Kick Out theGrey Cliché
NICK PELLING looks into a forthcoming action day.
I suspect that most people don’t think being old is a desirable state of being. Oldies tend to get a bad press: they are often seen as doddering, mentally incompetent and fundamentally pre-digital. (If you think you are free of these prejudices, ask yourself whether you think 81-year-old Joe Biden is likely to make a great second-term president.) But, maybe it’s time for a rethink about the last phase of our lives.
Hastings Voluntary Action (HVA) is determined to find ways of countering this casual bigotry. On 20 March, HVA will be holding an interactive workshop which hopes to stimulate meaningful discussion about the issues surrounding ageism as part of an ‘Age Without Limits Action Day’ organised by the national Centre for Ageing Better.
Breaking down negative attitudes won’t be easy. The Centre believes that there needs to be a major cultural shift to escape the old cliches that surround the idea of being old. Above all, they are urging us all to understand that age should not define us, and that there are all manner of ways to embrace ageing.
The workshop will be hosted by Debby Anderson from HVA and Jessica Duffy from Leeds Older People’s Forum. Jessica hopes that she can share some of the best practice regarding the older community from her experiences in Leeds. But, it’s also hoped that older people in Hastings can get more involved in shaping where they live.
Apart from opening up a discussion, it is also hoped that, ultimately, Hastings can achieve the status of an ‘Age Friendly Community.’ What, you ask, is an Age Friendly Community? It seems that the idea came from the World Health Organisation and is now promoted by the Centre for Ageing Better in the UK. The benefits of being an AFC include training days and sharing of resources and talents. It seems that no official accreditation is needed to achieve this status, simply political commitment from the Council.
There are undoubtedly some serious issues facing the older community, but it’s often the negative problems that are stressed: health, social care, financial insecurity, loneliness and boredom. But, arguably, there should be more stress on positive opportunities. For example, HVA is hoping to persuade local firms to pledge to become Age Friendly Employers. Any business taking this pledge would commit to positive practices, such as offering career advancement opportunities at all ages. Older workers, it is argued, should be seen as an asset to any firm, given their experience and maturity. Is it time to reimagine what it means to be old?
You can reserve your spot on the interactive workshop via hastingsvoluntaryaction.org.uk (news) or search on eventbrite.
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