A MAJOR new report has warned that services for older people across Fermanagh and Omagh will have to be ‘future proofed’ as the district’s over-65 population is expected to rise by almost a third over the next decade.
The new Age Friendly Strategy 2026-2030 highlights growing concerns around healthcare, poverty, rural transport and isolation, while also outlining plans aimed at helping older people remain independent and living in their own homes for longer.
Among the starkest findings in the report is that many people could spend almost 20 years of their lives living with illness or poor health.
Healthy life expectancy locally is currently 63.3 years for men and 61.7 years for women, despite overall life expectancy standing at 79.2 and 83.2 respectively.
Warning
The strategy warns that an ageing population will place increasing pressure on the design and delivery of services, particularly in a rural district such as Fermanagh and Omagh.
It also highlights poverty as a major concern, noting that the council area has one of the highest poverty rates in the North, with more than one fifth of residents affected.
The report calls for improved transport accessibility, including easier-to-read timetables, greater affordability and consideration of later hospital appointments for people facing long journeys.
Other proposals include increased housing adaptations, home safety checks, falls prevention programmes and additional support for older people living alone.
Focuses
The strategy focuses on four key themes – infrastructure, participation and access, tackling isolation, and health and wellbeing – with measures aimed at improving outdoor spaces, transport links, community participation, dementia awareness and poverty reduction.
“People are living longer, but not always in good health. This means many people spend their later years managing illness or disability,” the report states.
Speaking at the launch of the strategy, Fermanagh and Omagh District Council chair Barry McElduff said the strategy demonstrated a commitment to ensuring older residents ‘live well, stay connected and feel valued as they age’.
The full strategy document can be downloaded from the council’s website.