In the company of Sage Advocacy CEO & Regional Coordinator it was great to see the power of community under the extraordinary leadership of Dr Jerry Cowley at St Brendan's Village in Mulranny County #Mayo. In its current and future format with plans for Age Friendly Units and support from local authority, community and #HSE the Village provides a template for community care of the elderly. Replicating the model and further reinforcing required supports, leveraging funding, working with the private sector, harnessing innovation, technology, the HEIs and other actors while facilitating a more integrated model, the future can be bright. Enabling a community centric continuum of care, with Day Centres, which is primarily home based but with sheltered, age friendly and higher end facilities as options and improved coordination for step down as necessary are just some of the ingredients for a national program of success. Three partners are key to a successful, integrated continuum for care of the elderly, #Goverment, #CivilSociety and #Market. Right now there is an imbalance of care of the elderly in the hands of the private sector. There is so much more that can be achieved if Civil Society through community based models like St Brendan’s Village are resourced and replicated using social enterprise initiatives so that we can all live longer while growing old near those we know and love. #elderlycare #eldercare #CommissiononCare #communitydevelopment #communitycare #humanrights #respectforpeople #GAAforcare
