A committee has been working on the Age-Friendly Spreydon-Cashmere Action Plan for more than a year. Member Helene Mautner said the plan will go to the Spreydon-Cashmere Community Board for sign-off once it is finished.
“We want to make sure that older residents are connected and that they feel safe and they have healthy homes because a lot of them are very isolated. We wanted to reach out to people and look into things that would have a very direct and immediate impact on people’s lives,” said Dr Maunter.
If approved, the plan will focus on improving outdoor spaces, buildings, transportation, housing, social participation, civic participation,employment, respect and social inclusion, communication, information and health services.
Dr Mautner said the plan will be an age-friendly initiative aimed at promoting the well-being of older people throughout Spreydon and Cashmere wards.
She said the area has one of the highest populations of elderly residents in the city and the plan will aim to cater for this group.
“It was because the demographics when you look at them for the city, we have one of the oldest populations in the city, but it’s also I think the fact that it’s the right thing to do.”
Dr Mautner said the World Health Organisation guidelines for ageing cities have influenced the plan.
Committee members have addressed the community board with the final introductory paper for the plan.
Dr Mautner said discussions about the plan will continue with the newly-elected board. She hopes it will be finished and made official as soon as possible.
Committee member Peter Tuffley hopes the plan will “promote changes that would make life easier for the elderly in Spreydon-Cashmere.”
