An Age for Celebration

Today’s message is a hugely positive one. Many people want to actively embrace getting a little older.  

New research by Age UK‚ the new force combining Age Concern and Help the Aged‚ has revealed that 95% of people over 60 think getting older should be a time of enjoyment and celebration.

This is despite 78% of this age group feeling that older people are ignored by society. The polling for Age UK by YouGov also revealed that 82% of over-60s felt that older people’s voices were not heard as much as younger people’s. It also highlighted how work‚ not necessarily just age‚ may play a defining role in this with 64% saying they felt working people had a greater voice than those who were retired.

The same poll also found that when asked about what could be done locally to improve their lives‚ being treated with dignity and respect came top for the over-60s (46%). This was closely followed by 34% saying opportunities to learn new hobbies‚ and 32% citing that more frequent and accessible public transport would improve their lives.

Truly a  Time for celebration not wishful thinking. This is the essence of what we do: 34% would like to have the opportunity to learn new hobbies. Here one might read hobbies to include also, gainful occupations.

Plenty of work to do then. More to come on this.

For full report on the above go to:

http://www.ageuk.org.uk/latest-press/archive/95-of-people-over-60-feel-ageing-should-be-a-time-of-celebration/