Mayo village selected for age-friendly status
Mayo's ageing population is facing significant challenges. Photo: iStock
Knock has the oldest population in the western region and there are plans to make the popular pilgrim destination an age-friendly village.
A presentation on the Mayo Age Friendly Programme and Age Friendly Healthy Homes was delivered at the monthly meeting of Mayo County Council.
Council official Maura Murphy told councillors that Knock has been selected given the age profile of both the community and the thousands of visitors who attend Knock Shrine every year.
Maria Nolan, the co-ordinator of the Age Friendly Healthy Homes programme, informed the meeting about how the initiative has been helping people in Mayo.
She cited an example of a man in his 80s who was evicted from his rented accommodation but has since been rehomed in a new area.
“He now has a home where he can live out the rest of his days,” said Ms Nolan.
Fine Gael Cllr Peter Flynn called on the council and other agencies to do more to help older people who want to downsize and move into town centres.
“Everything is about social housing but we need more Active Age housing developments in our town centres,” he stated.
Ms Nolan said the programme seeks to help people to “right size” not “downsize” in a bid to find a home that better suits their current needs.
Independent Cllr Michael Kilcoyne said Mayo is facing a home help crisis.
“There are 160 people in Mayo waiting for home help and not all of those people will be approved,” said Cllr Kilcoyne.
He said more and more people are going to end up in nursing homes at a significant cost to the State. The meeting heard it costs in the region of €78,000 per annum to place someone in a nursing home compared to just over €30,000 to provide home help.
Cllr Kilcoyne said it is “wrong” that elderly people who are served with eviction notices by landlords are being offered accommodation outside their local area.
Fine Gael Cllr Gerry Coyle pointed to an issue in his area where an elderly man has been left to fend for himself without proper running water or toilet facilities.
“There are human rights crimes in this county that you wouldn’t see in The Hague,” he said.
