Stockport Council is welcoming feedback from residents on how the borough could be improved for older residents.

Residents young and old are invited to share their views in an online consultation, which will be open until 15 December.

The council seeks to increase the healthy life age for all residents of the borough, and make the area more accessible and enjoyable for older residents.

In particular, this involves reducing the difference in life expectancy between the least and most deprived areas - at current, those in the least deprived areas live around 10 years longer than those in the most deprived areas.

(Image - Alexander Greensmith)

These ideas are set out in the council's 'Adult and Social Care Action Plan'.

Some of the current proposals in that plan are:

• Design health and social care services to be "age-friendly, simple and accessible, and support people to stay well at home, prevent illness or its progression".
• A more 'thoughtful' approach to social environments so that older people can enjoy them more - this includes more public benches, lighting, and toilets.
• Ensuring that housing is more age-friendly
• Promoting business and employment opportunities for the over 50s
• Refreshing the borough's dementia strategy

You can respond to these ideas and more by visiting the consultation page here.

As part of the consultation, you'll be asked what you think of the current plans for ageing well, the most important parts, and any further thoughts.

There are text boxes to give your answers, as opposed to multiple choice.

Stockport has the oldest average population in Greater Manchester (Image - Alexander Greensmith)

Stockport has the oldest population out of Greater Manchester's ten boroughs, and the older population is expected to grow further in the coming years.

A council spokesperson said: "It is in everyone's interest for us to tackle this health inequality and increase the healthy life years for everyone in Stockport.

"Even though ageing is a natural process, it does not inevitably result in disability, disease, and dependency. We all want to age well, be respected and valued, enjoy work, family and friends, and a sense of purpose, regardless of age, and remain well and active for as long as possible."

Respond to the consultation here.

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