Search results for ‘Subject term:"older people"’ Sort:
Results 1 - 10 of 63
No age limit: the hidden face of domestic abuse
- Author:
- AGE UK
- Publisher:
- Age UK
- Publication year:
- 2019
- Pagination:
- 20
- Place of publication:
- London
This campaign report looks at the extent of domestic abuse experienced by older people in England and Wales and the barriers that older people can face in reporting abuse. It includes case studies of victims and survivors to highlight the different types of abuse older people can experience. They include the cases of older people who have been abused by their carers, partners, and adult children. The report calls on the Government to ensure that the needs of older people are included in new legislation addressing domestic abuse. Specifically, it calls for: changes to the definition of domestic abuse; additional training for health care practitioners to improve recognition of abuse; the collection of data on domestic abuse for all ages; and for better links between the NHS and police to ensure older victims of abuse are properly supported and protected. (Edited publisher abstract)
Older, not colder: why older people need warm homes
- Author:
- AGE UK
- Publisher:
- Age UK
- Publication year:
- 2014
- Pagination:
- 31
- Place of publication:
- London
Sets out the range of problems that older people face in winter, looking specifically at fuel poverty, winter health and excess winter deaths. It focuses on the challenges faced by older people living in rural communities, including those of older residents of park homes. The document also examines specific problems with the energy market, such as understanding fuel bills and tariffs, costs for non-direct debit customers, prepayment meters and the Green Deal. It concludes that an ambitious energy efficiency programme to bring all housing up to standard is the only long-term solution to fuel poverty and winter health problems. (Edited publisher abstract)
Information and advice for older people: evidence review
- Author:
- AGE UK
- Publisher:
- Age UK
- Publication year:
- 2013
- Pagination:
- 36
- Place of publication:
- London
At times of major policy and legal changes, the need for high-quality, up-to-date and impartial information and advice is especially important. This evidence review is part of a series produced by Age UK, to provide evidence to underpin decision-making for people involved in commissioning, service development, fundraising and influencing. It summarises some key policy developments that will affect many older people, and discusses the role and value of organisations specialising in information and advice provision. It provides examples of information and advice services for older people in other countries, and by Age UK's national and local groups on care, housing, benefits and money, and for black and minority ethnic people. (Original abstract)
Food shopping in later life: barriers and service solutions
- Author:
- AGE UK
- Publisher:
- Age UK
- Publication year:
- 2012
- Pagination:
- 18p.
- Place of publication:
- London
Being able to shop for food is important for older people to stay well and independent. However, 19% of people aged 65 and over report that they have a longstanding illness that prevents them from shopping or makes it difficult for them. This report looks at some of the barriers to food shopping facing older people, and at some of the shopping services run by local Age UKs to help older people surmount these barriers. It also looks at the part that retailers can play. Focus groups with older people revealed that older people may have difficulties getting to food shops, and, once in-store, may have difficulties with the store layout and with getting help from staff. Age-unfriendly packaging and large portion sizes were also a problem. The report recommends that retailers can attract and retain older customers by using the following measures: making stores fully accessible; helping older people to buy online; using retailers’ buying power to meet older people’s needs; and working with their local Age UK. Six examples of shopping services provided by Age UK which fall into 3 broad categories are described: escorted services; home delivery services; and internet shopping services.
Housing and homes briefing
- Author:
- AGE UK
- Publisher:
- Age UK
- Publication year:
- 2010
- Pagination:
- 3p.
- Place of publication:
- London
This briefing paper provides a useful overview of the household status of older people, household value, and the conditions of the housing in which older people live. It highlights the poor quality of homes, many of which have poor levels of heating.
Care and support briefing
- Author:
- AGE UK
- Publisher:
- Age UK
- Publication year:
- 2010
- Pagination:
- 5p.
- Place of publication:
- London
This briefing provides a useful overview on older carers and the care of older people. It describes the prevalence and experience of older carers, looks at the care needs of older people, and explores the provision of home and residential care to the older population. The final paragraphs look at adults perceptions of care and support in old age. Useful figures are included.
Age UK blog
- Author:
- AGE UK
- Publisher:
- Age UK
- Place of publication:
- London
The Age UK blog was set up to talk about political and policy issues that affect people in later life. Some of Age UK’s experts in various key areas will post their thoughts to try and make sense of the key decisions and issues that affect older people.
Why can't I get care? Older people's experiences of care and support
- Author:
- AGE UK
- Publisher:
- Age UK
- Publication year:
- 2022
- Pagination:
- 23
- Place of publication:
- London
This short report aims to explain why people can't get the care they need, drawing on older people's experiences, as well as on what we know about how the social care system is supposed to work, and how it actually works in cash-strapped 2022. New polling from Age UK finds that 10% (1.6 million) of over-60s in the UK are already cutting back or stopping their social care, or expect to do so in the months to come, because they can't afford the cost. This particularly affects older people who pay for their own care, but in England even those whose care is supposedly funded by the State often have to pay 'top ups' to their provider, so some of them are likely to be impacted too. In addition, 22% (3.6 million) of older people are already reducing or stopping spending on medications or specialist foods or expect to do so in the coming months; and 15% (2.5 million) are already skipping meals, or expect to do so over the same time period. Given these worrying statistics it is not surprising that the same polling found that more than half of over-60s 54% or 8.8 million people said they believed that cost of living increases would affect their health and care needs over the winter. In most cases, the answer to the question this report poses, 'why can't I get care?', is that there simply isn't the care to get. The severe shortages in staff and the lack of funding to pay for more or better services to provide care or respite provision have left a gaping hole in support, and often services just aren’t available. (Edited publisher abstract)
Poverty in later life
- Author:
- AGE UK
- Publisher:
- Age UK
- Publication year:
- 2021
- Pagination:
- 11
- Place of publication:
- London
This briefing looks at levels of pensioner poverty in the UK, changes over time, groups at greatest risk and considers what life is like for older people living on a low income. Key points include: although poverty levels are lower than they were 20 years ago, the latest figures show 2.1 million (18 per cent) of pensioners in the UK live in poverty; rates have risen since 2013-14 when 1.6 million (14 per cent) lived in poverty; some groups are at particular risk – 38 per cent of private tenants and 36 per cent of social rented sector tenants, live in poverty compared to 14 per cent of older people who own their home outright and 33 per cent of Asian or Asian British pensioners and 30 per cent of Black or Black British pensioners, are in poverty compared to 16 per cent of White pensioners; financial disadvantage is not just about income coming in – it is harder to manage on a modest income when people have extra costs, for example due to disability or care needs or if heating bills are high because they live in a cold, poorly insulated home; the Government should set out a clear reform programme, in partnership with third sector organisations and others, to abolish poverty in later life; in an ideal world, the State Pension system should provide an income sufficient to cover basic needs, and everyone would have opportunities to build up additional private incomes which would allow a comfortable retirement; however, there is a long way to go to achieve this aim and, in the meantime, far more needs to be done to increase the take-up of benefit entitlements. (Edited publisher abstract)
Ageing in squalor and distress: older people in the private rented sector: older people who privately rent their homes
- Author:
- AGE UK
- Publisher:
- Age UK
- Publication year:
- 2016
- Pagination:
- 16
- Place of publication:
- London
This briefing paper looks at the implications of private renting increasingly becoming a permanent form of tenure, as well as the position of the several hundred thousand older private tenants today. It reviews a selection of Age UK casework on private renting, collected between 2013 and 2016. It describes the experiences of some older private tenants and those who support and care for them, to ask how well private renting really works for older people and what needs to change if the sector is to achieve a better fit with older people’s needs and aspirations. The main issues highlighted by the case studies in this report include: a failure to carry out timely repairs with potentially serious health implications for vulnerable older people; older tenants in damp and mouldy homes, exacerbating chronic health conditions; unexpected rent increases after a landlord has made improvements to their property and unaffordable rents affected by restrictions in housing benefit; older tenants who are getting no other support having to rely on families and even neighbours to take up issues on their behalf. The report calls for: action to enforce the law and support older tenants; ensuring privately rented properties are comfortable, warm and accessible; informing older people about their housing options and improving the availability to them of good advice. (Edited publisher abstract)