Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council is proud to be supporting International Day of Older Persons 2024.
This year’s theme is: “The part we play”: Celebrating the integral role of older people in our communities.
Older people play an integral part in connecting our communities and neighbourhoods; as workers, carers, volunteers and advocates. However, these critical contributions are often unnoticed or limited by ageism and other social and physical boundaries.
Alongside helping others, volunteering has been shown to improve social connections, enhance our sense of purpose and self-esteem. Paid work can have a positive impact on wellbeing as well as finances. Despite this, many older people find themselves encountering barriers to getting involved in all the ways they would like to.
Merthyr Tydfil has an ageing population, with 39.6% of residents aged 50+ in 2021, up 3.6% since 2011 (ONS 2021), +13.3% increase (from 2011 to 2021) in people aged 65+ living in Merthyr Tydfil (National Survey for Wales 2021/22).
We all have a part to play in ensuring our communities and neighbourhoods are great places to age, whilst celebrating and enabling the contributions of older people. Merthyr Tydfil CBC aim to join the UK Network of Age-friendly Communities to support us in celebrating the integral role of older people in our communities, alongside ensuring that services available to support our ageing population are fit for purpose moving forward.
On this International Day of Older People, we are celebrating all older people and the vital part they play, and have the potential to play, in making our community a better place to be.
If you are looking for information regarding volunteering then please contact Frances Barry at Voluntary Action Merthyr Tydfil, or if your query is around support for people aged 50+ please contact your local Community Coordinator at Voluntary Action Merthyr Tydfil on 01685 353900
