There’s a lot of great innovative work going on to improve the lives of older people. Here’s an example of something from Leeds. Amongst other work, Leeds recently launched a new web-based information store. As well as being accessible over the internet, it’s being promoted through a number of community-based centres in Leeds where people who are not used to this sort of technology can get help to become more comfortable with it. Rob Cook is the development manager in Leeds who has set this up. Central government provided the initial project funding through the LinkAge Plus initiative. Here’s Rob’s thoughts on a project with enormous potential to improve access to services and opportunities to older people in Leeds. You can see the site yourself at http://www.olderpeopleleeds.info/view.aspx?id=15

I’ve been working on the Infostore for older people in Leeds since last April. It’s been a rewarding and frustrating experience. Rewarding - because the value and importance of good information for older people is so clear to me. Information lets people know what’s out there, and then, hopefully, enables them to make their own choices. Ideally this then leads to greater independence, better health and well-being, appropriate use of a wide range of services and generally more fulfilling lives. Simple - isn’t it?

Frustrating - because the timescales for this project haven’t allowed me to do things as I would really have liked. Don’t get me wrong - I fully accept the importance of actually getting something done, and out there, not just talking about it. There’s always a danger that quality will be sacrificed in haste. I would have liked more time to build up the best possible relationships, to really explore what goes on elsewhere, and to research, gather and check a broader range of data.

Despite this the feedback has been excellent. The only negativity about the Infostore so far has been its gaps – there is even more that people want to know about. And I entirely agree with them. The good thing about this is that it will change - I’m very clear that Infostore is a work in progress, and we will be able to plug the gaps. The other thing to remember (for me, as well as everyone else) is it’s a website! As such, it will always be a work in progress, never finished, always able to develop, change, adapt.

If we assume, that we plug the important gaps, and that Infostore becomes a valuable fixture on the Leeds scene, where do we go with it next?

I would like to engage more fully with older people, carers and yes, even relevant professionals, to create a constant flow of relevant information - updating, checking, questioning, suggesting new topics and new ideas.
I’d like people to be able to personalise the information available to them, to make it even more valuable.

And I’d really like to stimulate a richer form of information - where older people have an appropriate place to share their thoughts and experiences…not just about services (though that would be useful) but about whatever they want to share.

What do you think?

Rob Cook
Development Manager, Leeds LinkAge Plus information project.

By Mervyn Eastman

“You know, they listen but they don‘t hear!”

If you work at representing the views of older people, you are likely to have have heard this a thousand times. A statement that sums up the feelings of a large number of older people who engage with Local authorities, Primary Care Trusts and the myriad of other organisations who now ‘engage’

How do we get away from this feeling of powerlessness? Better Government for Older People (BGOP), in conjunction with the Policy Studies Institute, released ‘Beyond the tick box’, a report that looks across the UK with a survey of 8 study sites the UK and how older people are engaged.

The studies findings demonstrate that what people say they want to achieve by asking for the views of older people, is not the same thing as what they actually do. Engagement processes can so often be viewed as ends in themselves, rather than as ways of thinking and working with older people.

Do Local Authorities ask, when they begin to work with older people, what sort of relationship they want with their older citizens? If a Local Authority is looking for a fairly cheap tick box process; a forum that can meet regularly and engage occasionally, can this become a significant driver for change? Do older people‘s forums, groups etc, ask themselves what sort of relationship they want with the Local Authority? Too frequently, in our experience engagement processes between older people and those who have the power to deliver change are derailed because it was not clear what both sides wanted.

We found 6 key messages.

1. Health and social care issues predominate the Local Authorities thinking about older people.
2. Traditional models of consultation and information sharing are favoured by the Local Authorities.
3. The means of engagement determine those included and excluded.
4. The most innovative forum of engagement typically contains an element of informality.
5. Older citizen engagement is a complex activity requiring added skills and experience and adequate resources.
6. Local engagement processes need to be mainstreamed across the whole council and its departments.

These six key messages thus represent a challenge for all of us involved in partnerships that have been established to ensure that older people‘s citizenship, aspirations, concerns and needs are met on their own terms. Not on the basis of “I‘m old so I must necessarily be right, you‘re an official so you must necessarily be wrong” but rather based on a relationship of mutual, trust and respect, where we genuinely believe we can do more working together than independently, and where cynicism is not the predominant mindset underpinning engagement.

What are your experiences of engagement, how does it work in your area? Do you have knowledge that you wish to share, good, bad or even ugly!

Mervyn Eastman is the Director of Better Government for Older People. BGOP exists to challenge and change attitudes through assisting the public sector to promote and encourage older people’s engagement and citizenship in all aspects of service delivery to improve the lives of all older people (50 plus).

‘Beyond the tick box’ can be accessed at: http://www.peopleandparticipation.net/display/Participationlibrary/Beyond+the+tick+box+-Older+Citizen+Engagement+in+UK+Local+Government

Just a short note to wish readers and contributors to this dialogue site seasons greetings and best wishes for 2008 from the Team.  I would like to thank you for visiting the site and for contributions on a range of topics, many have been thought provoking . I hope these will continue over the festive period and into the New Year.

Mike

Today I’d like to discuss what for some is a sensitive issue. Just what do we mean by old age? When does a person become an ‘older person’?

A lot of people are concerned when the Government talk about ‘over 50s’. This point was raised by one of our readers, Richard Ciechan, who commented:

“Over 50” is a very popular categorisation but somewhat misconceived… concepts such as aged and elderly and concerns over frailty and vulnerability may only become appropriate for those reaching their eighties and above.

Richard makes a very good point. It is important that we don’t give the impression that we treat everyone over the age of 50 the same. It is quite obvious that somone in their fifties may have radically different aspirations and desires to someone in their eighties or nineties.

The reason we talk about ‘over 50s’ is because it was felt that this was the age at which people might start to think seriously about their retirement (which for some might only be ten years away).

Have we got this right, or should we ditch all talk of ‘over 50s’? What do you think?

Mark

FACT: The population is getting older.

FACT: By 2020 a third of the workforce will be aged over 50 and by 2025 almost half the adult population in the UK will be aged 50 and over.

A challenge? Undoubtedly.

An opportunity? Most definitely. Put simply, thanks to age discrimination legislation introduced last October, if you’re an older worker your chances of finding and keeping a job have just got better.

It’s not just the population that is changing. So too are employers’ attitudes. Businesses are increasingly aware of the skills and experience that older workers can provide. Most of us already knew this, of course…

Jobcentre Plus recently backed it up with evidence by talking to younger and older workers themselves about their views. What did they say? Older workers offer employers experience, transferable skills, commitment and reliability.

This proves that the right balance of age and skills can bring loads of benefits to a workforce. That’s why now is the perfect time for anyone looking to get back into work to take the next step.

It is wrong that age would prevent anyone from working. It’s even worse that for many older people it’s simply a lack of self-confidence holding them back. Anyone thinking about re-entering the world of work shouldn’t doubt their abilities, or be put off by the prospect of preparing their CV, or completing application forms. I hate forms as much as the next person, but there’s plenty of free info and advice available for everyone through Jobcentre Plus. Getting back into work needn’t be intimidating, and Jobcentre Plus advisors might just be the helping hand that makes the difference.

For more information contact Jobcentre Plus (telephone details are available in the phone book) or visit www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk).

Christine Ashdown

Extending Working Lives team

Department for Work & Pensions

Today I want to talk about Village Agents. This is a scheme currently being piloted by Gloucestershire County Council. A Village Agent is a local volunteer who offers help and support to older people in the most rurally isolated parishes in Gloucestershire.

There are currently thirty Village Agents in Gloucestershire who act as a focal point for the older people in their parish. They can visit older people in their homes, provide high quality information, put people in direct contact with the service they need, or simply help develop a sense of community spirit.

Village Agents were particularly active during the widespread flooding over the summer, which hit Gloucestershire particularly hard. They ensured that older people were well looked after during those stressful times.

So what do you think of the concept of Village Agents? Perhaps you are one, or have been helped by one. Are there any similar schemes in your own area? Let me know what you think.

Regards

Mark

Recently published research among 1000 people aged 50+ produced the ultimate wish list of 60 goals for the over 60s. This list is available at:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/campaigns/generationXperience/DG_070864

I found this list intriguing, amusing and was surprised by some of the goals. Some of my aspirations are contained in this list, such as seeing my children get married and going on safari; some have been achieved - I have run a couple of half marathons which, I consider, constitutes running a full marathon! Like most people, I aspire to winning the lottery but I have parked this under the category of fantasy!

I am keen to hear your views about this list (which was under no particular order). With your help it would be interesting to see what are considered the top 10 goals. Do any of your goals appear on this list or are there any you would add? I would be also be interested to hear about goals which you have achieved.

Continue reading ‘60 goals for the over 60s’

Thank you for your contributions to this website.

The Older People’s Day appears to have been a great success. I attended the event at Tower Hamlets and not even the wet weather could  detract from the enthusiasm of the many older and younger people who attended this event.   

What are your views?  Is this an accurate reflection about the day?   

The site is very much in its infancy, having only become live last Friday, but links to other sites are being developed this week.  I also hope that interest will be generated from “word of mouth”, issues arising from discussions and topics introduced over coming weeks.

Kind regards

Mike  

My name is Mike Moore and I work for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), Older People and Ageing Society Division.The DWP is interested in hearing your views, hopes, experiences and concerns about the lives of those over 50. We’ve set up this website as a way of collecting and responding to your ideas (see the About page).

Members of the GenerationXperience team at the (DWP) will respond to your comments every weekday. Your contributions won’t go up immediately – we need to check them over first (see our Moderation Policy).

Continue reading ‘What this site is about’

This is the first time the UK has held an Older People’s Day to celebrate the achievements of older people and the major contribution they make to society. There is a coordinated programme of events nationwide throughout October. These include:

• Regional music, dance and art events
• Dance demonstrations with celebrity guests in central London
• Help the Aged Friendly Cities Initiative

The UK Older People’s Day has key objectives. These are to:

• raise awareness of the choices and entitlements that are available for older people and those approaching later life.
• challenge negative stereotypes of ageing to help shift society’s attitudes towards older people

I am keen to hear your views on the following:

Continue reading ‘What does the Older People’s Day on 1 October 2007 mean to you?’