Conor Skehan Kilkenny: Age Friendly County Sustainable Age-friendly Communities Conor Skehan, School of Spatial Planning, DIT KILKENNY AGE FRIENDLY COUNTY SEMINAR Friday March 26th 2010

Conor Skehan Kilkenny: Age Friendly County We are not planning for the already old... We are planning for – the New Old - Ourselves!!!

Conor Skehan Kilkenny: Age Friendly County Changing Value Systems Modernisation Post-Modernisation THENNOWFUTURE CentristRegionalAutonomous ControlConsultCo-operate UniformClusterSpecialist CertaintyAccommodationInnovation GrowSustainEnjoy

Conor Skehan Kilkenny: Age Friendly County Baby boomers will be Changing Needs Grey Panthers [powerful & politicized] Wealthy, healthy and demanding Obsessed with self-expression and fulfilment Wealthy Healthy Powerful Fun-loving Creative Challenging

Conor Skehan Kilkenny: Age Friendly County A Good Death To experience the end of life with as much composure, dignity and resolution as possible with minimal and appropriate levels of discomfort and anxiety Meaningful To be able to participate in society in ways that provide a sense of achievement and contribution Comfortable To be able to identify and pursue challenges with minimal and proportionate physical discomfort or compromise Contented To be able to pursue interests and activities with minimal and proportionate consideration of the affordability or convenience Desirable Outcomes of Ageing Well Stimulation Opportunity Belonging Experience Enjoyment Security Mobility Legibility WHAT CAN PLANNING PROVIDE?

Conor Skehan Kilkenny: Age Friendly County Planning for Age The canary in the coalmine

Conor Skehan Kilkenny: Age Friendly County Old Planning Predict-plan-provide Identification-segregation- transportation Prescriptive Conservative Administrative Emerging Planning Joined-up-living Accomodation- concentration- transportation Spatial Positive Flexible PLANNING = Preparing for the Future

Conor Skehan Kilkenny: Age Friendly County Planning for Age - The Choices Planning for the already aged Coping Problem Solving Plan for the future old [us!] Encouraging early, wise movement Meeting the Needs of the New Aged Experience Enjoyment Stimulation Opportunity Security Mobility Legibility Belonging

Conor Skehan Kilkenny: Age Friendly County Planning for Age - The Choices Cope with today Change Places – towns, villages, streets Change Homes Changes Lives Address Issues – Transportation – Security – Welfare – Health - COPING - Plan for tomorrow Change Minds ‘Think Twice – Build Once’ Provide for future needs - PLANNING -

Conor Skehan Kilkenny: Age Friendly County ConvenienceVarietySecurityLegibilityAmenity Inner Urban- Urban Villages Inner Suburbs Suburbs Outer Suburbs Villages Countryside-- Where’s the best place to age?

Conor Skehan Kilkenny: Age Friendly County Planning for Age Spatial Planning for Change & Continuity Plan for Change Stimulation – seeking and solving Challenges Opportunity – to meet change with Change Safety – security, care, Certainty Plan for Continuity [Ageing in Place] Mobility – easier Movement Legibility – not being Lost Company – Belonging

Conor Skehan Kilkenny: Age Friendly County Conclusion 1 The Planning Challenges To plan for future ageing [Now 50!] To plan for ageing To ‘Modify’ People – change expectations To Modify choices – encourage urban To Modify Places for Amenity Creativity, Connectivity Convenience

Conor Skehan Kilkenny: Age Friendly County Conclusion 2 The Challenges Move emphasis from exclusive quantitative to more qualitative Moving on from having enough, or being good enough To being good fun! Move from Specialisation to Integration What’s good for age will be good for all