Meath Co Co - MH-AGE-24-02 - Provision of services for a Mixed Methods Process and Impact Evaluation of the Health Age Friendly Homes Programme 2025 - 2027

Ireland’s population is ageing, and we must transform and adapt our services to support older people to live as independently in their own homes and community, for as long as possible. In 2016 there were 637,567 people aged 65 and over, in 2022 that figure is now 806,300, which accounts for 16 percent of the population. Of that 806,300, 189,574 are living alone and 44 percent of people aged 85 and over are living alone. Following a successful pilot of this innovative programme in 9 Local authority areas, the Healthy Age Friendly Homes Programme (HAFH) has now scaled up nationally to ensure all older people in Ireland will have the opportunity to age in place and have access to the supports provided by the programme. Following a successful recruitment campaign, each local authority in the country (31) now hosts at least 1 Local Coordinator with 13 allocated 2 Co-Ordinator’s based on population over 65, and admission rates into long-term and acute care facilities. In addition, the 6 Regional Manager roles, aligned to the Regional Health Areas, are in place, as well as the full cohort of a National Manager and 15 administrative support staff. Partnerships with key stakeholders are being scaled to ensure service provision across the country. The HAFH aims to support up to 10,500 older persons in their homes on an annual basis. The Healthy Age Friendly Homes Programme (HAFH) represents a new way of working to support ageing in place, thereby addressing the strategic objectives set out in the 2020 Programme for Government and its vision for an Age Friendly Ireland. HAFH was established as a unique model of support coordination that demonstrates innovation in the integrated nature of the service, bringing together health and housing to deliver a bespoke model of service provision that responds directly to consultation with older people on their needs and preferences. The model represents an efficient collaboration between the Department of Health and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, through the Age Friendly Ireland shared service in Meath County Council as the delivery mechanism.