Athboy’s age friendly homes draw international interest

TWENTY delegates from Norway visited Athboy last month to see the soon-to-be-completed age-friendly housing development there.

The development on the Athboy-Kildalkey road consists of 28 units that have a universal design and age-friendly features such as wet rooms and low-maintenance landscaping designed for older people.

Ireland has to meet the needs of the growing ageing population as it is estimated there will be 1.6m people aged 65 years and over by 2051.

The 20 delegates were also welcomed by Cllr Tommy Reilly to Meath Co Council Buvinda House headquarters.

The Norwegian group’s visit was organised by the Centre for an Age-Friendly Norway, on the recommendation of the County Governor of Vestland. Delegates comprised Heads of Services for Housing and Social services, Directors of Education and Housing, Senior Advisors, an Assistant County Doctor and representatives of the County Governor’s office.

The ground floor and single storey units in Athboy all have own door access and access to private amenity space at ground floor level with a central location to the town and close proximity to amenities and services in Athboy.

The spaces are designed with age friendly surfaces and footpaths to encourage activity and social interaction after the town had recently undergone public realm works to upgrade footpaths, seating and the Park.

Ireland has an active age friendly programme in 31 local authorities and is the first country in the world to have full affiliation with the World Health Organisation's Global Network of Age Friendly Cities and Communities.

Cllr David Gilroy says: "We take Age Friendly initiatives very seriously here in Ireland and Athboy.

“The age friendly scheme on the Kildalkey road forms part of an over all age friendly strategy adopted here first in 2019 when we conducted Ireland’s first age friendly audit of a town, specifically focused on dementia and cognitive difficulties as well as general accessibility.