ABSTRACT
This chapter shares the story of Mid & East Antrim Agewell Partnership (Agewell) a small charity based in Ballymena, Northern Ireland. It provides support to older people living in the wider Mid and East Antrim area using an assets-based community development approach to improve health outcomes through a variety of health interventions, which help older people feel better physically, better emotionally and be better connected.
The key to Agewell’s success is its focus on partnership working, which brings together key stakeholders including the community and voluntary sector, statutory bodies, the private sector and, most importantly, older people themselves, harnessing lived experience for a true co-production model. This collaborative working model doesn’t just help with everyday health and well-being; it also uses the power of local communities, to facilitate a safe and welcoming space for discussion around challenging subjects such as death and dying.
