New and innovative ways must be found to provide transport for older people living in rural areas, an Age Action West meeting has been told.
Rural transport was high on the priority list of older people who attended the meeting in Castlebar on November 10.
There was a need for different models and systems of rural transport, the Age Action members stressed, including a transport pass which would provide them with vouchers to hire taxis where there was no alternative service, and the CLASP system, which is currently operating in Sligo and Athlone, where the insurance and petrol expenses of volunteer drivers is paid, and they bring older people to town.
One of the key points raised during the group discussion was the need for local groups to be formed in each county under the banner of Age Action to address local needs and issues.
The existence and importance of the Good Morning phone project was also raised. There is a service in Killala where people living alone are phoned each morning to see that they are alright.
The budget and the poor increases in allowances and pensions were brought up. Other matters raised were the need for more volunteers in the community and more intergenerational work to enable different age groups to learn from each other.
This was the first meeting of members in the Mayo and Roscommon areas and it is planned to hold further membership meetings to keep in touch with and consult the membership as it was felt at the meeting, and in messages from members who could not attend, that people power is all-important in campaigning and that a network should be built up for each county comprising of groups from each county. There were people present from the VEC and from the HSE as well as from the voluntary and community sector.
This completes a series of meetings held by Age Action West in Galway, Mayo and Roscommon. A report of the three meetings with the key recommendations will be drawn up shortly. It will be used to help develop Age Action policy.
The meeting was facilitated by Carmel Sheridan, regional development officer with Age Action West. Projects officer with Age Action in Mayo and Roscommon, James Reddiough, gave a presentation on the organisation’s work in those counties. He acknowledged the support of the Community Foundation for Ireland, the VEC and the HSE.
