Informal Guide to help the elderly avoid accidents

Winter is a particularly difficult time of year for everyone, but particularly for senior citizens. As the temperatures drop and the nights draw in the likelihood of accidents and injuries increase. An informal guide has been produced to help the elderly stay safe and avoid accidents during winter and here are just three of their tips:

1) Not to walk on icy/snowy paths – instead look for routes which are dry or have been cleared

2) Wall mounted heaters are preferable to portable ones as they do not pose a tripping hazard

3) Replace old slippers and canes as these can become worn out and smooth, offering little protection to winter conditions

To download the guide click here

Support the Wise Owls in I'm A Celebrity: Get me Out Of Here

As ever, each year we support the Wise Owls/Babyboomer representatives on I'm A Celebrity, and we usually win! This year, the candidates we urge you to support are:

Gillian McKeith A classic example of a nagging female babyboomer. Can she take as much as she gives? (probably not, judging by her coffin performance!)

Nigel Havers The Mr.Smoothie babyboomer.

Britt Ekland A 68er sex symbol and excellent in her Swedish maternal role.

Linford Christie Sprinting legend whose had more gold medals than hot dinners!

Who do you want to win? Vote in our new poll here

Over 55's Out Of Work For 20% Longer Than 24-54 Year Old's

It has been reveald that, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, over 55's can expect to on average be out of work for 35 weeks, 20% longer than those aged 24-54.

Trude Diamond, who has been out of work for two years, strongly suspects that the companies with who she has had interviews are reluctant to employ people they believe will retire soon.

Psychologist Carrell Chadwell suggests tackling this issue head on. “They’re likely to wonder how long you are going to stay. You want to mention that. Tell them what your goals are and that you will be there at least several years.”

Government Aims To 'Make Work Pay'

Yesterday, the coalition government announced new plans to overhaul the benefit system for the long term unemployed, in a effort to 'make work pay'.


The headline project will see the current complex web of work related benefits simplified into a single, unverisal credit, which aims to make it simpler to claim and less vulnerable to fraud. Claimers will also get to keep more of their income when they move into employment, however under tough new rules they will have their benefits stopped for 3 years if they refuse more than 3 job offers.

The new system will mostly be dealt with over the internet, despite an estimated 1.5 million jobseekers not having access to it.

The new scheme is expected to begin to be rolled out by 2013, being fully implented sometime after 2015.

For more information, click here

Minister Unveils More Generous Basic State Pension Proposals

The Government is considering plans to increase the state pension to about £140 a week to ensure everybody has a “decent” income in retirement.

Ministers are drawing up plans to sweep away the current means-tested system and introduce a new flat-rate pension which would replace the basic state pension, the second state pension and pension credit.

At a £140 a week, the new ‘universal’ pension would be worth considerably more than the present basic state pension of £97.65 a week for a single person and £156.15 for a couple. On top of this means-tested top-ups ensure the poorest single pensioners have an income of at least £132.60 and couples get £202.40.

Ministers claim that scrapping the present complicated and expensive system is expected to save enough money from reduced bureaucracy to pay for the new pension and that the move would benefit everybody in retirement, including the better off.

It seems the new system would probably be based on residency in Britain and not on National Insurance contributions.

The proposed new system would particular benefit women, many of whom lose out on the current state pension arrangements after taking time out of work to bring up children.

Ministers are planning to publish a Green Paper before the end of the year, which will be followed by a consultation on the proposals. They hope to implement the new system before the end of this Parliament in 2015.

Rugby Player 'Too Old To Play'

Last year, 55 year old Stephen Clee stepped in to play against Trecorchy Seconds after one of his players was forced off injured. Now, with injury crisis mounting at his new club, Tonyrefail RFC, he has offered up his services again, only to be told he his 'too old to play'.

Upset by this apparent descrimination, Mr. Clee has written to the Equality and Human Rights Commission of Wales for advise and has also threaten to quit his current club.

“This is not only important to me but to all over-50s who believe they are fit and able enough to still play rugby at a local level, in fact many of us over 50 are fitter than some under-30s who turn out regularly on Saturdays to play,” he said.

“I think I can deal with the physicality of it all. I wouldn’t even attempt to put myself in the position if I didn’t think I was. I think I’m old enough and experienced enough having played enough rugby in the past to be able to say to the second team captain I feel I’m capable of playing at least half a game.”

Read More http://www.walesonline.co.uk/cardiffonline/cardiff-news/2010/11/09/player-told-he-s-too-old-for-rugby-team-91466-27622758/#ixzz14mZrxlHo

60th Anniversary of the European Convention of Fundamental Rights

Don’t let the crisis deprive older people of their fundamental rights!

"We should be rejoicing today but the austerity measures introduced recently in some Member States are depriving many older people of their fundamental rights", deplored Anne-Sophie Parent, AGE Director, on the eve of the 60^th anniversary of the European Convention on Human Rights.

While AGE welcomes the decisive steps that have been taken to securing a Europe of fundamental rights through the adoption of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, the accession of the EU to the European Convention on Human Rights and the commitment of both the European Parliament and the Council to the promotion of fundamental rights as a priority for their future work, AGE questions what is actually being done to safeguard the fundamental rights of older people and flags up why this must now be a priority.

“Several Member States use the excuse of the on-going crisis to introduce drastic cuts in the social protection of older people”, stressed Ms Parent. “The rights of the elderly, in particular older women, are being threatened,” she added, “and these reforms will have a detrimental impact on the most vulnerable members of our society”.

“The new Lisbon Treaty (Article 9 on the social clause and Article 25 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU) creates a new legal framework to justify EU action to protect the fundamental rights of older people and we would like to see some concrete commitment at EU and national level to ensure a dignified life to all, including older people,” concluded Ms Parent

END

Link to the press release on AGE website: http://www.age-platform.eu/en/age-a-the-media/age-communication-to-the-media-press-releases/1125-dont-let-the-crisis-deprive-older-people-of-their-fundamental-rights