Ireland's first age-friendly town is in Kildare

Ireland’s first Age Friendly Estate has been launched at Castlefen, Sallins.

Local TD and Minister for State at the Department of Transport and at the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, James Lawless and Kildare County Council cathaoirleach Joe Neville attended the official ceremony on Friday September 6. 

The official launch marked the completion of works at Castlefen in a project supported by Kildare County Council, Kildare Age Friendly Alliance, Age Friendly Ireland and Castlefen Residents Association. 

Castlefen is now considered a demonstrator model for housing estates that want to adopt this process and be more prepared to support their ageing communities. Age Friendly Ireland will showcase the work of Castlefen as a model of good practice nationally and internationally.

The AFI programme supports cities, counties and towns across Ireland to prepare for the rapid ageing of our population by paying increased attention to the environmental, economic and social factors that influence the health and well-being of older adults.

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The programme  provides walkable streets, housing and transportation options, access to key services and opportunities for older people to participate in community activities. By doing so, these communities are better equipped to become, where appropriate, lifelong homes for people of all ages.

This initiative came from the  Castelfen residents themselves. The whole community of Castlefen supported the project and all of the improvements carried out to date were as a result of needs identified by the older residents themselves. During the research phase of this audit it became clear that Castlefen has a larger number than average of older residents and people with disabilities which makes its implementation even more important.