Power to the older people

THE snappily called Universal Declaration of Human Rights turns 70 this year and not a lot of people know that.

But perhaps we should because enshrined in that declaration is a commitment to older people and their rights.

Across the world, almost 700 million people are over the age of 60, and in just 32-years-time in 2050 it is estimated that 20 per cent of the world’s population – that is two billion people will be 60 or older.

Some view ageing as a problem, but here at Ageing Well Torbay we see it as an opportunity or even better a whole host of opportunities that are only now beginning to be addressed

In Torbay, we know the average age of the 134,000 people is 44 and a staggering one in four are over 65 - or more accurately 26.5% of the population - which compares to a considerably lower 18.1% across England.

By 2030 it is estimated that one in three (32%) of Torbay’s population will be aged over 65 (44,700) compared to 22.4% across the whole of the country.

Here at Ageing Well we are concentrating on an even bigger slice of Torbay’s population – all those aged 50 and older – and that adds up to a whopping 45% of the population.

Some are loving life, others less so and sadly 6000 residents are isolated and or lonely. We also knowthe majority of people across the Bay have a negative view of ageing.

But we believe that attitudes need to change, and older people want and deserve to be treated with respect. End of.

One thing that older people all have in common is a vast wealth of often untapped knowledge and talent that needs to be tapped for the greater good of the whole community.

Ageing Well Torbay is one of fourteen Big Lottery Funded projects around the country all looking at utilising strengths in communities or helping older people to help themselves.

It is not for us, or anyone else for that matter to tell people what they should or shouldn’t do, on the contrary, we are merely here to help facilitate older people getting the services that they want rather than the services authorities think they need.

The lessons learned from around the country are being pooled – not everything tried has been successful, but a lot has.

One way forward that is gaining traction around the country is giving older people back their voices through Assemblies which organise, promote and take part in local meetings and events that are relevant to older people.

Assemblies have already been established in Bristol, in Gateshead in Southend, and in York to name but a few.

A group of older people from the Bay are, as I write in Manchester and Salford talking to others who’ve set up an Older Persons Forum as part of their soon to be completed journey towards Age-Friendly City status.

Here in the Bay we will be marking and celebrating the International Day of Older Persons (which is actually October 1) with a series of lunches in all three towns on Sunday, September 30. To find one near you ring us on 01803 212 or visit www.ageingwelltorbay.com/bl18/

Power to the (older)

People!