Louth represented at Integrated Care Programme for Older Persons National Meeting

A first of its kind meeting took place in the Ardboyne Hotel, Navan recently, the Integrated Care Programme for Older Persons (ICPOP) operational leads from around the country, including County Louth, met together to share knowledge and experience from their teams. 

Ireland has one of the fastest growing older populations in Europe; it is projected that by 2051, almost1.6 million of us will be over the age of 65, up from 630,000 in 2016. The increasing aging population is having a significant effect on the healthcare system, with older people utilising between 27% and 50% of all hospital beds. 

The Integrated Care Programme for Older Persons (ICPOP) seeks to change how current health and social care is delivered, by designing and delivering integrated care across local communities and hospitals between providers, older people and carers, with a strong focus on older people, aimed at keeping older people living well in their communities and providing timely access to services close to home. 

In Midlands Louth Meath CHO8, the four ICPOP teams (Meath, Louth, Laois/Offaly, Longford/Westmeath) are working together to develop integrated pathways between the local hospitals, community health and social services and voluntary agencies to make access to healthcare and community supports easier to navigate for older people and their families and carers.

Dearbhla Birdy, Operational Lead for Louth, said, “The National Leads coming to Navan for this meeting is a real endorsement of the work we currently have underway throughout Midlands Louth Meath CHO8. ICPOP’s work will have a direct impact on people living in the region for years to come, both from a social and healthcare point of view. I encourage anyone who is interested to go and learn more about ICPOP and how we can help you on the ICPOP website.”