Category Archives: News

We are not a minority group

Grandparents and children

 

We need to use our voice to try to make things better for older people, because we are members of a large population. Just look at the figures …..

 

 

There are more people in the UK aged 60 and over, than there are under 18*

23,200,000         people, one third of the UK population, are 50 years of age and over.

3,500,000           people in the UK over the age of 65+ live alone

2,000,000           people aged 75+ live alone; of these, 1.5 million are women.

3,000,000           people aged 80 or over are living in the UK

As Emma Thompson (actress) once stated, ‘The trick is to age honestly and gracefully and make it look great, so that everyone looks forward to it’.

*(Source:  AgeUK)

Up to 3.7 million over 75s will pay for their TV licences

BBC licenceToday the BBC announced that it will only be funding free TV licences for those over 75, who are receiving pension credit. The corporation suggests that this is the fairest way to support the most financially challenged. The alternative would have been to severely reduce the services which the BBC provides and this was considered to be unacceptable. To read more, follow this link.

Patients and staff shut out of NHS transformation plans

ambulance_1701302c‘NHS England has told local health leaders not to reveal the plans to the public or the media until they are finalised and have been approved by their own officials first, according to published documents and a new analysis by the King’s Fund. The national body even told local managers to refuse applications from the media or the public to see the proposals under the Freedom of Information Act’. (Guardian 14.11.16). To find out more, please go to ‘Older People’s Issues – news items’ on the ‘Publications’ page.

Changes to supported bus services from April 2016

Dales busesFollowing North Yorkshire County Council’s recent review and consultation in relation to supported Local Bus Services, the Executive Committee met on Tuesday 8 December 2015 and agreed the overall strategy set out in the report which can be found here.

It was agreed that the budget for supporting bus services will be reduced to £1.5m per annum from April 2016. To see the timetable information for the revised services follow this link.

Older People in the Media 

Smiling 50s lady with umbrella

A selection of items from the Guardian.  Also …..

‘Better Shed than Dead’ This is a 2014 documentary about the Men’s Shed movement by director David George    http://www.bettershedthandead.co.uk

Aardman and the Bristol Ageing Better (BAB) have teamed up to create a short film illustrating local older people’s experience of social isolation in the city, and what they can do to be less lonely.http://www.aardman.com/aardman-create-film-for-bristol-ageing-better/

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Lots of news about current local events and groups

There are lots of new ventures and activity groups starting this month. Make sure you don’t miss any. They have all moved to the new ‘New Ventures & Special Events page’ in the ‘Events’ section ….. there’s plenty to read about. There’s also a new ‘Alerts’ page which highlights the latest news on issues which might affect you.

HARCVS

 

Also …..  there’s the latest edition of ‘Care in Action’.  Click here to read it