We have moved our blog to our website. You can read our latest blogs here. If you have a suggestion for a blog or would like to write an article about issues that are relevant for older Londoners please get in touch by emailing campaigns@ageuklondon.org.
6 Most Common Health Concerns for Older People
As we head towards the new year and we make New Year resolutions to take steps towards a healthier lifestyle it’s worth remembering some of the common health concerns that affect older people. Pharmacist, Krishma Patel provides details of the top ailments. In the UK, around 26 million individuals are living with a long-term medical condition. This is almost half of those aged 65-74 and two-thirds of those over 85. With the aging population, these numbers are set to rise over the years – experts anticipate that 7 million people aged 65 and above will have a long-term health issue […]
A cycle trip showed me Islington’s approach to public toilet provision is out of order.
My name is Cornelius McAfee, I’m 69, I have lived in north Islington for 45 years. I worked as a teacher for most of that time in schools, adult education and even taught in Pentonville Prison. History was my main subject and it’s always been a major interest. In what seems like a previous life I was a road sweeper in North London and of course one had to get to know the local lavatory facilities. Those were the days of maintained lavatories, with several stalls, polished brasses, mops swishing dettol about and the famous Izal ‘medicated toilet paper’. When […]
Let’s Talk About Toilets
Event hosted at the London Assembly by Caroline Russell and Age UK London on 25th November 2022 Having taken an active interest in this subject for some years, I was pleased to attend this meeting, convened by the influential GLA and Age UK London. The fundamental principle is that toilet provision is a public health issue but the marked decline in availability, crucial for many older people, has increased. This has made social isolation worse as many don’t feel sufficiently confident to venture out if unclear about the availability of loos. This is significant because we know that social isolation […]
Staying Healthy this Winter
Cold weather can make some health problems worse and even lead to serious complications, especially if you are 65 or older, or if you have a long-term health condition. Luckily there are some simple steps we can take to stay healthy this winter.
INTERNATIONAL OLDER PEOPLE’S DAY 2022
The Deputy Mayor celebrates the resilience of older Black, Asian, and minority ethnic Londoners who campaign for equality Today, 1 October, is both International Day of Older People and the beginning of Black History Month. This year the theme for International Day of Older People is the Resilience of Older Persons in a Changing World.
Memories of the Queen
This month we celebrate 35 years of service to Age UK organisations by our Finance and Corporate services officer, Margot Luke. Margot joined what is now Age UK Waltham Forest in September 1987 where she worked for 22 years and joined Age UK London in 2009 where she is an important and much appreciated member of our small team. During her time Margot has seen many changes within the charity, team members coming and going and a merger between Help the Aged and Age Concern creating what is our network of Age UK today. Margot has also seen many world […]
Prostate Cancer – “Dont be a mug and just shrug”
Everyone was saddened to hear the news about journalist and presenter Bill Turnbull’s death this month. Bill had prostrate cancer and had campaigned for more awareness and encouraging men to get checked for the disease. With this in mind we are very pleased to have Trevor Walker provide a blog this month, discussing his experience, in his own words.
The image of older adults in British advertising
A glimpse into the public perception of old age and ageing in the UK Within the last fifty years, the population pyramids of most European countries have seen clear changes in age structure, with Italy and Germany amongst the oldest societies in the world.[1] Looking at the United Kingdom, the median age has risen noticeably over the last two decades, from 37.5 years in 2000 to 40.2 years in 2019.[2] The share of persons aged 65 years or over stands now at almost 19% of the UK’s total population, resulting in an old-age dependency ratio of 28.9%—meaning that there are […]
Dial-a-Ride Report: From Door to More – Serena’s Story
On 6 July, Age UK London (AUKL) and Transport for London (TfA) launched the Dial-a-Ride report: From Door to More. The report was the result of in-depth research carried out with 14 Dial-a-Ride service users of varying disabilities and ages. The report outlines how the door-to-door free bus service is essential to everyday life for users – but there are flaws.