A City for All Ages

A City for All Ages is about improving opportunities and services for older people in Edinburgh, removing discrimination and challenging attitudes about older people. A City for All Ages has been implemented through Edinburgh's Plan for Older People and the action plans covering the years from 2000 to 2010. The involvement of older people and joint working between the Council, NHS Lothian and other partners in the public, voluntary and commercial sectors is a key theme of A City for All Ages. In November 2006 Edinburgh became a member of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Age-Friendly Cities project.

A City for All Ages Evaluation and Future Arrangements

In 2010 the Edinburgh Voluntary Organisations' Council (EVOC) was commissioned by the City of Edinburgh Council to produce an evaluation report of A City for All Ages. This report and accompanying appendices are published in the download section on this page.  A report to the Council's Policy and Strategy Committee on the 17 May 2011 describes the findings from this evaluation and agreed proposals to mainstream A City for All Ages into existing structures and action planning. A progress report will be submitted to the Council in mid-2012.

A City for All Ages Aims

Make Edinburgh a place where older people can live positive, contributing lives as valued citizens

• Ensure that the city has a positive approach to older people in all its services and functions
• Enable as many older people as possible to participate in inclusive, mainstream activities
• Address effectively the wider issues most commonly cited by older people as problematic - transport, income levels, advice and information, community and road safety and the local environment
• Enable vulnerable older people to remain supported in their own homes for as long as possible with a good quality of life
• Ensure the welfare and continuing social inclusion of those living in nursing and residential homes.

Since 2007, Edinburgh's Plan for Older People was developed in line with the Scottish Government's report "All Our Futures: Planning for a Scotland with an Ageing Population" and the key priorities:

• Older people taking responsibility for their own future
• Supporting intergenerational activity
• Employment opportunities for people aged 50 plus
• Businesses developing suitable services and products for older people
• Support and care for older people (The Live Well in Later Life plan is the Council and NHS Lothian's Joint Capacity Plan and Commissioning Strategy for 2008-2018)