Here's a cutting from my local newspaper, the Surrey Comet. Click on the picture....
Ann
Ann Macfarlane OBE
Wednesday 17 July 2013
Cutting from my local paper
Here's a cutting from my local newspaper, the Surrey Comet. Click on the picture....
Ann
Monday 8 July 2013
On being thankful for the many things that older age has brought to life.....
The Launch of: Older Age: the route to 21st Century Wellbeing - Royal Festival Hall: 26th June 2013
“No loneliness at this event; when older people were feisty, animated, sharing stories and joking”
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An electric event. It’s testamount to how much more confident older people feel these days that many were throwing questions at Care Services Minister Norman Lamb, Observer journalist Katherine Whitehorn and film-makers, including those from ITV. They were all joining in discussions on the serious and growing issue of age - older age.We were there to hear about the project report’s findings of the “The Shaping our Age” research.
This was the culmination of a three-year Lottery-funded project and was undertaken by the Royal Voluntary Service (previously known as the Women’s Royal Voluntary Service), Brunel University and De Montfort University. The Older Peoples’ Reference Group, there to advise and steer the Project, was represented by older people from the four nations. I chaired the Reference Group during the three years.
In the research it was discovered that older people, that is those 65 and older, do not feel old; they do not want to be labelled thus, and they certainly do not want to be patronised and treated as children. Much of the research focused on loneliness and the lack of social connectedness and visual examples were given of how in bringing people together and offering a choice of activities, engenders a sense of 'well being.'.
Loneliness can be endemic as one grows older and often occurs when adult children leave home, a partner dies or if community contact becomes non-existent or fast diminishes.
Yet, on this sunny launch day it was almost impossible to conjure up a picture of loneliness, when older people were feisty, animated, sharing stories and joking. It was a time for celebration and older people were at the heart of it.
So what makes up this major issue of loneliness? There are no easy answers so the learning from the report should be taken seriously; it is a source of practical support in working out what works.
On the homeward journey I had time to ponder on the findings of the research and the day's events and I was thankful for the many things that older age has brought to life. For me I am blessed with what was missing when I was younger; family, friends, mobility, and sufficient resources to buy a cup of tea! Those are some of the things that are more likely to have been experienced by most when younger, not older.
Launch day for the report brought to the fore what is needed now and for people to act on the findings and achieve positive outcomes for those whose life in older age is lonely and diminished in different ways.
Ann Macfarlane
June 2013
“No loneliness at this event; when older people were feisty, animated, sharing stories and joking”
====================================================================
An electric event. It’s testamount to how much more confident older people feel these days that many were throwing questions at Care Services Minister Norman Lamb, Observer journalist Katherine Whitehorn and film-makers, including those from ITV. They were all joining in discussions on the serious and growing issue of age - older age.We were there to hear about the project report’s findings of the “The Shaping our Age” research.
This was the culmination of a three-year Lottery-funded project and was undertaken by the Royal Voluntary Service (previously known as the Women’s Royal Voluntary Service), Brunel University and De Montfort University. The Older Peoples’ Reference Group, there to advise and steer the Project, was represented by older people from the four nations. I chaired the Reference Group during the three years.
In the research it was discovered that older people, that is those 65 and older, do not feel old; they do not want to be labelled thus, and they certainly do not want to be patronised and treated as children. Much of the research focused on loneliness and the lack of social connectedness and visual examples were given of how in bringing people together and offering a choice of activities, engenders a sense of 'well being.'.
Loneliness can be endemic as one grows older and often occurs when adult children leave home, a partner dies or if community contact becomes non-existent or fast diminishes.
Yet, on this sunny launch day it was almost impossible to conjure up a picture of loneliness, when older people were feisty, animated, sharing stories and joking. It was a time for celebration and older people were at the heart of it.
So what makes up this major issue of loneliness? There are no easy answers so the learning from the report should be taken seriously; it is a source of practical support in working out what works.
On the homeward journey I had time to ponder on the findings of the research and the day's events and I was thankful for the many things that older age has brought to life. For me I am blessed with what was missing when I was younger; family, friends, mobility, and sufficient resources to buy a cup of tea! Those are some of the things that are more likely to have been experienced by most when younger, not older.
Launch day for the report brought to the fore what is needed now and for people to act on the findings and achieve positive outcomes for those whose life in older age is lonely and diminished in different ways.
Ann Macfarlane
June 2013
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