300 people aged 65 and over living in Ireland.
Speaking at the convention, Kieran Kehoe, chief executive of Meath County Council and host to Age Friendly Ireland Shared Service, commented: “This is the only conference of its type in Ireland that harnesses the collective voice of older people and brings that wisdom directly into local government and to the multiple stakeholders involved in the Age Friendly strategic response to demographic change. There is a huge value for local government officials having this direct connection to the citizen voice.”
Catherine McGuigan, chief officer of the Age Friendly Ireland Shared Service, emphasised the vital role of open dialogue among older individuals, local authorities, and the government. She said: “Older people are not a homogenous group, and it is essential that we hear from the collective voice so that older people themselves can co-design solutions to challenges. Over the past 15 years, they have done exactly that, and thousands of innovative initiatives have been implemented based on their recommendations.
“That’s the core principle that underpins everything we do in Age Friendly Ireland, and the key reason why we hold this annual convention.”
Ms. McGuigan added that there are technological solutions to support independence as we age such as telecare, which includes personal alarms, pendants/watches with 24-hour monitoring, and smart home packages.
Speaking on behalf of the Older People’s Councils, Ita Healy, chair of the National Network of Older People’s Councils said: “New policies are forthcoming that will tackle some of our concerns, including the national payments strategy, which aims to resolve the issue of services not accepting cash payments. Support for choice in payment is widespread.
“Safeguarding is an issue when payments can only be made online and older people must rely on neighbours, friends and family members to make their payments and access their personal information. At the recent NGO forum meeting, the safeguarding element was flagged especially for domestic abuse victims as cash is often essential for them to get away from their situation. People in all walks of life need the choice to use cash when and where they want to.”
Convention attendees called for older people to join their local Older People’s Council to ensure their voice is part of the conversation as the population ages. For more information on Age Friendly Ireland, visit agefriendlyireland.ie.