UK....

 

Age UK….

…is the registered charity formed from the merger of the former Age Concern and Help the Aged.  Age UK works to “improve later life for everyone by providing life-enhancing services and vital support”.

I have mentioned Age UK several times during the A-Z Blogging Challenge so I thought it really ought to have a post all to itself. It is such a fantastic source of information and advice on anything relevant to older people. It provides services, advice, products and training as well as carrying out research and campaigning to improve older people’s lives (see my S post about the Still Waiting campaign).

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are represented by Age Scotland, Age Cymru and Age NI, all of which are merged with the umbrella organisation of Age UK.

Age UK has a brilliant website that covers a huge range of topics, from money to health to lifestyle and travel and much, much more. If you scroll down the right hand side of this page you will see a link to the Age Scotland blog under “Blogs I am Following’.  By visiting the Age UK website you can also sign up for newsletter, download podcasts or just make contact with your local branch.

If you are thinking about how to Age Proof your life, I cannot recommend Age UK too highly.

Follow this link to their website to find out more:

http://www.ageuk.org.uk/

Still Waiting...

 

 

Still Waiting…

If you are aged over 60 in Scotland you are entitled to a free bus pass that can be used on local and long distance services under the ConcessionaryTravel Scheme. Many older people however live in rural areas where buses are few and far between. Even in urban areas public transport often does not meet the needs of older people. Being able to travel within the community is an important factor in maintaining independence for older people and allows participation in many of the social and leisure activities that are now recognised as so important for health and wellbeing. 

Age Scotland’s ‘Still Waiting’ campaign urges the Scottish Government to extend the Concessionary Travel Scheme to include Community Transport services. These are often run by local charities, are not for profit and help to fill the gaps where public transport does not provide an adequate service. Commercial bus companies may withdraw unprofitable routes and at present, Age Scotland believes that the funding provided to Community Transport services is dwindling due to current financial constraints. The Still Waiting campaign argues that extending the Concessionary Travel Scheme to include these local initiatives and ensuring they are reimbursed for fares would help ensure their survival and support the travel needs of older people in local communities.

As for the previous post (Ready for Ageing…) this campaign is an example of action that can be taken to Age Proof the lives of older people at a community and policy level.

To find out more or to support the campaign follow this link:

http://www.ageuk.org.uk/scotland/travel-lifestyle/still-waiting-campaign-for-a-better-bus-pass-scheme/