Western Australia has launched its new Age Friendly Communities Toolkit, which aims to give local governments guidance on engaging with older residents and help developers plan communities for the state’s ageing population.
388,708 Western Australians were aged 65 years and up as at June 30, 2019, or 14.8% of the state’s total population. This group is projected to expand to 18% of the WA population by 2031, with people aged 85 years and up expected to double during this period.
The toolkit has been updated for the first time since 2006 with input from both local governments and individuals, and according to WA Seniors and Ageing Minister Don Punch (pictured), looks to aid planners in combating issues facing older people, such as elder abuse, ageism and social isolation.
“Western Australians are living longer and with our population ageing, there is a greater need than ever to ensure people’s environments are age-friendly so they can access the activities and services they require to be able to live fulfilling lives.
“An age-friendly approach supports this, and the Age-Friendly Toolkit is effectively a ‘how to’ manual for local governments, developers and community leaders,” he said.
The toolkit, now titled Creating Age-Friendly Communities in Western Australia, is available via the WA Government’s official website.
