Tag: older people

Scottish Football spreads Christmas cheer through Festive Friends campaign

  • Over 3,000 people will be supported by Festive Friends this year
  • A record £100,000 has been committed to this year’s campaign
  • More community trusts and SPFL clubs than ever involved (41)
  • This year’s campaign will see the continuation of last year’s doorstep visits to people who are at risk of social isolation
  • Some clubs will host festive events again for the first time since last year

SPFL clubs and associated community trusts (ATCs) across Scotland are bringing Christmas cheer to those that need it most this year by taking part in the biggest ever Festive Friends programme during the holiday season.

Festive Friends is a brilliant opportunity for clubs to give back to their local communities.

The programme is now in its sixth year, with 41 SPFL clubs taking part in the campaign this year.

The campaign has the largest fund ever this year, a total of £100,000, which means the SPFL Trust will be able to more than DOUBLE the number of people clubs are able to support.

As such, the programme is expected to support over 3,000 people this year.

It’s been a tough few years for everyone due to Covid-19, but of course it has been especially difficult for the elderly who are at higher risk of social isolation.

Festive Friends brings Christmas cheer and companionship to elderly people who are socially isolated and at risk of being alone during the festive season.

Almost 4,000 people have enjoyed an event in the last five years and last year’s new-look initiative, when it was not possible to hold events due to physical distancing rules, was also a huge success with over 2,800 people receiving Christmas hampers in doorstep visits.

Hampers contained food, snacks, essential toiletries, gifts, games and more. Some clubs even brought video messages from managers and players; others had players make personal deliveries.

This year club staff and volunteers will continue to visit participants with hampers, or welcome them to their ground to enjoy a hot Christmas lunch, fun and games, a club gift, and transport there and home.

Tommy (84), who lives in rural Perthshire, received a Christmas hamper from St Johnstone Community Trust ‘Saints in the Community’ last year.

Tommy self isolated during the first national lockdown in Spring 2020. The lack of social interaction and the loss of his beloved football had taken its toll on him physically and mentally.

He was thrilled to receive a hamper which was packed with festive goodies, a memory lane activity book, and a bonus video message from first-team player Stevie May.

Tommy said: “The gift box was full of lovely stuff. I like when Saints come to visit and we can have a chat about the games. I don’t always remember all the scores, but Danny [former St Johnstone FC player Danny Griffin] keeps me right.

“The wee activity book took me back, it’s no substitute for talking to others about the game, but it brought back nice times.”

https://youtu.be/9sK5CbHVALU

SPFL Trust CEO, Nicky Reid, said: “Festive Friends is a real highlight of the year for me and my colleagues at SPFL clubs. It’s all about good old fashioned Christmas spirit – bringing club staff and volunteers together to reach elderly people who are at risk of social isolation.

“Scottish football is trusted to support, and our recent research shows that almost 83% of people live within ten miles of a SPFL ground – because of this clubs and their associated community trusts are well positioned to effect this type of change in their communities.

“This year 41 SPFL clubs are involved making it our biggest programme yet, supported by a record breaking fund of £100,000. We look forward to supporting more elderly people than ever before, after all kindness never mattered more.”

For more information on Festive Friends visit: 

www.spfltrust.org.uk/festivefriends

 

From patient to doctor – Consultant with cerebral palsy hopes to inspire others

An NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) consultant with cerebral palsy has gone from patient to doctor, and is keen to inspire others with her journey.

Kirsty Colquhoun has the lifelong neurological condition with affects a person’s movement, balance and coordination and sometimes other functions.  No two people with cerebral palsy are the same and it affects people to different degrees.  There are 17 million people worldwide with the condition, and though there are treatments available there is no cure.

Born with spastic diplegia (a form of cerebral palsy), Kirsty was inspired herself by the care she received at Yorkhill Children’s Hospital.  Determined not to let the condition hold her back from pursuing her dreams to help others, Kirsty went on to study medicine at the University of Glasgow – graduating in 2006, and also gaining a Bachelor’s degree in pharmacology. 

Now, 16 years later, 38 year old Kirsty is a consultant geriatrician working between Stobhill, the Beatson, and Glasgow Royal Infirmary – helping thousands of patients over her career, including looking after some of the sickest patients throughout COVID-19.

Kirsty is also a trustee for Cerebral Palsy Scotland.

Her story comes as the world celebrates World Cerebral Palsy (Wed 6 Oct) day which aims to ensure that children and adults with cerebral palsy have the same rights, access and opportunities as anyone else in our society.


Kirsty said: “I’ve never let my condition hold me back and I think that’s an important message we want to get out to people with cerebral palsy this year. You can do what you want to do, and while challenges remain for young and older people with cerebral palsy, there are networks and support available for people with cerebral palsy and for employers to make sure they’re able to facilitate people with the condition so that everyone can benefit. 

Kirsty, who has spent her entire career with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, added: “NHSGGC has always supported me and valued my contribution. As an equal opportunities employer, they recognise me as an integral part of the team and have provided support to enable me to do my job to the best of my ability.

“For example, within the team I work in, Older People’s Services in Glasgow Royal Infirmary, while excellence is expected – disability or not – just as important is the ethos of kindness, support and wellbeing.  When I had to, for the first time, take time off due to my Cerebral Palsy being affected by long hours on COVID wards – I was given the time and support I needed to get better. 

“I know that not all people with disabilities have the same positive experience that I do and I wish I could bottle the inclusivity that I experience for others.  Regardless of my disability I am valued just the same as everyone else as a professional and colleague, and diversity, and the experience it brings is celebrated.”

To recognise and celebrate yesterday’s World Cerebral Palsy Day, The Queen Elizabeth University in Glasgow  joined hundreds of other buildings across the world and lit up green.

Stuart Gaw, general manager for Older People’s Services in the South at NHSGGC, said: “Kirsty is a real positive role model, not only as a cerebral palsy campaigner, but as a consultant within NHSGGC. She is a real asset to the team and more importantly, to the patients she looks after as a geriatrician.

“At NHSGGC we are proud to be able to offer opportunities and support people to achieve their dreams and progress in their career when appropriate  and make the most of their talents.  Kirsty is a shining example of someone who has not let their disability hold them back and has flourished in their chosen area of work.”

RoSPA and RSA Group launch new campaign to tackle falls

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) and RSA Insurance Group have launched the ground-breaking Fall Fighter initiative with the aim of tackling the UK’s biggest forgotten killer – falls in the home.

Falls are the single biggest cause of accidental injuries in the home and the largest cause of death among over-65s in the UK. Every year more than a third of people over the age of 65 (and half of those over 80) have a fall that requires hospital treatment, costing the NHS and wider healthcare system more than £2.3billion every year.

As well as having a huge impact on society at large, falls can also have a devastating effect on individual lives; from physical injuries, long-term health effects and disabilities to trauma and poor mental health, loss of mobility, loneliness, social isolation and loss of independence.

Despite this, making simple and low-cost changes can prevent falls from happening. The new Fall Fighter movement is designed to educate and empower people of all ages, transforming each of them into a “Fall Fighter” who can then help family, friends and others in their communities.

RoSPA and RSA will be providing short free awareness sessions and resources to give every Fall Fighter information and advice on how to reduce falls.

This could include, for instance, discussing what medication your friend, relative or loved one is currently prescribed and whether it needs to be reviewed, finding out whether they need an eye test, doing a home safety check and looking at what cheap and straightforward changes around the house could improve safety.

The resources will also contain guidance on what to do if someone has a fall – both in the short and longer-term, plus a digital toolkit to help each Fall Fighter inspire others.

RoSPA’s Relationships Director, Becky Hickman, said: “It takes just 20 minutes to become a Fall Fighter, but by doing so you have the power to change, and even save the lives of loved ones, friends and family.

“This simple but hugely effective project is free and open to all and we would encourage individuals or organisations to get involved.”

“This Fall Fighter community will now build, and in doing so, inspire others to prevent thousands of falls every year. By joining together, we can be a powerful and positive force for good.”

RSA’s Head of Social Impact and ESG, Laura Spiers, said: “Our partnership with RoSPA forms part of a wider programme to support our customers and communities, by increasing awareness to help them manage the risks they face every day.

“Preventing falls amongst loved ones in the home is an issue that’s often overlooked, but taking simple actions can minimise the devastating impact they have on people and their families. By harnessing RSA’s relationships, and encouraging people from every community to get involved in the Fall Fighter campaign and help those around them, I’m very hopeful that we can make a real difference across the country.”

The Fall Fighter website is available at: www.rospa.com/fall-fighter

Queen’s leads consortium to better understand link between healthy living and dementia

Can a healthy lifestyle combat undernutrition and dementia?

 The PROMED-COG (PROtein enriched MEDiterranean diet to combat undernutrition and promote healthy neuroCOGnitive ageing) Consortium brings together unique expertise to better understand how the balance between diet and physical activity could reverse undernutrition during ageing and, ultimately, prevent dementia. 

The research led by Queen’s University Belfast will provide new and critical insight into the role of undernutrition in cognitive health. It will explore how diet and exercise can work to combat undernutrition and the effect of factors – such as age, gender, and genetics -on the risk of dementia in older age. 

One in ten adults aged 60 years+ are undernourished, which means that they have low levels of proteins, calories, vitamins, and minerals caused by reduced food intake or because the body does not process food properly.

Undernutrition has a negative impact on the health of older people as it leads to weight loss and increases the risk of dementia in later life.  

PROMED-COG project co-ordinator, Dr Claire McEvoy from the Centre for Public Health at Queen’s University Belfast, said: “Weight loss increases the risk of dementia by up to 40% but occurs a decade or more before the symptoms of memory loss become apparent.

“This gives us an opportunity to intervene early with preventative strategies to counteract undernutrition and, potentially, the onset of cognitive impairment.” 

Dementia is a major health priority. It already affects around seven million people in Europe, a figure set to double by 2030, with socioeconomic costs rising to over €250 billion. 

While factors, such as age and genetics, influence the onset of dementia and cannot be changed, some lifestyle changes could make a difference. PROMED-COG will use existing datasets in Italy to study the links between undernutrition, cognitive decline, and dementia.

The project will also test the effect of adopting a diet and exercise intervention over six months on undernutrition and cognition in older adults living in Northern Ireland. This will inform the recommendations developed to slow down cognitive decline and prevent dementia in older European citizens.  

Dr McEvoy added: “Dementia is a huge problem affecting our ageing population. There is a significant lack of research in this area and this new grant will bring together a range of European experts to develop evidence-based recommendations for the prevention of undernutrition and cognitive impairment during ageing. 

“This will not only prolong the period of life spent in good health but will also reduce the societal and economic burden of dementia.” 

The European Horizon 2020 Joint Programming Initiative “A Healthy Diet for a Healthy Life”, and ERA-NET Cofund ERA-HDHL (GA N° 696295) has awarded a grant of over 680,000 euros to the PROMED-COG consortium. Led by Queen’s University Belfast, the Consortium includes The National Research Council Italy, The University of Padova, University College Dublin, Wageningen University, and The Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg. 

Views sought on the best way to introduce ‘Anne’s Law’

The public are to be asked for their views on the best way to support people who live in adult care homes to maintain connections with family and friends.

A five-week consultation is to be held on introducing Anne’s Law – to ensure people who live in adult care homes have rights to be able to have direct contact with people who are important to them in order to support their health and wellbeing.

The Scottish Government is seeking to explore a range of legal and practical considerations in order to make sure  any changes brought in are effective. These include how the new legislation will affect the competing rights and needs of others, including other care home residents and staff.

The consultation follows a commitment made by the Scottish Government in the Fairer, Greener Scotland: Programme for Government 2021-22, which was launched on 7 September, to deliver Anne’s Law. It builds on a  programme of work to enable people living in adult care homes to maintain family and friendship connections.

This includes strengthening the Health and Social Care Standards and a consultation was launched on 16 September seeking views on ways to do this.

Social Care Minister Kevin Stewart said: “Social connections and meaningful activity are important for the wellbeing and quality of life of people living in adult care homes. For many residents, family members or friends also play a vital role in their care, complementing the support provided by care home staff.

“The Scottish Government is committed to bringing in Anne’s Law to  ensure people who live in adult care homes have rights to see and spend time with those who are important to them.

“It is important that we hear views and suggestions on the proposals to achieve this so that we do it in the best possible way.  We want to hear from as many people as possible to help shape the proposals – including people who live in adult care homes, their families and friends, care home providers and staff and a wide range of other stakeholders.”

Anne’s Law is named after Anne Duke who lives in a care home in South Lanarkshire.

Anne’s daughter Natasha Hamilton, from Care Home Relatives Scotland, said: “We are very pleased to hear that the consultation for Anne’s Law is getting underway. The pandemic has caused great suffering for residents and relatives and has really taken its toll on people’s mental and physical wellbeing.

“We have always believed that even during outbreaks, nominated carers such as husbands, wives, parents , sons and daughters should be enabled to spend time with their loved ones just as staff do.

“We sincerely hope legislation can be enacted that recognises the importance of family life for people in care and the need for personal connection and touch.”

 Anne’s Law: proposals for adults living in care homes to maintain family and friendship connections  – Scottish Government – Citizen Space (consult.gov.scot)

Vaccination drive accelerated

– Covid-19 booster vaccinations get underway today

– Lothian launches drop-in clinics for 12 to 15-year-olds

Residents in care homes for older people are the first to be offered coronavirus (COVID-19) booster vaccinations from today (Monday).

This group will be offered both flu and COVID-19 booster vaccines after the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation advised that they could be given alongside one another.

From tomorrow (Tuesday 21 September) frontline health and social care workers are able to book an appointment for a booster jab online at NHS Inform. The portal can be used by all health and social care workers to book a flu vaccine.

Adults aged 70 years and over and those 16 years and over who are on the highest risk list (previously known as the shielding list) will begin to be contacted by letter or by their GP from the end of September.  

People on the highest risk list who were severely immunosuppressed at the time of their last COVID-19 vaccination will be offered a third primary dose instead. 

Other eligible groups – including all those aged 16 to 49 years with underlying health conditions, adult carers, unpaid and young carers, adult household contacts of immunosuppressed individuals and all adults over 50 – will be able to book an appointment online from October.

Meanwhile, also from today (Monday) children and young people aged 12 -15 years old can go to drop-in clinics for a vaccination if they wish to get their jab before they receive their letter inviting them for a scheduled appointment. Everyone in this age group will be invited for vaccination at a community based clinic or a school delivery session from 27 September.

Heath Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “I am pleased to see the booster programme getting underway for residents in care homes for older people, offering longer lasting protection against severe COVID-19 illness.

“The booster programme will run alongside our biggest ever flu vaccine programme as both of these programmes are important for individual and for public health and wherever possible, those eligible will be offered COVID-19 booster and flu vaccines together.

“We are also starting vaccination of 12-15 year olds after Scottish Ministers accepted advice from the four UK Chief Medical Officers. This group can now head to drop-in clinics for their jabs or wait for a letter offering them a scheduled appointment.”

NHS Lothian launches drop-in clinics for 12 to 15-year-olds

Young people aged 12 to 15 will be able to get a COVID-19 vaccine at drop-in clinics across Lothian from today (September 20).

Mass clinics in West Lothian, Edinburgh and Midlothian will open their doors to young people as part of the latest phase of the national vaccination programme.

Pyramids, Gorebridge and Lowland Hall vaccination clinics will be the first in Lothian to administer the lifesaving vaccine, before more clinics are added to the list over coming days.

Pat Wynne, Director of Nursing for Primary and Community Care, NHS Lothian said: “We are delighted to offer drop-in clinics for young people aged 12-15.

“These clinics will enable young people to attend, without a prior appointment to receive their vaccination.

“We recognise that young people, as well as their parents and guardians may have questions regarding the COVID vaccination and we encourage them to visit the pages on NHS Inform where there is a range of information available.

“Alongside this, our teams at Pyramids, Gorebridge and Lowland Hall are one hand to answer any questions people may have.

“Vaccination remains critically important in the continued fight against COVID-19 and we welcome the further expansion of the vaccination programme across Lothian.”

The clinics are opening their doors following the publication and government acceptance of the advice of the four Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) to offer a single dose of the COVID vaccine to all healthy 12-15-year-olds.

Young people do not need to be registered with a GP to attend, however it is requested that they are accompanied by their parent or guardian.

As well as the drop-in clinics for 12-15’s, NHS Lothian continues to operate a range of COVID vaccination clinics in locations across Lothian.

Mr Wynne added: “We continue to offer vaccination clinics across Lothian for anyone who requires a first dose of the vaccine, or who is now due their second dose. I would urge anyone who has still to be vaccinated to pop along.”

More information on the 12-15 vaccination programme is available on NHS Inform https://www.nhsinform.scot/12to15

Information on clinic locations and opening times is also available on NHS Lothian’s website – https://www.nhslothian.scot/Coronavirus/Vaccine/Pages/Drop-in-Clinics.aspx

Happy Birthday, LifeCare!

Local Older People’s organisation is eighty years young

LifeCare Edinburgh, the older people’s care charity is proudly celebrating its 80-year anniversary.  Established in September 1941, the renowned local organisation offers a range of vital care and community services that have greatly improved the lives of tens of thousands of local older people across the last eight decades.  

Initially set up as ‘The Edinburgh and Leith Old People’s Welfare Council’, and later changed to ‘LifeCare’ in 2005, the organisation was created by three trail-blazing local females who wished to deliver activities “giving older members of the community a fuller share in community life”. 

The charity was one of the first organisations set up to do this in Scotland and they quickly built up a wide range of essential services, many of which are still on offer today.  They leave a great legacy, as these vital services have greatly enriched the lives of generations past and continue to deliver incredible caring support eighty years on.

Vital services delivered today

Today, LifeCare provides essential help and support to hundreds of local older people every year. 

Services include three centre-based Day Club services at The Cottage in Portobello, St Bernard’s and The Dean on Cheyne Street.  In the community, the charity offers Registered Outreach, Help at Home, Community Engagement Activities and their recently reintroduced Meals on Wheels service re-established as essential support through the pandemic. The LifeCare team have delivered over 12,000 meals to doorsteps to date. 

Further to this, LifeCare operates a partnership befriending programme Vintage Vibes, with Space (Broomhouse), designed to tackle social isolation and loneliness amongst the over 60s. From their bright and spacious centre on Cheyne Street, LifeCare runs the fully accessible ‘CaféLife’ and operates the community hub for local classes, activities, parties and clubs. 

Eight decades of experienced care delivering positive outcomes

The issues the charity supports haven’t changed across the years.  Care services provided today continue to tackle long-term issues with isolation, loneliness, dementia, mobility problems, food poverty, mental health concerns and support for unpaid carers.  These vital services enable the elderly to remain living independently, to stay physically and mentally well, to keep connected, mobile and active.  

Margaret Stewart, Care Service Manager at LifeCare – and the charity’s longest serving employee who has dedicated 17 years to the organisation – said: “We are all extremely proud of the charity’s history and longevity, it’s terrific to be part of such an established organisation which continues to deliver lifechanging support eighty years on. 

“LifeCare is truly embedded in the local community – we are well known, reliable and we deliver the highest quality care support for local older people and that’s why we are still going strong today.  

The organisation has weathered several challenges and changes across our 80-year history.  We have adapted and redesigned services to fit changing circumstances through the years, we’ve moved premises, and of course most recently, we have navigated COVID-19 to deliver vital care to over 770 local older people throughout the crisis.  Many of these individuals had no or little other available support.  Our dedicated staff and volunteers worked tirelessly to ensure no client in need went without through the devasting time.  

“As a charity, we make sure that everyone who needs us can access our care.  Our care is considered, non-rushed and enables an older person to stay living in their own home for as long as possible.  Wherever possible a person’s care is delivered by the same friendly face so we develop strong relationships and offer bespoke activities that give something to look forward to.  

“We can only achieve this through the generosity of our funders.  A huge thanks to everyone involved, your support truly helps to protect the physical and mental health of some of the most isolated and vulnerable older people living in our communities today.” 

The charity has received congratulations and best wishes from throughout the community.  

Hal Osler, Councillor for Inverleith Ward, (below) said: “We are extremely lucky to have an organisation like LifeCare, not only do they provide much needed care and support to some of most vulnerable citizens they also provide us with space to celebrate as a community.

“It was an honour to share in their 80th birthday and such a joy to see and hear so much happiness after such a dark time. I would like to thank all the staff for all their hard work especially in the last 18 months and the continued support and care that they give to the wider community. You are very special and I look forward to celebrating many other milestones in the future.”

Inverleith Ward Cllr Max Mitchell (above) added: “LifeCare is a truly inspiring organisation doing such important work and we are so fortunate to have them.

“I am very grateful to the staff who go above and beyond on a daily basis to support and empower our older and more vulnerable members of the community. It was a real pleasure to join LifeCare to celebrate their 80th birthday and share in such a joyous occasion.”

LifeCare Edinburgh is a registered charity and relies on the support of its funders.  Key relationships include Barclays, Tesco Bank, The TOR Foundation, Foundation Scotland and all the many local people who take part in community fundraising events. 

For more information visit https://www.lifecare-edinburgh.org.uk

Top 10 Best Days Out for Over 65’s

  • Natural History Museum tops list of Best Days Out for Over 60’s
  • The National Space Centre is in 2nd, while the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh is a close 3rd
  • Results determined by criteria including Admission/Senior Discount, Blue Badge Parking, On-Site Assistance, Wheelchair Accessibility, Deaf/Hard of Hearing Accessibility and Number of Cafes, Restaurants and Rest Areas
  • Research conducted by Age UK finds that 1 in 3 (4.4million) or 36% of over 60’s feel less motivated to do the things they enjoy

Research carried out by Care Specialists New Care Homes has revealed the best days out for over 60’s in the UK this summer. 

The team compiled information on some of the UK’s most popular museums, art galleries, botanical gardens and stately homes and gardens and scored them out of a possible 100 to find out which could offer the best days out for older people across the UK. 

Key criteria that was scored includes the cost of admission / senior discounts, blue badge parking, on-site assistance and accessibility, number of cafes, restaurants and rest areas.

As the UK begins to open up, there are now more opportunities than ever before to get out and explore. However, for many older people across the UK, getting out and visiting some of our national institutions can be a challenge, especially when it comes to things like accessibility, walking distances and opportunities to have a rest and grab some refreshments.

And the Covid-19 pandemic has only created more uncertainty. A survey carried out by Age UK finds that 1 in 3 (4.4million) or 36% of over 60’s feel less motivated to do the things they enjoy, while another survey conducted by the ONS found that two in five (39%) over 70s said they felt unsafe and unsure when outside of their home.

Reflecting on the findings Dawn Collett, Commissioning Director at New Care Homes, hopes the results will give older people more confidence to go out and see some spectacular events and venues across the country. 

“The Covid-19 pandemic has undoubtedly had an impact on the health of older people across the UK. When lockdowns came into effect many struggled to maintain a healthy level of physical difficulty. And as the surveys by the Age UK and ONS have indicated, issues such as anxiety, depression and isolation have increased as a result, which has had a considerable and lasting impact on their mental health. 

“As the UK begins to come out of lockdown and measures ease, there are now more opportunities for older people to stay active and find engaging activities. Museums, art galleries, botanical gardens and stately homes often have excellent facilities and allow visitors to explore at a pace that suits them, which makes them a perfect choice for a day out.  

“We hope this list will help inspire people to head out and explore these amazing venues, and be safe in the knowledge that they will have the best help and support on hand throughout their visit.”

The Results  

Rank VenueType Total scoreLocation
1Natural History MuseumMuseum95London
2National Space CentreMuseum93.8Leicester
3Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh Botanical Garden93.2Edinburgh
4The WhitworthArt Gallery93Manchester
5Victoria and Albert MuseumMuseum92.5London
6Lyme ParkHistoric House + Garden92.1Cheshire
7Kelvingrove Art Gallery and MuseumArt Gallery92.1Glasgow
8British MuseumMuseum92London
9The Eden ProjectBotanical Gardens92Cornwall
10Royal Academy of ArtsArt Galleries92London

A spreadsheet with the full results can be found here

According to the NHS, Older adults (60+)  should aim to do some type of physical activity every day and offer this advice:

  • Try to be physically active every day. Any activity is better than none. The more you do the better, even if it’s just light activity
  • Do at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity a week or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity if you are already active, or a combination of both
  • Do activities that improve strength, balance, and flexibility on at least 2 days a week
  • Reduce time spent sitting or lying down and break up long periods of not moving with some activity

Edinburgh appoints first Older People’s Champion

Cathie becomes the council’s 14th Champion

Edinburgh councillors have appointed the council’s first ever Older People’s Champion for the city. Councillor Catherine Fullerton will take up the mantle with immediate effect, acting as a link between the Council and older people in the Edinburgh area.

The creation of the new Champion role comes after an approach to the Council by Age Scotland and the Scottish Older People’s Assembly.

Cllr Fullerton’s new remit will see her ensuring older people’s perspectives are understood in every policy area, feeding back to the Council on older people’s concerns, leading on Council campaigns around older people’s issues and helping to communicate Council policy to older people and the wider community.

Cllr Fullerton said: “It’s an honour to be appointed as Edinburgh’s first ever Older People’s Champion and I’m really looking forward to helping our older citizens’ voices be heard at the heart of our decision-making process.

“Making life better for older people will be at the core of my work as Champion – I can’t wait to get started.”

Age Scotland Chief Executive Brian Sloan said: “We’re delighted that the City of Edinburgh Council is showing leadership by establishing this important role. 

“There’s never been a greater need to ensure that older people’s views are represented, and they can play a full part in their communities. Edinburgh’s population is ageing, and the number of people aged 75 and older is predicted to rise by a quarter over the next decade.

“The pandemic has had a devastating impact on the lives of many older people, both in terms of physical health and soaring levels of loneliness and isolation. As we look to the recovery, it’s vital that the Older People’s Champion ensures that those affected are not forgotten about and get all the support they need.

“More than half of Scotland’s local authorities now have an Older People’s Champion, and we can already see the difference they are making on issues such as public transport, community services, social care and leisure facilities.

“It’s wonderful to see the growing support for this important role, and we hope that other councils will now follow Edinburgh’s lead.”

The Council has elected member Champions for the following roles:

Active Travel (Cllr Maureen Child), Built Environment and Sustainability (Cllr George Gordon), Canal (Cllr Gavin Corbett), Carers (Cllr Joan Griffiths), Child Poverty (Cllr Cammy Day), Equalities (Cllr George Gordon), Festivals (Cllrs Donald Wilson and McNeese-Mechan), Gaelic (Cllr Alison Dickie), Homelessness (Cllr Kate Campbell), Small Business (Cllr Lezley Marion Cameron), Veterans (Lord Provost), Volunteering (Lord Provost) and Young People (Cllr Eleanor Bird).

In 2017, the role of a champion was set out to:

  • act as an ambassador for their specifiqed area, which includes taking responsibility for maintaining and raising the profile of their area;
  • support the work of the committee convenors through working in a collaborative role and feeding into the decision-making role of the relevant convenors;
  • contribute to the development of policy in Edinburgh of their area and providing leadership and guidance when required; act as a local expert and advocate working with and engaging with communities across the city;
  • and, ensure focus is maintained on achieving the desired objectives and outcomes of their area.

So many Champions, so little time …