2 kay-local government and ageing in different environments final

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Local Government and Ageing in different environments Presentation to International Federation on Ageing Conference Prague May 2012 Margaret Kay Senior Policy Officer, Ageing and Disability Dr Peter Phibbs, Dr Elizabeth O’Brien University of Western Sydney

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Page 1: 2 kay-local government and ageing in different environments final

Local Government and

Ageing in different

environments

Presentation to International Federation on Ageing Conference

Prague May 2012

Margaret Kay

Senior Policy Officer, Ageing and Disability

Dr Peter Phibbs, Dr Elizabeth O’Brien University of Western Sydney

Page 2: 2 kay-local government and ageing in different environments final

Outline

Climate and Local Government

1. Local Government and Ageing project

2. Older people on the move

3. Effects of extreme climates on older people &

Council responses: • Sea level rises

• Flash flood

• Bush fire

• Heat wave

• Drought

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1. Local Government and

Ageing project

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Local Government and Ageing

Project

• Funded by Ageing, Disability and Home

Care, NSW Government 2010

• Partner with Local Government and Shires

Associations NSW

• 11 rural councils

• 9 metropolitan councils

Page 5: 2 kay-local government and ageing in different environments final

What NSW councils do

NSW:

• 152 councils – Ranging in size from

5 km2 to 53,000 km2

– Populations from

1,400 to 284,000

Council is: • Service provider

• Planner, regulator

• Manager of built and natural environment

• Community advocate

Page 6: 2 kay-local government and ageing in different environments final

Project aims

• social and economic contribution of older

people

• identify the magnitude of costs for Local

Government of an ageing population

• financial impact

• range of council services affected

• potential impacts on council’s revenue

raising capacity

Page 7: 2 kay-local government and ageing in different environments final

Findings

Value of older people as community members

Councils are expected to provide:

• Community transport

• Footpaths, paths for mobility scooters

• Bus shelters (weather protection)

• Services nearby

• Facilities for visiting populations

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Climate, councils and ageing

• Good climate =

– Older people as travellers

– Grey nomads need infrastructure

– Retirement lifestyles - sea/tree change

• Extreme climate =

– Older People’s care in extremes

– Engineering solutions compete with age friendliness

Page 9: 2 kay-local government and ageing in different environments final

2. Older people on the move

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Climate for lifestyle and

tourism – NSW north coast

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Page 13: 2 kay-local government and ageing in different environments final

Casino RV village NSW

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Sea and tree change

LIFESTYLE CHOICES

• Sea change =

move to coast

• Tree change =

move to countryside

Page 16: 2 kay-local government and ageing in different environments final

Pressures on councils

• Population ages

• Pressures on council services:

– garbage collection

– community transport

– community care

– cemeteries

Page 17: 2 kay-local government and ageing in different environments final

3. Effects of extreme climates

on older people & council

responses

Page 18: 2 kay-local government and ageing in different environments final

My Country

..I love a sunburnt country, A land of sweeping plains, Of ragged mountain ranges, Of droughts and flooding rains. I love her far horizons, I love her jewel-sea, Her beauty and her terror - The wide brown land for me!

Dorothea Mackellar (1885 - 1968)

Page 19: 2 kay-local government and ageing in different environments final

Challenge for councils

In NSW, councils deal with a range of events:

• Sea level rises

• Flash flood

• Bush fire

• Heat wave

• Drought

Page 20: 2 kay-local government and ageing in different environments final

Council responses

• Planning and building controls

• Engineering and road works

• Council facilities

• Health support

• Social support

Page 21: 2 kay-local government and ageing in different environments final

Sea level rises

Page 22: 2 kay-local government and ageing in different environments final

Rising sea level

• 85% Australians live near coast

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• 60,000 homes in NSW affected by 1.1 m sea

level rise = $18.7 billion

(Climate Commission 2011)

Page 24: 2 kay-local government and ageing in different environments final

Coastal erosion

Page 25: 2 kay-local government and ageing in different environments final

Council response – coastal

management policy

• Sea walls, groynes, sand pumping

• Planned retreat policies

• Planning certificate notifications

• Coastal management fee

• Council may be liable for future damages

Page 26: 2 kay-local government and ageing in different environments final

Sea level rise issues for older

people

• Right to protect individual property

• Housing Security

• Fees?

• Insurance premiums

• Modifications?

• Caravan park dwellers

Page 27: 2 kay-local government and ageing in different environments final

Flash flood

Page 28: 2 kay-local government and ageing in different environments final

Flash flood Broken Hill

• 10 mm in 2 hours

• Winds 70 km/hr

• Hail

• Lightning

• Power cuts in 6,000

homes

Page 29: 2 kay-local government and ageing in different environments final

Flash flood Broken Hill

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Council response – levee bank

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High kerbs

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Flood issues for older people

• Health

– Mosquitoes

– Water quality

– Sewerage overflow

– Mould – asthma

• Pedestrian access difficult with high kerbs

• Isolation

– food services

– care

Page 33: 2 kay-local government and ageing in different environments final

Services- meals on wheels

• Oats afloat?

• Toast in a boat

• Tea at sea?

Canterbury, NSW Meals On Wheels

Page 34: 2 kay-local government and ageing in different environments final

Bushfire

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Bushfire

• Increase in very high fire danger days

• 2002, 100+

homes destroyed (Joint Select Committee on Bushfires 2002)

Page 36: 2 kay-local government and ageing in different environments final

Dean Street in Long Gully, west of Bendigo Wikipedia

Ku-ring-gai Council

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Council response – safer places

Ku-ring-gai Council

Rural Fire Service NSW

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Bushfire issues for older people

• Residential aged care – edges of towns

• Isolation

• Dangerous behaviours – gutters

• Breathing difficulties

Page 39: 2 kay-local government and ageing in different environments final

Heat wave

Page 40: 2 kay-local government and ageing in different environments final

Council responses - plans

• Warnings

• Local government heatwave plan

• Information on health risks and prevention

• Safe public places that are air conditioned

such as libraries, movie theatres, council

buildings

Page 41: 2 kay-local government and ageing in different environments final

Heat wave issues for older people

• Power failure

• Heat stroke

• Affect on medications and life equipment

• Dehydration – toilet stops

• Living alone or homeless

• Death

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Lake Macquarie Council, NSW Health Victoria

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Stay cool

www.popbitch .com

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Drought

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Drought

• 1997 – 2009

• 2003 worst

on record

CSIRO BOM 2008 Drought Exceptional circumstances

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Council response - water

• Trucking in water in

some rural areas

• Water saving rules

• Emergency pipeline

• Social supports for

isolated farmers

- outreach

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Drought issues for older people

• Rural population is ageing at a faster rate

• Exhaustion

• Selling farms processes complicated

• Hospitalisations due to stress

• Social isolation of aged farmers

• Water restrictions

• Water quality

Page 48: 2 kay-local government and ageing in different environments final

Council and climate

for older people

• Respond to locals and tourists

• Infrastructure

• Information

• Support and capacity building in climatic extremes

Report:

http://www.adhc.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/file/0005/250826/20_OBrien_and_Phibbs_2011_Local_Govt_Ageing.pdf