Noosa Draft Community Health and Well-Being Plan 2019-2024 is now open for comments on Council’s website. Noosa’s demographic profile indicates a higher percentage of older people than the Qld average. Like almost every plan produced by our Council this draft plan identifies ageing of the population as a major issue, but it gives scant attention to the specific needs of older people and the particular burden of social isolation, disease, disability and dementia that comes with an older population.
Already precincts like Noosa Heads and Noosaville have over 30% of residents over 65. As far as I can ascertain there was no one with specific expertise in the health and well-being of older people on the reference group for the Health and Well-Being plan.
The ageing of the population is mentioned as significant in most of Noosa’s planning documents, but where is the overall approach? The impacts and strategies for our ageing population are included in various ‘umbrella’ strategies and plans, as they are in this document, albeit as only one small part of a plan that spans many strategies and issues.
Given that ageing of the population is identified as the major issue in almost every Noosa planning document it’s important to bring these plans together and commit to developing a comprehensive, strategic approach to policies, services and infrastructure that meet the needs of an ageing community in an integrated and holistic approach.
Noosa needs a firm commitment to developing a systematic and more detailed strategy and plan to deal with all aspects of the ageing population. A plan that could be used to integrate an aged friendly approach into all aspects of Council’s dealings. Where better to make that commitment than in a Health and Well-Being plan?
Within this plan I would like to see Noosa Shire commit to work toward becoming a WHO age friendly community. The WHO identifies an age-friendly community as one that enables people of all ages to actively participate in community activities and treats everyone with respect, regardless of their age. It is a place that makes it easy for older people to stay connected to people that are important to them. Age friendly communities are inclusive and accessible for people of all ages. They build spaces and places and programs and initiatives that make a community better for all residents including children, young people, parents and seniors.
An age-friendly community recognises the great diversity among older people, promotes their inclusion and contribution in all areas of community life, respects their decisions and lifestyle choices, and anticipates and responds to age-related needs and preferences.
The Qld Government has also adopted a commitment to an aged friendly community which can be a starting point for developing a Noosa specific strategy.
I’ll be making a comment on the plan and I hope others will join me in promoting a commitment to becoming an age-friendly community.
