The HSE has established a programme of work to focus on the health and wellbeing needs of older people. Due to the priority focus on older people as a result of their experience of both COVID-19 itself and the ongoing restrictions, a health and wellbeing programme has been established to co-ordinate the HSE response. This is a joint programme of work established between the HSE’s Chief Clinical Office and Health and Wellbeing function, to intensify and scale up supports to older people in the community.
This is aligned with the cross government ‘Staying Connected’ strand of the Community Resilience and Wellbeing programme which forms a key part of the Government’s Living with COVID-19 plan. The ‘Staying Connected’ strand, which is local authority led, was established as a means to ensure that anybody who is isolated is supported to have their needs addressed.
The HSE is taking action to input into and support the Staying Connected Programme and address areas of greatest risk and need. These include:
- Work with local community services to identify specific populations/areas at risk so that we can facilitate the targeting of staying connected resources and programmes to these areas
- Identify HSE and other programmes and initiatives that can be scaled up during this period, targeting communities at greatest risk
- Put in place a significant internal communications programme so that all staff have knowledge and are aware of what cross-sectorial supports are working at local level and HSE and other initiatives being supported
- Identify pathways linking HSE services to specific initiatives under Community Call / Staying Connected to optimise outcomes and supports for older people at-risk
A working group jointly chaired by Dr Siobhan Kennelly, Clinical Lead Older persons and Sarah McCormack, HSE Heathy Ireland Programme Lead was established in October. HSE Health and Wellbeing have extended its existing partnership with Age Friendly Ireland (AFI) to programme manage and support the delivery of this initiative. AFI have appointed a dedicated project manager to this project. AFI support Age Friendly Alliances across the country through the local authorities.
This model and structure will continue to be used to deliver quality initiatives and reduce duplication of effort to improve the health and wellbeing of older people at this time. This will work in conjunction with the existing 6 Regional and 31 Local AFI Programme Managers working in partnership with Healthy Ireland City and County Co-ordinators and key staff within the local government sector.
