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7 Fermanagh and Omagh District Council The Fermanagh Omagh AFA recognises the cross sectoral nature of the Age Friendly agenda. Our ageing population has an impact on a range of policy areas including health, transport, infrastructure and inclusion. Provision of a tailored action plan will better enable strategic partners and service providers respond to the needs of older citizens across FODC, seeking to improve access to services and adopting Age Friendly delivery practices to enable the District’s older people to lead independent, engaged and socially connected lives. This includes the opportunity to participate in community life through removal of barriers and contributing to decision making on issues impacting older people. Defining Age Friendly The WHO developed the Age Friendly Communities Framework in consultation with older people, aiming to connect cities, communities and organisations across the globe with a shared vision of establishing their region as a positive place to grow old through its eight cross-cutting domains. The Framework recognises that Age Friendly environments are created by developing and promoting accessible, empowered, inclusive and safe communities where age is not an obstacle to living well and where infrastructure, activities and services are accessible to older people. This vision can only be achieved if the wellbeing and participation of older people is valued and encouraged by all stakeholders, including statutory bodies, service providers, community and voluntary based groups. To enable this, Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, in partnership with SWAP, set up the Age Friendly Alliance to ensure a co-ordinated approach which avoids duplication and adds value to service delivery where possible. Participation by SWAP in the AFA also ensures direct engagement with older people and the ability for partners to reach older people across the District through SWAP member groups and cluster meetings. Further consideration of Age Friendly governance and structures are set out later in the strategy and provides a people centred approach for partnership working and efficient delivery.