A City for All Ages (ACFAA) is Edinburgh's Joint Plan for Older People. First launched in 2000, it is about improving opportunities and services for older people, removing discrimination and overcoming barriers. The Plan is a joint arrangement between The City of Edinburgh Council and its partners in NHS Lothian and the voluntary and commercial sectors. It is part of the city’s community planning programme through the established links with the Edinburgh Partnership, the Edinburgh Community Health Partnership and the Neighbourhood Partnerships.

Action Plan 2007-2010

The action plan for Edinburgh's Plan for Older People for 2007-2010 was developed in consultation with partner organisations and older people and agreed by the Council's Policy and Strategy Committee on the 2nd October 2007. A report to the Council's Policy and Strategy Committee on the 10th June 2008 published on Council Papers Online (CPOL) details progress on the Joint Plan to date.

Edinburgh's Plan for Older People Summary (PDF, 884KB)

Edinburgh's Plan for Older People Progress Report 2008 (PDF, 6.54MB)

Findings from a consultation carried out by the Council and the Older People’s Equality Forum (OPEF) in 2006 and from an Active Ageing conference also held in 2006 supported the development of the Joint Plan. It has also been developed in line with the Scottish Executive’s report All Our Futures: Planning for a Scotland with an Ageing Population published in March 2007. An Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) of the strategy document was carried out in June 2007. Copies of the consultation reports are published as downloads at the foot of this page. Printed copies are available on request.

The 2007-2010 action plan outlines actions under 12 vision statements and identifies four priority areas for action: intergenerational activity; employment opportunities for people aged 50 plus; older people taking responsibility for their own future; and, businesses developing suitable services and products for older people. Progress on the Joint Plan will be reported to the Council and the Edinburgh Partnership each year. Older people, representatives from older people's groups and the Today and Tomorrow task group, which represents older people and their carers from the black and minority ethnic communities, will have a role in monitoring progress.

Strategic Development Group (Older People)

The Strategic Development Group (Older People) is a reference group on issues of concern to older people. Membership of the group includes Council officers, representatives from partner agencies, voluntary group representatives and older people. A series of seminars/workshops hosted by the Strategic Development Group (Older People) during 2007-2010 will link to the 12 vision statements of the Joint Plan and contribute to the evaluation of A City for All Ages. The first seminar was held in November 2007 on the Council and NHS Lothian’s Joint Capacity Plan and Commissioning Strategy for 2008-2018, Live Well in Later Life, looking at the future support and care needs for older people. The findings from this seminar will help inform the further development of Live Well in Later Life. A second seminar was held in January 2008 looking at issues around community safety. the work of the Edinburgh Community Safety Partnership and the Protection of Vulnerable Adults. In May 2008 a seminar on the  Contribution of Older People looked at issues around volunteering and older people's involvement in service planning. Seminars planned for the rest of the year will include Transport and Mobility (August 2008) and Intergenerational Activity (November 2008). Details for each seminar will be published nearer the time.

Live Well in Later Life

Better joint working between Council departments and partner organisations to improve and develop ways to support older people in times of ill health and need is one of the key elements of ACFAA. The health and social care elements of ACFAA are led and progressed by the Council’s Health and Social Care and Services for Communities (Supported Housing) services and NHS Lothian. The Live Well in Later Life plan is the Council and NHS Lothian’s Joint Capacity Plan and Commissioning Strategy for 2008-2018 looking at the future support and care needs for older people. The Council has also recently published the findings from a Strategic Review of Sheltered Housing in Edinburgh and a Review of Day Services for Older People.

Get up and go

Get up and go is an annual programme of activities and opportunities for older people. The 2007-2008 brochure is widely available in libraries and other Council offices. The 2007 Get up and go awards celebrated the contribution individuals and groups make in promoting the principles of A City for All Ages and included a category celebrating intergenerational work. Information about the awards is published in the brochure. The Council's Culture and Sport service leads on this work. The 2008/2009 Get up and go brochure will be launched in October 2008.

Intergenerational Work

ACFAA promotes work between the generations. In 2006/2007, the Council distributed grant awards totaling £50,000 for projects for intergenerational work. A report to the Council Executive on the 28 November 2006 published on Council Papers Online (CPOL) details the successful bids. The projects reported back on their outcomes in December 2007. Earlier work included the production of an intergenerational Fear of Crime Video Resource pack, which can be borrowed from local libraries. In October 2007 the Scottish Government set up the Scottish Centre for Intergenerational Practice to share good practice and develop new opportunities for developing intergenerational working. In March 2008 The Council joined with Queen Margaret University to support the Centre's roadshow event in Edinburgh. The Royal Bank of Scotland Centre for the Older Person’s Agenda is based in Queen Margaret University.

World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Age-Friendly Cities Project

In November 2006 Edinburgh became a member of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Age-Friendly Cities project. An age-friendly city encourages active ageing by optimising opportunities for health, participation and security in order to enhance quality of life as people age. WHO has published a Global Age-Friendly Cities Guide (PDF, 1.90MB) and Checklist (PDF, 611KB).

Eurocities 2007

A City for all Ages was nominated for a EUROCITIES Award for Innovation 2007. The award recognised innovative city approaches to addressing the new challenges cities have to face as a result of demographic changes in all spheres of life. The awards ceremony took place at the EUROCITIES Conference and AGM 2007 in Gdansk in November 2007. The theme for the conference was demographic change and social inclusion.

Related Documents

A City for All Ages (ACFAA) and the Older People's Equality Forum (OPEF) Consultation Report, January - March 2006 (PDF, 234KB)

Active Ageing Conference Report, April 2006 (PDF, 172KB)