With over 60 years of shared history to draw on, Age Concern NI and Help the Aged in NI joined together in April 2009 to create a powerful new voice for older people

•Our mission: to enhance and improve the lives of older people

•Our vision: to create a world where older people flourish

The two legacy charities cared for many, campaigned for change, and created vital products and services. In the last year, with the support of our partners and stakeholders we made a positive impact on 158,000 older people. If those experiences made one thing clear, it’s that there is strength in numbers which is why Age Concern NI and Help the Aged in Northern Ireland became one – Age NI.

The world is getting older. The UN has called the current global ageing trend a situation ‘without parallel in the history of humanity.’ Here in Northern Ireland, our very own society is ageing. There are more people living here over the age of 50 than under the age of 19. In the next twenty years, the number of people over 50 will increase by more than 30%. An ageing demographic like this carries significant consequences for the fabric of our community. It changes how we plan the way we live; education systems, health and social care, work life, family life. It affects older people now and in the future.

This means that policy decisions taken today will influence how our current teenagers live in the next thirty years and beyond. It’s important that this message is delivered and acted upon now.

That’s why Age NI exists – we want to make people think differently about what it means to get older because age affects everyone in many different ways.