Local Government and Ageing Toolkit
Checklist of Strategies and Actions
Strategy
Possible actions
Generate
awareness of
impacts
Identify and sponsor awareness across each functional area of Council
about the full range of impacts that population ageing is having/will have
for Council and the community.
Engage with the community regarding these impacts.
Enhance Council
understanding of
the impacts
Seek to achieve an evidence based approach to population ageing.
Survey Council data holdings related to older people with a view to
collecting detailed data.
Review the ability of Council data systems to collect sufficient data to
project the future financial impacts of an ageing population.
Share information on effective systems for the collection, storage,
retrieval and analysis of quantitative / qualitative data among Councils.
Sponsor further empirical research that would facilitate evidence-based
approaches to the provision of infrastructure and services for older
people. For example, undertake a WHO age Friendly Cities Project.
Develop a
strategic
response to
impacts
Restrict ageing strategies to achievable priority actions.
Create long-term action plans with budgeted amounts to respond to
impacts.
Develop methods to assist with financing the impacts of population
ageing, identify community priorities, and ascertain the most effective
and equitable dispersal of funds across the LGA.
Divert available funds to infrastructure and transport.
Employ sufficient staff for an integrated and intergenerational approach
to community development.
Review staffing arrangements for responding to an ageing population.
Appoint an over 55 facilitator (with responsibility for ageing strategies) to
develop an evidence base on local service provision/options and ways
for services to work together, and establish achievable priorities.
Implement an effective asset management approach to achieve the long
term sustainability of infrastructure and improve accessibility and safety.
Develop a ranking system for Council buildings to determine which ones
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Local Government and Ageing Toolkit
Strategy
Possible actions
to put further resources into.
Develop a tool to prioritise community facilities for funding purposes.
Respond to impacts as part of the Integrated Planning and Reporting
process
Manage impacts
on infrastructure
and services
Review the ability of infrastructure to meet legislated standards and
achieve key planning objectives for the LGA, in particular accessibility,
mobility, walk-ability and connectivity.
Develop a ‘walk-ability index’.
Upgrade infrastructure to meet compliance standards.
Examine gaps in facility and service provision.
Seek to adequately house support services.
Review services running at a loss with the aim of introducing changes to
achieve sustainability
Review facilities, services and programs to ensure they meet the needs
and preferences of older residents.
Train staff to provide customer service for older people with medical
conditions such as dementia.
Coordinate
service impacts
Arrange for community planning and library staff to work together in
designing programs.
Advocate and contribute to a coordinated, cooperative and collaborative
approach to the provision of services across the levels of government,
the NGOs and the private sector.
Engage with the community to establish service priorities.
Partner with other Councils to offer an extended range of community
programs
Foster partnerships with external organisations to share resources.
Expand home care services - operated by an NGO from a community
‘hub’.
Facilitate engagement of volunteers for community infrastructure projects
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Local Government and Ageing Toolkit
Strategy
Possible actions
and other activities.
Focus on social
inclusion
Respond to the
opportunities of
population ageing
Enhance the local
response to
population ageing
Design infrastructure and services, provide community facilities, and
develop programs that foster social inclusion and participation among
older residents and across the generations.
Create an ‘age-friendly’ built environment to facilitate social interactions.
Respond to the demand for community facilities and activities in
accessible locations, and transport (to enable social participation).
Make libraries a community hub for older people.
Develop networks to prevent social isolation with the aim of assisting
older neighbours.
Introduce early intervention measures.
Be proactive in harnessing the contribution older people make to the
local economy and community.
Review Council arrangements for recruiting, training and supporting
older residents as volunteers.
Introduce measures that recognize the contribution older people make
and highlight this contribution to the community.
Support and advocate for:
Expanded community transport services to meet the growing need
resulting from population ageing;
Universal design features in residential dwellings, improved safety in
dwellings, and measures to improve housing affordability;
Additional support services for residents who are ‘ageing-in-place’;
Further community facilities for older residents including office space to
deliver ‘ageing-in-place’ services from;
Additional active and passive community programs for older residents;
Expanded library services for older residents including computer and
internet use; and
Sports and recreation facilities that address the needs of older residents.
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Local Government and Ageing Toolkit
Strategy
Possible actions
Manage
expectations
Manage the level of expectation residents have of Council provision of
infrastructure and services, while also encouraging the community to
make their needs and priorities known.
Improve communication with community regarding Council’s ability to
fund facilities and services
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