Commitments to fostering healthy ageing can be effective at all levels of government, as demonstrated by Paul McGarry’s exemplary work in improving the lives of older people in Greater Manchester (United Kingdom), especially those ageing in the context of life-long deprivation and poverty. Paul McGarry has been influential in developing pioneering approaches to increasing the power and influence of older people within local government and related institutions.
A key element of this work was developing innovative forums where older people came together to debate issues affecting them within Manchester, noteworthy amongst these being: Manchester Older People's Board, and the establishment of the Valuing Older People Neighbourhood Networks (2004). This activity stimulated several outstanding initiatives, for example the (now annual) Festival of Ageing and the Positive Images Campaign, and the development of the Age-Friendly Culture Programme (2009), bringing together 20 arts organisations across Greater Manchester (GM) to encourage older people’s involvement in cultural activity.
A major achievement of Paul McGarry has been to spearhead the development of age-friendly environments across the Greater Manchester Region, influencing in the process work on healthy ageing issues by the 10 local authorities who comprise the region. This has been realised through Paul’s initiative in developing the Greater Manchester Ageing Hub, a strategic body which – uniquely for any local authority in the UK – combines the work of local government, older people’s organisations, voluntary bodies, housing associations, and health and social care, in developing interventions to support older people across the region. The Ageing Hub has played particularly crucial roles in responding swiftly to the COVID-19 pandemic, addressing social isolation in later life, and working to reduce digital exclusion – through its innovative structure that directly connects government bodies with grassroots organisations, ensuring that older people’s needs and perspectives are heard and responded to.