by Alan Jacques
A NEW age-friendly policy is to be rolled out in Limerick, to help older people feel safer in their homes.
The ethos behind the scheme is to put older people at the heart of their communities and society as a “valued resource”.
A draft of the age-friendly strategy is due to be ratified by the local authority and An Garda Síochána next week and Garda Chief Superintendent David Sheahan believes it will deliver “tangible” results.
“Older people want to continue living independently in their homes, but they want to feel safer and secure,” he told council members at last Monday’s meeting of Limerick City and County Council’s Joint Policing Committee.
“They feel anxious about crime and bogus callers and they want to see a Garda presence to feel safe,” he explained.
According to Chief Supt Sheahan, community policing and community involvement in the age-friendly policy will be “critical” to its success. He also revealed that a crime prevention ambassador programme and a cadetship with young people in schools would be included in the scheme.
“From the feedback we’ve had on an operational level, we also need to target high crime areas and get into these communities to deal with specific issues,” he said.
Information cards will be given to older people around Limerick as part of the age-friendly policy to help them identify whether callers to their door are legitimate or not.
Chief Supt Sheahan admitted he is “enthused” by the positive impact he sees the scheme having in Limerick.
“Older people are just looking for someone to give them a dig-out,” he pointed out.
Welcoming the age-friendly policy, independent councillor for Adare-Rathkeale, Emmett O’Brien, commented, “We’re not reinventing the wheel. Crime or no crime people need to feel secure. Gardai need to get the boots on and get talking to people.”
