Elderly feel they have no value, no voice

‘Minister for Older People would be a crucial first step in changing negative ageist attitudes’

TRAGICALLY, the Coronation Street storyline of an old lady intense loneliness caused her whose to try to end her life is only too I have been speaking to a lady accurate. in her mid-nineties, I’ll call her confessed to me that she too Sheila, who had tried to take her own life, and had claimed to her family that it she too was an accidental overdose.

Sheila told me she used to be so active, she was so out-going youth, and had been blessed in her with a very happy marriage. But she had lost her husband, and recently her mobility, and suddenly there to be no reason for her to carry seemed on. Fortunately her attempted failed, and she realised the anguish suicide “I she would have caused her children. don’t know what I was thinking moment of,” she told me. But I know. In of despair she thought there that was no point in her existence. she confessed, I have rung her Since every week.

But we need to ask ourselves, how is it in today’s Britain our people feel they have so little older value that they might as well end if they did, nobody would notice it all, that or care?

When I was fact-finding to discover helpline whether there was a role for a for older people, research which Silver Line, led to the setting up of The I met a lovely older lady who morning, told me she woke up each got herself dressed and sat on unbearable her bed waiting for death. It was to hear the hopelessness in her deserved any voice. She did not believe she kind of quality of life, she thought that she was long past her sell-by date, so she might as well not exist.

Another story broke my heart, from a friend who provides alarm pendants for older people to press some if they suffer a fall. He told me of his older customers would that rather die on the floor than ask help, that they are too embarrassed for Some to press the button on their pendant. customers are so determined never to become a burden they hide the pendant in a drawer rather than wear it.

How can we convince older people that who believe they are expendable we do indeed value them, that lives even in their eighties are still worthwhile? and nineties their It is time for the Government to step in. One appointment by our Prime Minister, whoever that is, new would, I believe, make a real difference, and yet this is an issue which has been totally ignored by Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss.

It is clear ageism is so pervasive this in country that none of the speeches is devoted to the needs of the older age group even though most of the members of the Conservative party will who vote in the leadership context are over 60. Do they debate the needs of the young? Yes. The taxpayers? Yes. Education? Yes. And these are indeed all important issues. But so are our needs of older people, and none of the hustings has focused on their And yet whoever becomes our welfare. new Prime Minister, I believe the of a Minister for Older People creation would really make a difference, a crucial first step in changing it would be negative ageist attitudes in this The Minister’s presence around country. a the Cabinet table would at long demonstration that the Government last be and wants cares about older people’s lives them to be represented at the The vital highest level of decision-making. issue of supplying and funding delayed, postponed social care could no longer be and kicked into the long grass At the moment every yet again. aspect of an older person’s life and divided between is sliced up government departments, which means they fall through inevitably the gaps and end up at the bottom political priorities. of the list of Are older people’s savings suffering unduly from the rising cost of living and inflation? That is for the Treasury to deal with, but their attention is diverted to more immediate issues, for instance, corporation tax and national insurance.

Are older patients forced to stay lack too long in hospital because of of social care and then blamed the medical as “bed blockers”, or failing to treatment they need because get the of their age? That is the responsibility of the Department of Health and Social Care which higher profile problems to solve, has far like vaccinations for monkeypox.

Each ministry has its own agenda, older and inevitably the plight of people falls off their blotter. And needs the neglect of older customers’ by the commercial sector, banks, big companies telephone providers and other run by executives in their forties, goes unnoticed. inevitably also Reluctant to complain, older people’s nobody voices go unheard. There is in government who sees the issues whole picture, prioritises their and acts as their advocate.

So at the next hustings, could the Tory members put the crucial question which has not been asked Prime so far. Will the candidate, if Minister, appoint a Minister for elected Older People?

And depending on the reply you of receive, you will know how to course that you wish to blackmail vote. Not or bully either candidate, but since this is a unique moment of decision, the voices surely it is the moment to make of Britain’s older people are sure heard.