Guidance

February: Later life newsletter 75

Updated 13 May 2016

© Crown copyright 2016

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/later-life-newsletters-2016/february-later-life-newsletter-75

1. Listen again: the Minister for Pensions on the radio

The Minister for Pensions was interviewed on BBC Radio London – listen from 18 mins 28 seconds where she spoke about the importance of planning and saving for retirement and encouraged listeners to make use of Pension Wise and the State Pension statement service.

2. How to get a State Pension statement

Watch the video

3. Understanding digital engagement in later life

The University of Manchester has released a report on the use of the internet and digital technologies among older people and its relationship to wellbeing.

4. Social work with older people is as important as child protection

When people find out I am a social worker, they say “oh so you work with children”. Then when I tell them that I work with older people, they automatically assume that I work in a care home, or with people with dementia. It is as if social work with older people doesn’t exist, or isn’t needed as much as working with children. Read Alaina Willis’ article in the Guardian about social work with older people.

5. What is a Carers’ Centre?

The Nationwide Network of 144 Carers’ Centres work to reach carers and develop services for carers across the country. Carers’ Centres are independent charities that deliver a wide range of local support services to meet the needs of carers in their own communities.

Seafarers Link is a free telephone conferencing system which puts former mariners and/or their dependants in touch with each other in small groups once a fortnight, providing the opportunity to share their experiences in life, to make new friends and hopefully to feel less isolated.

If you know someone who would benefit from joining then contact –

Chris Rankin
telephone – 01752 812674
email – chris@community-network.org

7. FREE TO BE ME: Lesbian, gay bisexual and transgender awareness training for care services

The York LGBT Forum’s ground-breaking training in lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender awareness, FREE TO BE ME in Care, was launched on 13 January.

8. Generation Stuck: Exploring the reality of downsizing in later life

Downsizing is not for everyone, but there should be a good flow of information and housing options should people wish to move to improve their own personal situation in later life. This report presents the benefits and the challenges of downsizing in later life, and reframes the debate from one of intergenerational conflict, to how best to increase housing choice and information for older people.

Read the report: Generation Stuck: Exploring the reality of downsizing in later life.

9. Apprenticeships for Older Workers

Apprenticeships are available to all, and DWP are holding a free conference on 14th March providing practical advice for employers, hearing from the Minister for Pensions, leading organisations and bodies who actively support or have successfully included apprenticeships for older workers in their workplace. For more information or to reserve your place email fuller.workinglives@dwp.gsi.gov.uk

10. Humanitarian summit report recognises risks to older people

The UN Secretary-General’s report ‘One humanity shared responsibility’ for the World Humanitarian Summit in May, recognises older people as among the most marginalised and at great risk without targeted efforts.

11. ‘Coping with challenging behaviour’ – a guide for families and carers

This guide contains advice from dementia experts on how to cope when a person with dementia has mood swings and becomes angry, tearful or emotional

12. ‘Dementia without walls’

This Joseph Rowntree Foundation project – which aimed to make the UK a place for people with dementia to live well – finished in 2015. A website has been developed that shares resources from the project – including:

  • videos
  • stories
  • blogs
  • audio diaries
  • reports
  • toolkits

13. What do you think of this newsletter?

How could it be improved?

Please let me know at: Simon.wilkinson1@dwp.gsi.gov.uk

14. Subscribe to the Later life newsletter

The Later life newsletter reaches over 100,000 individuals and organisations.

To subscribe, or provide contributions to future Later life newsletters contact: Simon.Wilkinson1@dwp.gsi.gov.uk

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