Seamus O'Rourke launches Leitrim Age Friendly Strategy 2022-2026

The Leitrim Age Friendly Strategy 2022 – 2026 was officially launched by Leitrim’s new Age Friendly Ambassador, award- winning writer, director and actor Seamus O’Rourke in conjunction with the Age Friendly Alliance meeting held in Leitrim County Council offices in Carrick-on-Shannon.

Speaking at the event Cathaoirleach, Cllr Ita Reynolds-Flynn, acknowledged the work of the Age Friendly Alliance and the Older People's Council for their ongoing efforts and commitment to ensure that Leitrim is an age friendly county with a successful age friendly programme, and in particular their efforts into the production of this Age Friendly Strategy which outlines the actions to be delivered by the Alliance over the next five years. The vision in Leitrim is to develop an inclusive equitable county in which older people can live full, active valued and healthy lives.

An age friendly county is a place where older people can stay living in their own homes and communities, lead healthy and active lives, get to where they want to go, when they want to and are valued contributors to the lives of their communities.
She also acknowledged Leitrim’s Business Ambassador Noel McPartland, who has proved that age is no barrier to being successful in business. Speaking on behalf of the Chairperson of the Alliance, Mary Quinn, acknowledged Breege Dolan, CCS Consultants for her work and involvement in preparing the Strategy.
She outlined that each agency represented on the Age Friendly Alliance has outlined their objectives and actions in this strategy for the next five years to ensure that Leitrim continues to grow as an Age Friendly County and value the contribution of the older members in our society.

Hazel Humphreys, Chairperson of the OPC, supports the Age Friendly Alliance’s vision of developing an all-encompassing, fair-minded county in which older people can live full, active, valued and healthy lives. Mairead Cranley, Age Friendly Ireland, Regional Manager congratulated Leitrim on the launch of their Strategy. She acknowledged the great work of Leitrim's Older Persons’ Council who are the heart of the Age Friendly programme and who bring the voices of the older people to the table to help ensure older people can remain living independently in their communities for longer. Mairead congratulated Hazel Humphreys on her appointment of Chairperson of the Older Persons’ Council and acknowledged the work done by her predecessor Anna Farrelly during Covid times.

She commended Sean Reynolds, member of the Older Persons’ Council, who sat on the national group when engaging with comreg and Eir and because of that group there is now a new Age Friendly Care with Eir package, with a designated phone number for older people to ring. Seamus O’Rourke was honoured to take on the role of Leitrim’s Age Friendly Ambassador and to launch the Leitrim Age Friendly Strategy 2022 – 2026. He stated that he was looking forward to supporting the vision of the strategy and raising awareness around age friendly practices in the county to ensure that Leitrim is the best age friendly county to live and grow old in.