Age UK to be launched in Spring 2010

Older people definitely do need an organisation dedicated to their needs and cause but we need to get away from the idea that being older brings inevitable decline. Just the name of an organisation can suggest this but now in keeping with modern phraseology a new Age UK, due to be launched in

Spring 2010 is replacing our present UK organisations Age Concern and Help the Aged - aged, hmm! Age UK includes Age Scotland, Age CYmru and Age NI.

As older people are living longer and are more and more keeping active and healthy it is vital to have an organisation that supports this, while of course attending to the genuine needs of people in advanced age.

Age UK pledges to "help people enjoy a better later life - here and in 70 other countries - by providing life-enhancing services and vital support". They will continue to develop products tailored specifically for people in their latter years.

As do the present organisations, Age UK will continue to make accessible advice and information via helplines, websites and publications. One of the advantages of joining forces is that funds will be more suitably directed and it will be easier to fund cutting edge research into the ageing process too.

The present organisation Age Concern supports all people aged over 50 in the UK to get the most out of life. It runs campaigns on issues such as age discrimination and pensions and is influential as regards public opinion and government policy regarding older people.

Many positive initiatives of Age Concern are a range of programmes designed to encourage people over 50 remain mentally and physically active. These include: "Fit as a fiddle", Technology and older people and the Ageing Well programme.

Age Concern and Help the Aged is presently looking for someone over 55 who is au fait with the Internet, to tell their story so as to encourage older people to gain computer skills and get online. You can either nominate yourself or someone you know to be considered as Internet Champion of the Year who will win a range of prizes including an all expenses paid trip to London over two days and one night, a free laptop computer and a complete BT package for one year.

The new Age UK promises to be the "one of the most powerful and influential organisations in the UK" and will be the national voice for age in the UK.

What's this?