The City of Casey’s Living and Ageing Well Action Plan has been endorsed setting out how Council will help make Casey a supportive environment where people of all ages can live and age well.
After reviewing Council’s Aged and Disability Services in December 2021, and announcing a commitment to creating a more age-friendly community, the City of Casey signed Victoria’s Age-friendly Declaration in February 2022.
Throughout 2022, Council consulted with residents, community agencies and service providers to help identify the strategic direction and priorities for creating a more age-friendly community.
Engagements were informed by the World Health Organisation’s Age-friendly Cities and Communities Framework and included asking residents to identify the priorities within the following themes:
- Natural and Built Environments
- Social Environment
- Service Environment
- Council Environment
Findings illustrated that older residents want to feel safe, respected, connected, supported and have more opportunities to engage with Council, as well as be able to travel throughout the community safely and independently, with access to paths and public transport.
Engagements helped Council identify a total of 49 actions from across the four themes and developed the draft Living and Ageing Well Action Plan, which was shared with the community for review and feedback last month.
City of Casey Chair of Administrators Noelene Duff PSM, is grateful to all residents and services providers who helped contribute to this crucial action plan.
"Modelling shows that by 2041, Casey's population aged 55 years and over is forecast to increase by almost 60 per cent - that's over 122,000 residents who will likely need some level of aged and disability support or services," explained Ms Duff.
“We recognise that Council has a vital role to play in supporting our ageing population and this action plan explains how Council will help establish a more age-friendly community, where people of ages feel they can actively live and participate in the community as long as possible.”
The Living and Ageing Well Action Plan can be viewed on Council’s website.