New partnership launched to improve later life in Lincolnshire

The Centre for Ageing Better, Lincolnshire County Council and East Lindsay District Council are launching an exciting new partnership to help ensure more people in Lincolnshire live a good life as they get older.

Lincolnshire, like the rest of the UK, is undergoing a massive age shift. Almost a quarter of Lincolnshire’s population is over 65, compared to 18% nationally. 

The experience of living in rural areas as opposed to urban towns and cities is hugely different. The partnership, which will run for five years, will pilot new approaches, looking at what works at a local level in rural and coastal areas that can be shared locally, regionally and nationally. 

In the first instance the partnership will focus on the areas that can make a transformational difference to people’s later lives, including employment, homes, communities, and health. This will include: 

• Building on the levels of volunteering and community resilience shown during the COVID-19 lockdown  
• Increasing physical activity levels in the over 50s 
• Ensuring both new and existing housing is fit for Lincolnshire’s changing population 
• Encouraging businesses to adopt age-friendly employment practices. 

“We often hear about the challenges of growing older in rural areas, but we know too that places like Lincolnshire have many unique strengths: the voluntary sector is thriving, the county has an abundance of natural assets and there is a strong culture of collaboration between councils. 

“We look forward to working with Lincolnshire to ensure that everyone’s later years are lived in good health with financial security, meaning and purpose and social connections.”  

"We're excited to be chosen for this partnership. In Lincolnshire, we have our own specific characteristics – a rural county with a significant older, retired population, many of whom have settled towards our coastal region. 

“This is a great opportunity to support people through improved fitness, housing and employment initiatives. Together with our partners, we'll be looking to make a real positive difference to the health and wellbeing of our residents as they grow older." 

“We are extremely excited to be part of this important partnership. A lot of hard work has already taken place in the lead up to this point and we are in a good position having become the first District Council member of the UK Network of Age-friendly Communities earlier this year.  

“This partnership enables us to continue with that good work but to develop and pilot new initiatives locally focusing on helping our residents to live and age well in a way that is right for them. In doing this we can also focus on COVID recovery and economic prosperity in our communities. 

“If we find schemes that work in Lincolnshire, these can be recognised and used as best practice at a national level.”