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 […]
Category: Accessibility
Why we must save the 60+ Oyster Card for future generations.
Age UK London have been campaigning to protect older Londoners’ travel concessions, which include the Freedom Pass and 60+ Oyster card, for the past two years. On 15th December plans emerged that could mean the 60+ Oyster Card is slowly phased out over a period of several years. Before the eventual ‘full’ cut (which won’t happen until next decade) the eligibility criteria based on age would slowly increase. The full details are not yet known and the decision will be subject to a consultation. Although current users of the 60+ Oyster Card would not be affected (nor will Freedom Pass […]
Purple Tuesday: Accessible Shopping for All!
“Nearly one in every five people in the UK has a disability or impairment, and over half of households have a connection to someone with a disability, so it goes without saying that businesses and organisations must be attuned to the needs of all their customers.”
This week saw the launch of Purple Tuesday, the UK’s first ever accessible shopping day! But what is Purple Tuesday and why is it so important? We investigate.
Aids and Adaptations for Accessible Homes
“Evidence shows that installing adaptations and improvements to homes can be of huge benefit to our health and wellbeing as we age. We often talk about the need to deliver home adaptations. Evidence shows that living in a suitable, accessible home is crucial to a good later life, and home adaptations can play a big part if done well. I think it’s important to get other people’s perspective, though, beyond formal research and reports. Making changes to our homes is something very personal to many people.”
Yehia Nasr of the Centre for Ageing Better went looking for some personal perspectives to better understand just how a simple home adaptation can help people in later life remain healthy, active and able to do the things they want to.
Falls Prevention – Some Practical Steps
This week on the blog, we’re looking into falls prevention. But first of all, here are some scary statistics: One third of people over the age of 65 fall every year Falls are leading cause of injury in older adults Over 400,000 older people attend Accident and Emergency Departments annually as a result of falls So why do we need to look at falls prevention? Clearly with the emphasis in the health service of reducing unplanned admissions, falls represent a huge area for improvement, and one that would have a massive impact on a stretched NHS. But the consequences of […]
Our Manifesto: Make London’s Boroughs Age Friendly!
“The London local elections are rapidly approaching, with polling day set for Thursday May 3rd. Four years on from the last London borough elections, all London borough councillor seats are set to be decided, alongside Mayoral contests in Hackney, Lewisham, Newham, and Tower Hamlets.
As London continues to grow in size, the number of older Londoners is increasing too – a 2016 estimate revealed that over a million Londoners were aged 65+ and 140,000 of that total were over the age of 85. A socially and economically diverse demographic, older Londoners contribute massively to every borough of the capital, as paid workers, volunteers, carers, family members, community activists, and in a whole host of other ways. As the number of older Londoners continues to increase, so too will these vital contributions to city life.
However, there are also a large number of older Londoners who are experiencing poverty and inequality, just like London’s other demographics. Whilst poverty amongst older people had been falling, there has sadly been a recent increase in the number of people who have dipped below the poverty line in later life. London’s housing crisis continues to affect people of all ages, with a serious lack of affordable housing in many areas. Loneliness too is an intergenerational concern, yet isolation is a particular concern for the older generation. The Jo Cox Commission on Loneliness has discovered that ‘more than 1 in 3 people aged 75 and over say that feelings of loneliness are out of their control.'”
Age UKs across London are proud to present “Make London’s Boroughs Age Friendly!” a manifesto for the upcoming London borough Council elections.
Transport for All – Making London More Accessible
London is one of the wealthiest cities in the world. Yet many transport services remain out of bounds for its older and disabled citizens. Physical barriers like flights of stairs, gaps and obstacles, combined with the way transport services are run, prevent many of us from getting out and about and living our lives. Transport for All (TfA) is an organisation of older and disabled people who are dedicated to changing this.
Here’s how…