Cabinet agreed to:

1.    Note the State of Ageing in Plymouth 2024 report;

2.    Approve the priorities outlined within the report.

Councillor Aspinall (Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care) introduced the item and highlighted the following points:

a)    People were now living longer than ever before, and someone aged 65 in the UK in 2024 could expect to live to 85, which was 10 years longer than their parent’s generation;

b)    One in five babies born in 2024 would live to see their 100^th birthday;

c)    The Ageing World programme sought to support people by keeping them as healthy as possible and helping make Plymouth a place where people with chronic illness or disability were able to maintain their independence;

d)    The term ‘older age’ meant a stage of life rather than a number, however the programme focussed on people over the age of 50;

e)    The earlier in the ageing process that people received support to stay active and connected, the less the likelihood that they would need health and social care interventions later in life;

f)     Everything Plymouth City Council (PCC) did around ageing well was about empowering people and ensuring Plymouth was a more accessible and inclusive city;

g)    Ageing was not a problem to be solved, but an opportunity and older people were of valued assets that made endless contributions to their families, neighbourhoods and the city;

h)    The priorities outlined in the State of Ageing in Plymouth 2024 report gave focus to healthy ageing, creating age-friendly places and spaces, ensuring relevant and good quality work and training opportunities and, making sure that people felt included and connected as they age;

i)     The report gave PCC a framework for the right opportunities and environment for people to thrive as they move into their later years.

Ruth Harrell (Director of Public Health) added:

j)     The Ageing Well programme signalled a commitment from PCC towards age-friendly communities;

k)    People living longer was a global and national phenomenon;

l)     The vision for Plymouth was for age not to be a barrier for people to be able to enjoy an outstanding quality of life;

m)  There were two versions of the State of Ageing in Plymouth 2024 report, one of which was shorter and had been published, the other was longer had included more data;

n)    The report outlined what it was like to age, and be an older person, in Plymouth;

o)    The report included information about population health and well-being, ageing, culture, employment and housing in Plymouth;

p)    The report also incorporated lived experiences and insights that had been found through working with older people to better understand what was important to people as they age;

q)    The priorities for the first phase of the programme were set out in the report as follows:

i) Focussing, through Thrive Plymouth, on how PCC could support people to age well. A large portion of this focus was around keeping active, expanding strength and looking at balance;

ii) Looking at how businesses could be more supportive to older people and create age-friendly places and spaces;

iii) Linking with strategies already in place to create healthy streets;

iv) Promoting a Climate Change Ambassador Programme to involve people in nature;

v) Work around promoting active travel for the over 50s and looking at Community Transport;

vi) Participation and inclusion;

vii) Work around the age friendly employer pledge and ensuring there were a wide range of opportunities for older people;

viii) Adaptations to housing, including insulation due to concerns about fuel poverty;

ix) Tackle ageism and working to challenge negative stereotypes;

r)    On 1 October 2024, a range of organisations across Plymouth had contributed both time and resources to offer a variety of different programmes to older people including:

i) The launch of the Ageing Well Hub on the PCC website;

ii) Drama and seated dance workshops from Elder Tree and the Theatre Royal;

iii) An Information and Advice Fair which had 12 stores and wide range of attendees;

iv) A Volunteer Fair with 166 attendees;

v) Taster events held by Plymouth Active;

s)     A working group had been set up for Councillors and senior officers;

t)     10 Years of Thrive Plymouth would be relaunched in the future, with ageing well as a key feature;

u)    Communications were being led by PCC to tackle ageism;

v)    Ongoing conversations and inquiries would happen to ensure information from people regarding what they loved about Plymouth, what they see as positives and how PCC could improve;

w)   There would be a photo competition inviting images of what it felt like to age well in Plymouth.

In response to questions it was explained:

x)    24 organisations attended the Volunteer Fair;

y)    Thanks were given to everybody who had participated in Ageing Well programme and the Volunteer Fair.

Councillor Evans (Leader of the Council) added:

z)    There were testimonials in the report which included a 22 year old who had started volunteering and prompted viewers to read them online;

aa)  There were just under 400 people who were entitled to pension credit and were not claiming it as PCC had reached out to them to ensure they had the gateway to additional help if it was needed;

bb) People claiming pension credit was also aided the local economy as the money was spent in Plymouth.

Cabinet agreed to the following recommendations:

1.    To note the State of Ageing in Plymouth 2024 report;

2.    To approve the priorities outlined in the report.