your priorities

Your Priorities Summary 2016-2017

Ben DonovanAge UK London Blog

Your Priorities is an annual research project that Age UK London conducts in order to increase understanding of the day-to-day issues affecting older people in the capital. By framing the research around eleven distinct issues and seeking the feedback of older Londoners themselves to evaluate their experiences in relation to these issues, Your Priorities really takes into account the cumulative voice of older people in London and contributes towards the knowledge base that Age UK London uses in informing campaigning and programme activities.

Here’s what you asked us to focus on in the coming year…

great get together

The Great Get Together – A Celebration of Unity

Charlotte CornishCampaigns

“As Brendan Cox said when launching the Great Get Together “Whether it is elections, referendums or social media sparring, we find plenty of opportunities to talk about things that we disagree with each other on, but far too few occasions to celebrate the things that bring us together.” This weekend let’s come together and celebrate what unites us.”

To support the amazing Jo Cox Foundation, our blog this week is on the theme of “What unites us?”. Hopefully, this will spur you on to join the Great Get Together:

Age Allies – Tackling Age Discrimination

Richard NormanAge Allies

“I recently discovered that I am categorised as a “Second-wave Baby Boomer”. This (apparently) identifies my generation. I can’t say I’d ever really considered it before – after all age is just a number, right? Had I been born four years later it would have been “Generation X”, sixteen years earlier and I would be one of the “Silent Generation”.

Do these labels carry any weight? Is there a typical baby boomer? Surely within each age identifying category people are as diverse as in any other? How can there possibly be a typical older person?”

All very good questions which we hope to answer with our new Age Allies project – a brand new programme to help combat age discrimination across the capital. Project leader Richard Norman tells us more…

transport for london techy tea party

Tea and Technology with Transport for London

Carmen Muriana CoboDigital Inclusion

“When Susie proposed the Techy Tea Parties as a volunteering opportunity for our team, I didn’t hesitate to participate. I thought that it would be an excellent opportunity to provide a service to older people and learn from them at the same time.”

Last week, Susanna Bass of Transport for London wrote about setting up a Techy Tea Party for older Londoners here at Age UK London. This week, Susanna’s colleague Carmen Muriana Cobo discusses her experience of the day’s events.

Tongue Tied & Twisted

Tongue Tied & Twisted

Dawinder BansalArts & Theatre

“Tongue Tied & Twisted is a wonderfully warm and entertaining storytelling show. It’s origins are rooted in South Asian folk tales yet it transcends boundaries and suitable for all audiences, regardless of background. After touring to festivals in UK and Europe, it is now tours to London at the iconic and politically important South Asian arts organisation called Tara Arts as part of 70 shows presented during the year of 70th Anniversary of Indian’s Independence.”

Earlier on this month, we caught up with Producer Dawinder Bansal to discuss her latest project – a storytelling theatre show called Tongue Tied & Twisted. Dawinder explains how the show was created and why it is important to record elders’ stories and memories.

Tea Dance 1

A 21st Century Tea Dance at the Albany

Danny ElliottArts & Theatre

“It has changed me completely. After my heart attack I didn’t know what to do. I was looking for the right path to take. Now I’m doing and enjoying things and meeting more people than I ever have. It’s up to you how much you want to give – you can take it as far forward as you want. I’m never bored anyway, always busy. Arts and culture have an incredible impact on the individual.”

Danny Elliott takes a brief break from our regular series on ageism in film to tell us all about his trip to a 21st Century Tea Dance at the Albany in Deptford.

techy tea party 2

A Techy Tea Party with Transport for London

Susanna BassDigital Inclusion

“We started the event off with tea, cake and biscuits, and as our guests arrived, my colleagues and I started introducing ourselves and having a chat. I met some fascinating people; someone who used to be a bus driver from the days before our organisation was called ‘TfL’, a lady who was really interested in sociology and how people’s behaviour towards travel was changing, right through to a gentleman who admitted he wasn’t really interested in technology but was just there for the cake!”

Last month, Susanna Bass brought a team of volunteers from Transport for London to one of our Techy Tea Parties and helped to teach digital skills to older Londoners. In this week’s blog, Susanna discusses her experience and explains why these events are so important.

LGBTQ dementia care

Dementia Care in the LGBT* Community

Sally KnockerDementia

“People who are not LGBT* struggle to understand why it might be very important at times in our lives when we are experiencing particular stresses and changes to be with people with whom there is no need to hide or explain who we are.”

This week’s blog – which appears as part of Dementia Awareness Week – sees Opening Doors London’s Sally Knocker explain how dementia care differs for members of the LGBT* community.

Frailty

Why does Frailty Matter to all of us? What can we do About it?

Jackie MorrisCare

Frailty is not a disease itself. It is a constellation of symptoms and signs characterised by a loss of physical reserve. It can be a consequence of a combination of acute and or chronic ill health, poor mobility, weight loss and social isolation.

Frailty matters to us all. This blog will describe what frailty is, what the consequences are, and what can be done to manage it and reduce its impact.

My Living Will

Dying Matters Week – My Living Will

David MetzCare

The second week of May is Dying Matters Awareness Week, which aims to place the importance of talking about dying, death, and bereavement firmly on the national agenda. With that in mind, we asked David Metz to tell us more about My Living Will, a new website that provides guidance and advice about the right to receive or refuse medical treatment in later life.