In our day...
For the first time Age Concern London is publishing an Older People’s Manifesto for the London Mayoral and Assembly Elections jointly with Greater London Forum for Older People, Help the Aged and Counsel and Care. We are joining forces to put older people’s contribution, rights and needs centre stage in the elections. As the Mayor’s office takes on increased responsibilities and a higher profile, we are calling on Mayoral and Assembly candidates to commit themselves to make London genuinely a city for all ages.
Older Londoners contribute to society in many ways, including as carers, paid workers, entrepreneurs and self-employed, consumers, taxpayers, as volunteers and members of civil society, as councillors and other elected representatives. Research consistently identifies older people as the age group most likely to vote in elections.
At the same time, many older people in London have major concerns of social exclusion, isolation, disability and health (while the majority of older people are active and in good health). Social care and local older people’s services have been badly affected by local funding crises and are available to fewer and fewer people, while needs continue to increase. The majority of London boroughs now provide social care only to older people assessed with “critical” or “substantial” needs. There has been a welcome reduction in the numbers of older people living in absolute poverty, but more than 1 pensioner in 5 in London is still living below the most commonly used poverty line and very many are on what any sane person would consider low incomes. Millions of pounds of benefits rightfully due to older people are still unclaimed, while advice services to help people access their rights struggle for funding.
In the last few years the increasing diversity of older people has become much more visible but policymakers still need to catch up. We know that a rapidly growing proportion of older people are from BAME communities, but there is still insufficient response to their needs and wishes. Recognition is growing of less immediately visible groups like lesbian, gay or bisexual older people, or older refugees.
Over the last four years, many older people have consistently raised a number of issues and "In out day..." an older people's manifesto for a better London highlights these issues and calls for the Mayor once elected to address these by:
1. Protecting older people's services from cuts &closures
2. Promoting Equality to fight Ageism
3. Giving older people Free, Safe Accessible Transport
4. Creating a safer communities and reduce fear of crime
5. Improving access to affordable learning opportunities and cultural &leisure activities
6. Supplying decent, appropriate housing
7. Providing adequate Health and Social Care services
8. Supporting older workers and volunteers
9. Using their influence to tackle pensioner poverty
10. Recognising and Support the diversity of older Londoners
To take these issues forward we have called for a range of actions and changes. Some of them are actions which the Mayor can carry out directly using his or her powers, or through the work of organizations such as Transport for London or the London Development Agency. Others are proposals for the Mayor to use his or her profile and influence to take forward important issues with partners in London like local authorities and the NHS, and with national government and the business sector – and indeed by addressing general public attitudes. We believe that they are all consistent with the way the Mayoral role has been developing and the approach that has been taken to equality in general. They would take forward many of the issues agreed in the existing Mayor’s Older People Strategy “Valuing Older People”.
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