COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
Monday, October 13, 2014
QUESTION NO. 41
QUESTION: Councillor F. Warfield
Growing older doesn’t have to mean slowing down and opportunities for older people in South Dublin should be made available as much as possible. Dublin City Council operate a Passport for Leisure. Has South Dublin County Council organised any similar schemes? If not, would it be possible to extend the Passport for Leisure into South Dublin County?
REPLY:
As part of a Lord Mayor’s Special Initiative for older people “Embracing Ageing” Dublin City Council introduced a Passport for Leisure Scheme. The Passport is a discount card and directory that includes vouchers and discounts offered by businesses throughout the city. It also includes free / discounted access to Dublin City owned and managed, leisure and recreation facilities.
South Dublin County Council does not directly operate and manage any leisure and recreation facilities and any such scheme would have to be negotiated with South Dublin County Leisure Services Limited who operate the management of Tallaght Leisure, Centre, Clondalkin Sports and Leisure Centre and Lucan Sports and Leisure Centre on behalf of the Council.
Clondalkin (Tue & Thurs) and Tallaght (Mon &Wed) currently provide senior (over 55’)discounted swimming sessions for €3.
In the context of the ' Life Cycle' approach the Council is committed to provide this demographic with opportunities to improve their quality of life and sense of wellbeing. A brief summary of the supports/programmes delivered to older adults is set out;
Ongoing PAL’s Training – Physical Activity Leader Training – we facilitate workshops whereby participants complete training to become a physical activity leader – the skills they acquire enable them to teach sessions to their own group.
Refresher PAL’s Courses: we facilitate refresher sessions for those whom have completed PAL’s training
Senior Games: We host an annual senior games event – older adults will have completed taster sessions and then go on to compete in the senior gmes tournament to represent their county in the national finals – the programme in run throughout the month of May with National finals held in early June.
Equipment: We have an extensive equipment library that older adult groups have the opportunity to borrow equipment without the expense of having to purchase their own equipment. We have a number of items specific to older adult games that is available all year round.
We facilitate talks with older adult groups – we speak to them about their activity levels, general health & Wellbeing and link them in to whatever services we can locally – i.e. health promotion, libraries, support networks.
Get on your Bike Programme – we run an initiative with the Cycle Safety School – we encourage older adults to get back on their bikes – get cycling again which gives them greater confidence, independence and an opportunity to get active.
Bealtaine Festival/Social Inclusion Week Activities
In October 2012 South Dublin received its designation as a WHO Age Friendly County. This followed an in-depth consultation process with older people and agencies and the development of the Age Friendly Strategy by the Age Friendly County Alliance. The strategy includes details of the many projects and initiatives aimed at improving the quality of life of older people that are already in place such as the annual Bealtaine Festival, the new exercise equipment in our Parks, and the many projects and events that take place in our libraries across the County. The strategy also includes details of plans for the future, including the establishment of an Older Person’s Forum, a Business of Ageing Forum, and the development of Age Friendly Towns and Businesses across South Dublin. Throughout the process it was clear that the people of this County are living longer and healthier lives and want to be active in their communities and make a contribution. The actions included in the Age Friendly County Strategy will ensure that South Dublin continues to grow as a safe, healthy and positive place to live, and a great County in which to grow older.