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Healthy Age Friendly Homes Programme

The Healthy Age Friendly Homes Programme is a new initiative. It aims to enable older people to continue living in their homes or in a home more suited to their needs, to live with a sense of independence and autonomy, to be a part of their community, and to avoid early or premature admission to long term residential care. Over the next two years, it is anticipated that 4,500 older people will benefit from the support of this programme.

For all queries please contact the Healthy Age Friendly Homes Admin team
Telephone: 046 924 8899
Email:

This new programme will be jointly led across 9 Local Authority areas, Cork County Council, Dublin City Council, Fingal County Council, Galway County & City Council, Limerick City & County Council, Longford County Council, South Dublin County Council, Tipperary County Council, Westmeath County Council.

Research shows that the majority of people want to remain in their own home as they age. This desire is often challenged by their home not being suitable for the occupier as their needs become more pronounced, their financial means decrease, and their mobility declines. With the right assessment and intervention, the living environment can be changed from being one of health risk to one of health support.

A key aspect of this programme is to reduce the admission rate of people entering long-term residential care due, in the main, to their living environment not supporting their health and wellbeing needs. Accommodation that presents challenges to older people remaining mobile, keeping warm and staying safe can be significant factors in decision making on long-term care.

The Goal of the Healthy Age Friendly Homes Programme Phase 1 is to support people to live in their own home with dignity and independence, for as long as possible, thus avoiding the premature transition into long-term residential care. The Programme’s ambition is to enable people to live longer healthier lives in their own home, being and feeling part of their community, by ensuring they are in a suitable living environment, for accessibility, size, safety, and environment, including warmth.

The Department of Health, Sláintecare and Age Friendly Ireland (Meath County Council) are rolling out this new joint programme ‘Healthy Age Friendly Homes’, across 9 Local Authority areas.

  1. Enable older people to continue living in their homesor in a home more suited to their needs (Rightsizing)
  2. Live with a sense of independence and autonomy
  3. Be and feel part of their Community
  4. Support the avoidance of early or premature admissionto long term residential care

What are the benefits to you?

  • Healthy Age Friendly Homes Coordinators will carry out a needs assessment to establish what supports are required to enable you to continue living independently in your own home for longer
  • A person-centred support plan will be developed post assessment
  • If you feel your home is no longer suitable and you would like to move to a more appropriate home, the Healthy Age Friendly Homes Coordinator can provide you with information on right sizing within your community/county/city.
  • They can provide information on adapting your existing home and the relevant grants available to support you to make those changes, with a focus on universal design and energy efficiency,
  • They can provide you with access to a range of housing, health and social care supports to help you decide on what you need to enable you to live the life you want to the best of your ability within your community.

To learn more about the Healthy Age Friendly Homes Programme, Please click here.