Community spirit high among UK’s older population…despite declining local services

New findings released today by older people’s charity, Anchor, show some fascinating insight into how grey-friendly the UK really is in 2012.

The survey firmly places older people at the heart of their local communities, with 80 per cent saying they feel part of where they live. Encouragingly, 84 per…

After it has all ended, what will be left? The question besets organisers of grand events from the Lord Mayor’s show to the Olympic Games.

On this occasion, I refer to a lesser publicised event -  the grandly named European Year of Active Ageing and Intergenerational Solidarity (EY2012, for short). Cameos of emerging policy and practice tell a story of sorts.

I have been a member of the EY2012 steering group. Numerous activities have been held during the present year as part of…

I am doing some research in to elderly people who are lonely,  I am looking for some feedback, so if you know of anyone or if anyone would like to contact me please do.

I am trying to find out what we can do about this. 

if anyone has been through this but has had a positive outcome please let me know, I would be very interested to hear from anyone.

There may be some readers of this blog who are unaware that I am, in fact, a committed Christian and have been for some years now [Yeah! Hardly seems credible does it?].

Anyway, some years ago, during the invasion of Iraq, we experienced a number of incidents concerning the deaths of westerners in Iraq at the hands of Islamic fundamentalists similar to recent events including the murder of the…

Just to set out the basics: if you are reading this, I can safely assume that you are savvy with the Internet even if it is only to browse the millions of pages available.  It may well be that you are an experienced hand with the technology and have been using computers for over 30 years like me.  You can send emails, you might have spoken to [and seen] your grandchildren in Australia usingSkype; you probably have looked at…

With the Cabinet reshuffle expected to be announced imminently, Anchor is calling on the government to demonstrate its commitment to addressing the issues faced by older people by introducing a Minister for Older People.

New research commissioned by Anchor among over 65s reinforces the call for a minister to…

Doncaster 50plus is holding another Older People's Information Fair  on the 6th November in the Mansion House.  The last one we had back in February was a huge success so we are hoping for more of the same.

Doncaster 50plus will be holding a members meeting on the 27th September in the Mansion House.

This will give a chance for our members to have there say and ask us what they would like us to do. 

This gives us a chance to keep in contact with our members hopefully quite a few will turn up.

As the 50plus Project worker I have been very busy so sorry that I have not been around so much.

On the 12th September myself and another colleague who is our 50plus Welfare officer are starting a new project Life Cafe in Balby, Doncaster.  This for anyone who is 50 and over and this will revolve round the campaing to End Loneliness.  This will give a chance for people to network, make new friends and learn new skills.  I will keep you posted regarding this project. 

"A lie told often enough becomes truth."  This quotation is attributed to both Lenin and Joseph Goebbels and nowhere is this truer today than in the repeated mantra of the Labour Government in respect of the proposed DNA database for all our UK citizens.  The lie in this case is, “If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear.”  The truth is that we all potentially have something to hide.

The discovery of the DNA genome has led to significant medical…

Mark Jordan producer of ITV's the Tonight programme has one going out this Thursday 30th August 7.30pm on ITV about kidney donation. I get my 5 minutes of fame appearing in the programme talking about my kidney donation experience along with my views on various controversial methods of getting a kidney. Richard Pitman, ex jockey and broadaster will also be appearing, along with other people I don't know. The programme description is:

This week, a…

Today’s the day!  My last day as a wage slave and henceforward, I get to choose which jobs I want to take on and what I want to do – pretty much.

I have now entered semi-retirement, resigning from my paid employment not least because the thought of getting up at 5:30 am every morning this coming winter in more than flesh and blood can stand; getting up at the crack of sparrow-squeak will become a thing of the past although I expect it will take a few weeks to get used to…

Over the weekend, I read the Sunday Times magazine which was devoted to a photographic celebration of the 2012 Olympic Athletes.

You can be flabby at any age but it did hit me – would I ever have a rippling six-pack ever again?  Not that I ever did – totally - but I was a slim,…

If someone mentioned the phrase "three little words" what would your mind conjure up?  So many of the most significant messages that people deliver to one another often come in just three words.  When spoken or conveyed, those statements have the power to forge new friendships, deepen old ones and restore relationships that have cooled.  The following three word phrases can enrich every relationship every bit as much as the most obvious one.

I am here. Being there for another person is…

I'm about to be published in a new journal called 'The Newhaven Journeyman' (Eleusinian Press - see them on Facebook/Wordpress). A friend sent me the call for articles a few months ago, and when I read the motivation behind the journal and its aims, and list of suggested topics I was inspired to write. My article, entitled 'Sounds of the Rainbow' is about my lifelong relationship with Noise.

As a bipolar person, I am hypersensitive to sound, taste, smell, touch and light. I frequently…

According to this story poor procedures in the NHS have meant thousands of pensioners have wrongly lost their homes to pay for social care since 2004.

The article goes on to explain that a law firm is claiming that thousands of people in social care have needlessly sold their home and can claim…

Like most of the rest of the country I have been watching the Olympics; perhaps "watching" is not quite the right word - I've been dipping in and out of the various events as my interest takes me and while I generally have only a passing interest in sport, I have observed something rather spectacular in all of the events that I have witnessed.

In spite of being disqualified in one race, Victoria…

Incredible as it may seem, it's snowing here in Birmingham. Woke up this morning, went into kitchen to make a cuppa, thought 'It's a bit cold...' Waited for the rain... SNOW! And it's nearly the beginning of August.

WHAT IS GOING ON? Have we offended Mother Nature/Eywa/Gaia so much that even the farmers and gardeners are being punished?

The radishes are all leaf, the lettuces a soggy mass. The peas and beans are huddled at ground level and won't climb their sticks. Have only…

Well, there goes our carbon emission reduction…