Ireland is ageing and more and more people are living longer and better lives. A minority of older people, probably one in five of the 535,000 people aged 65 years and over, require some form of support. Less than 5% of older and more dependent people live full time in nursing homes and some face progressive decline in their ability to make and communicate decisions as a condition, such as dementia, develops over time.

For most older people the desire to live, and to die, in their own homes is of fundamental importance but many face challenges to their independence resulting from illness, disability, a lack of family and community supports or an inability to access well organised public services. In circumstances where people have to increasingly depend on others there is a need for support and advocacy so that the rights, freedoms and dignity of older people are promoted and protected and the voice of the older person is heard and not overruled by family or systems interests.

Our mission: To promote and protect the rights, freedoms and dignity of older people by developing support and advocacy services wherever ageing poses a challenge for individuals.

Sage is committed to addressing individual and systemic issues and to the development of quality standards for support and advocacy for older people through public consultation. The service was originally developed by the HSE in response to the Leas Cross scandal in May 2005. In June 2014 the HSE and The Atlantic Philanthropies committed to funding the redevelopment of the service, under the governance of Third Age, based on a model of core paid staff and well trained and supported volunteers. The focus of the service is being broadened to include further development in nursing homes and a phased development of support and advocacy services in home, primary care, hospital, hostel and hospice settings.

The Service is now recruiting for the following position: Research & Information Coordinator

This is fulltime position involving some irregular hours of working. The Job and Person Specification and the Application Form are available below.

For an informal discussion call Mervyn Taylor on +353 86 8227998 or email mervyn.taylor@sage.thirdageireland.ie