SPEECH BY PRESIDENT MARY McALEESE AT THE AGE ACTION IRELAND 1ST NATIONAL CONFERENCE
SPEECH BY PRESIDENT MARY McALEESE AT THE AGE ACTION IRELAND 1ST NATIONAL CONFERENCE “ADVOCACY AND OLDER PEOPLE IN IRELAND”
Firstly let me say delighted I am to be with you this morning – and to have this opportunity to join you for the National Conference on Advocacy and Older People – which is a major part of a process by and for older people to value their contribution to society as older people – and to explore the many aspects of advocacy in a society that is changing rapidly and pushing out the boundaries of challenge and opportunities to all age groups in a really exciting time. So I want to use my presence here this morning to give affirmation and recognition to what you are doing – and I am grateful to Age Action Ireland – and Robin Webster in particular – for giving me this honour.
At the outset it is important to recognise the very tangible contribution and sacrifices which have been made by older people in building the strong and vibrant economy that we have in Ireland today - and also the less visible but equally important contribution made by older people in the community, in passing on those values which give us such a stable and caring society in this country.
It is, of course, particularly appropriate that your Conference is being held as we embark on 1999, the UN-designated International Year for Older People. The Year’s theme “Towards Society of All Ages” is very appropriate, suggesting an inter-generational solidarity and interdependence between the different ages – while, at the same time, emphasising the contribution that older people have made, and will continue to make, in our society.
The remarkable advances in health care and health education mean that life expectancies continue to increase. The astonishing pace of progress in the medical field – which almost weekly announcements of breakthroughs in treatments and cures – means tat the prospect for even longer life expectancies in the years ahead are very real indeed. Of course, as we add on years to living, the opportunity – even the obligation – arises to continually challenge attitudes towards ageing. Older people are a resource by virtue even of their vast reservoir of skills and experience – not to mention their ability and eagerness to continue to work for their communities and for society with their talents and acquired skills. And as I said, the advances in the medical field are reflected in proven statistics which show that older people will become increasingly numerous well into the new Millennium. Of course, this is not to say that they are, or will be, an amorphous, homogeneous entity. All people are unique in and to themselves – and all of have our own contribution to make. We are all shaped by our life experiences and our life choices.
Choice and the power to choose, to exercise options, is crucial to living a fulfilled and enriched life. On an occasion such as this, one is reminded of the old adage “Information is power”. It is the means by which control is exerted by a person over their life-choices. Rights and entitlements, which can only serve to improve the quality of life, cannot be articulated until awareness is born and encouraged.
The right to know and make an informed judgement is essential in underpinning our fundamental civic and social rights. However, information must not only be available but properly targeted and presented. Many people are not equipped with the skills to elicit the information necessary to solve particular problems in their lives – albeit episodic. While this is true of any age group, older people have specific needs which dictate that information be imparted, through a range of channels and in a way that emphasises parity, equality of access, self-determination and dignity.
Today, we are racing into the information age – with the new communications technologies and advances in computer developments making it possible for more and more people to get easy access to a whole world of information – and to communicate with ease at all levels. Earlier this year I launched a Cyber-skills workshop in Dublin – where the Library Service in Blanchardstown have opened a facility for people to come and learn about using the Internet and surfing the web. While I was there, I was given a demonstration on using the Internet by a number of older people – who had no difficulty in coming to grips with the technology – and who proved that it is possible for everybody to join the information society and to grasp the opportunities that are coming our way to greatly enhance the quality of our lives through communication and information.
This conference covers many aspects of advocacy – and is an opportunity for you to explore the issues which arise in the many areas that affect the lives of older people. It is to the great credit of Age Action Ireland that this conference has come about – and I want to commend them on what they have done in bring the issue to where it is today. Age Action Ireland – which was the co-ordinator of the first project on advocacy and older people in Europe in 1997, involving seven partner organisations in three EU countries with financial support from the European Commission – has also been involved in setting up two pilot projects in volunteer advocacy and carers’ advocacy – and both of these are being presented at the conference by staff and users. Through this work and through its ongoing work in stimulating debate about advocacy through seminars, conferences and workshops, Age Action Ireland has been doing invaluable work in asserting the rights and responsibilities of older people – and in imparting a higher level of self-confidence. That represents a major contribution to so many lives – an enrichment in the quality of their lives – and an encouragement to continue to make their contribution to society.
I wish you well in this important conference, which I hope will be as enjoyable and stimulating as it will be informative.
ENDS