Simon Brooke Lecture 2025 – Age-Friendly Housing

Age-Friendly Housing: How Housing Policy can Shape Positive Ageing

The late Simon Brooke, whose memory is in honour of Clúid’s annual policy lecture, was former Board Member and later Head of Policy with Clúid, up until his untimely death in November 2019. Simon worked tirelessly to break the stigmas attached to social housing and to ensure that everyone in Ireland had a great place to live.

Simon’s willingness to challenge the status quo, advocating for policy change to improve people’s lives and his drive to collaborate and share knowledge, has shaped the social housing sector for the better. These are the qualities that led to the creation of the Simon Brooke Lecture.

The 2025 Simon Brooke Lecture will focus on Age-Friendly Housing in Ireland, the current issues surrounding funding and design for age-friendly homes, with an exploration of the challenges and benefits of rightsizing to assist older people to age in their communities.

There has been a lot of recent policy discussion about rightsizing, including Government objectives and action plans around rightsizing. Yet often what’s missing from these conversations is an emphasis on the housing options currently available to older people.

Many older people who wish to right-size and age in place, have limited options due to the lack of funding for age-friendly housing and a lack of age-friendly design. Our lecture will explore the rationale behind rightsizing, from the lens of a choice-based and voluntary policy tool, which can assist ageing in place.

We will discuss the challenges and benefits to rightsizing, looking at successful case studies from across Ireland. What role can Approved Housing Bodies and Local Authorities play in assisting people to right-size and age in their communities? How can Government policies help shape age-friendly housing?

Moreover, ageing in place is not only about the physical housing available, but a key part of the discussion will also explore how policies can keep people in their communities as their needs change and ways to prevent loneliness and isolation in older age.

This year’s lecture will include contributions from Age-Friendly Ireland, Co-Housing Communities Ireland, and Clann (Cluid’s age-friendly housing service) for a range of perspectives on this timely issue.

Date: 9th October 2025
Time: 5.30pm
Location: Royal Convention Centre, Ship Street Great, Dublin, D08 E6PD

Click here for further information about the event and to reserve your ticket, or visit eventbrite.com/e/simon-brooke-policy-lecture-2025-age-friendly-housing-tickets-1652346184919?aff=oddtdtcreator