Advantage issue 47 - Winter 2016

Advantage

Age Scotland’s magazine: autumn 2016, issue 47

Helping you get online Let’s get moving p18 Luminate 2016 is here! p20 Could you be a 2017 award winner? p19

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looking after generations The true cost of care for our loved ones is something we seldom think of, but The true cost of care for our loved ones is something we seldom think of, but the day may come when you’re forced to seek Care for yourself or a relative. the day may come when you’re forced to seek Care for yourself or a relative.

Solicitors for Older People in Scotland will guide you and your family through Solicitors for emotive Older People in Scotland will guideand youexpertise. and your With family through this highly process with compassion forward this highly emotivehouses process withnot compassion With forward planning, need be sold to and pay expertise. for care costs. planning, houses need not be sold to pay for care costs.

CALL 0800 152 2037 CALL 0800 152 2037

www.solicitorsforolderpeoplescotland.co.uk All our members are regulated by The Law Society of Scotland

foreword

Contents P4

News

P6

Inform

P18

Inspire

P20

Get Involved

P26

Going Local

P28

Regional Ambassadors

P30

Making the difference

Advantage is the Age Scotland magazine that provides information, inspiration and ideas to empower Scotlandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s older people, their friends, families and carers.

If you have news, events or issues that you would like Advantage to cover, please get in touch. We would also welcome ideas on how we might improve the magazine.

Email:

advantage@agescotland.org.uk

Telephone: 0333 323 2400 Write to:

Advantage, Age Scotland Causewayside House 160 Causewayside Edinburgh EH9 1PR

ISSN 1747-4515 Advantage is part funded by a grant from the Scottish Government.

Age Scotland aims to ensure information is accurate at time of production and cannot be held liable for any errors or omissions, or for the content of any third party advertisements.

Age Scotland, part of the Age Network, is an independent charity dedicated to improving the later lives of everyone on the ageing journey, within a charitable company limited by guarantee and registered in Scotland. Registration Number: 153343 Charity Number SC010100. Registered Office: Causewayside House, 160 Causewayside, Edinburgh EH9 1PR.

ive xecut E f e i h n, C Brian Sloa Hi Everyone, Welcome to our Advantage magazine on the theme of digital inclusion. We know about the growing problem in our society of more and more companies and organisations only making services available online. This is understandable to cut costs but has the unfortunate knock-on effect of cutting far too many people off from opportunities.

We at Age Scotland believe that the internet and digital services should be accessible to everyone and we have many member groups working to help people overcome the challenges to getting online.

This edition is to promote those services and to hear the voices of people who were once worried about how to get online but overcame their concerns.

I hope you enjoy the magazine, and look forward to seeing you at one of our events in the near future!

As always, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d love to know what you think about the magazine. If you have any projects, stories or campaigns youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like us to help showcase, you can get in touch with the team behind Advantage by writing to us at 160 Causewayside, Edinburgh, EH9 1PR, or emailing advantage@agescotland.org.uk.

Bye for now,

Brian Sloan

3

news

All. Photos: Paths for . rv All rights rese ed

Walking Football Festival 2016 Montrose Walking Football Club was crowned Scottish Walking Football Champions at the National Festival on Sunday 19 June at Spartans Community Football Academy in Edinburgh.

The festival, which was co-ordinated by Paths for All as part of the Scottish Government’s Active Scotland Strategy, saw 26 teams of over 50’s from across Scotland battle it out to walk away as Scottish Walking Football Champions 2016.

Ian Findlay, Chief Officer at Paths for All said “The 2016 Scottish Walking Football festival was an overwhelming success. 26 teams who came from all over Scotland to play the latest version of the beautiful game and the enthusiasm from players and coaches made it a wonderful day. Special thanks to Spartans Community Football Academy for providing their fantastic venue and staff to support the event, and also to our partners Age Scotland for providing the Yvonne Coull Memorial Shield which was awarded to Montrose WFC. “We wish the team the best of luck as they now carry the hopes of all the Scottish walking football family to the UK play-offs.”

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This slowed down version of the beautiful game has grown rapidly across Scotland by allowing people to reignite their passion for football, despite injury or illness, simply by slowing things down.

The festival was organised as part of the Scottish Walking Football Network which brings together five national organisations to support and enable the development of the game across Scotland whilst measuring its impact: Paths for All, Age Scotland, Scottish Association for Mental Health, Scottish Football Association and the Scottish Professional Football League Trust.

The network has been endorsed by a number of Scottish football legends including Craig Brown, former Scotland manager, Archie MacPherson, the ‘voice’ of Scottish football and former Scottish FA Chief Executive, Gordon Smith.

If you want to know more about Walking Football or how to get active, call Silver Line Scotland on 0800 4 70 80 90 to find out about local groups.

See latest news at www.agescotland.org.uk

news

AGE SCOTLAND’S Welcome NATIONAL CONFERENCE Keith Robson

WEDNESDAY 29TH MARCH 2017 PERTH CONCERT HALL

All members are warmly invited to participate in this event. Our conference theme is Lifelong Learning.

We have started planning for the event and later this autumn we will send all members the full programme with details of timings, speakers and activities and a booking form to reserve your place.

More than 300 members, partners and staff took part in our first National Conference in November 2014. Highlights of this event included the opportunity to meet up with member groups from other parts of the country, the presentations by our fantastic speakers, discussions on lifelong learning and later life, and the range of information stalls.

As with the conference last year, a highlight of the day will be the Age Scotland Awards ceremony. For information on applying for an award see page 19.

We look forward to bringing members together again in 2017 for Age Scotland’s National Conference.

Tel: 0333 323 2400 NationalConference2017@agescotland.org.uk

Age Scotland is delighted to introduce to you Keith Robson, who joins our Senior Management Team as Director of Charity Services (Deputy Chief Executive), taking over from Katie Docherty.

A Community Education graduate Keith has 20 years experience working in the third sector having worked in education, health and housing. Previously Keith was the National Official (Scotland) for the Association of Teachers and Lecturers. Keith has served as a school governor, on boards of voluntary groups and on the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council.

Keith currently serves as a Councillor for City of Edinburgh Council, acting as the City’s Play Champion and serving on the Education, Children & Families and Governance, Risk & Best Value Committees. He also sits on behalf of the council on the Board of Edinburgh World Heritage Trust.

Keith is married with a young son, is a keen cook, a reluctant runner (read more about that on page 22!) and an armchair Hearts fan.

Following his appointment, Keith commented, “I’m delighted to be joining Scotland’s leading charity helping older people. We all want to love later life but it’s only through the hard work that Age Scotland and their 1000 member groups do every day across the country that we will be able to make this vision a reality.”

Email your events to advantage@agescotland.org.uk

5

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New board leadership Age Scotland is delighted to announce the appointment of their new Chairman of the Board of Trustees, the Rt. Hon. Lord Foulkes of Cumnock.

George Foulkes has previously served as Vice-Chair and he will be supported by the new holder of that role, Dorry McLaughlin, the Chief Executive of Viewpoint Housing who was an existing Trustee.

Commenting on his appointment, George Foulkes said, “I am honoured to be chosen as Chair of Age Scotland at this crucial time. In the 70’s I was Director of Age Concern Scotland so will be returning to an area of special interest for me. In view of this new responsibility I will be spending less time on party activity. In the House of Lords I am now on the Select Committee on Charities and the All -party Group on Older People which will be taking up more of my time.”

Age Scotland Chief Executive Brian Sloan welcomed George Foulkes’ appointment, “It’s great to have George as the Chairman of our Board of Trustees. He has supported Age Scotland brilliantly during his time as a Trustee and latterly as Vice-Chair. He brings a wealth of experience of the public, private and third sectors and we look forward to developing Age Scotland work under George’s leadership of our Board.

I too welcome Dorry to her new role. Her passion for delivering the highest quality care and new initiatives to tackle the complex health problems that older people face gives her a brilliant position from which to direct Age Scotland’s work.”

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The Scottish Government is consulting about how best to use its newly devolved benefit powers; the consultation is open until 28th October 2016 and you can find full information at http://www.gov.scot/Topics/People/ fairerscotland/future-powers/Consultation The new benefit powers most likely to affect older people relate to: • Disability related benefits including Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment and Attendance Allowance • Carer’s Allowance • Cold Weather Payments • Winter Fuel Payments • Funeral Payments The Scottish Government is interested in your opinions on a wide range of issues including: • Are there any words or phrases that should not be used when delivering social security in Scotland?

• Should social security in Scotland make some provision for face to face contact?

• What are your views on what is right and wrong with current disability benefits?

• Are there changes that could be made to disability benefits that would significantly improve equality?

• How could the new Scottish Social Security system support older people with mobility problems not eligible for a mobility allowance?

• What should be paid for by a Funeral Payment?

To have your say, you can respond to the consultation at: https://consult.scotland.gov.uk/ social-security/social-security-in-scotland

Email your events to advantage@agescotland.org.uk

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Inverkeithing Concern for the Aged In July, Will from our Communications Team accompanied the Age Scotland Chief Executive, Brian Sloan, on one of his visits to a member group. Below is his account of the trip.

It never gets old telling friends and family about the trips I get to go on for my work. I love visiting our member groups. Each one is unique but bound together as part of an incredible network that is supporting people all across Scotland. I love being able to meet these wonderful people and tell their story. Of course, the people who run these amazing services don’t do it for the promotion, they do it because they want to make a difference in the lives of older people, and Inverkeithing Concern for the Aged certainly do that!

We met Graham (former Chairman) and Mo (Treasurer) in Inverkeithing Masonic Hall, where the service is run, before the service users arrived. They sat us down and told us about their work. First we discussed how they make use of the Tesco Food Share scheme which allows people to take food that would have been thrown out. In doing so, the group have managed to work on the strict budgets that Fife Council gives them and still provide really nutritious and balanced meals for those who come along.

Another great initiative of the group is the jigsaw library. Mo runs the local hairdressers in Inverkeithing and in her shop she has hundreds of jigsaws which

s Graham and Mo show Brian Sloan their minibu

she lends out at 50p a go. People have come from far and wide (the north of England was the furthest that Mo mentions) to borrow puzzles. This simple fundraising technique has netted the group over £5000 pounds in four years and, with the number of new puzzles being donated, she’s never going to run out for the puzzle enthusiasts!

This and many other great community fundraising ventures helped the group purchase their very own minibus last year. With transport being among the biggest problems for local groups, this is a brilliant achievement. There is so much more that Inverkeithing Concern for the Aged does. I’ve not even had the chance to tell you about the service, but the smiles above say it all. Innovative and pioneering groups like this one are hard at work right across Scotland.

So if you can’t pop up to Fife to rent a puzzle, then maybe find a local group and discover the brilliant things they are doing to help older people love later life – you certainly will be amazed!

Email members@agescotland.org.uk to join us!

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Funeral planning for peace of mind Funeral poverty is rising. Since 2010,

the number of people unable to afford to pay for a funeral has increased by 50%2

26% of Scots over 50 worry

that they will not be able to afford a funeral for a loved one1

Average funeral costs could reach or exceed £7k by 20203 The cost of a basic funeral in

Scotland has risen by 82% in the last 10 years4

Additional extras such as flowers and cars could cost up to an average £2,0004 In 2015, 183,500 funeral plans were bought. That’s a 205% increase in 10 years5

Postcode lottery burial costs The most expensive local authority for a basic burial, East Dunbartonshire (£2,785), charges four times as much as one of the cheapest, East Renfrewshire (£858).

Although only seven miles apart, the difference in costs between both local authorities is nearly £1,927.6

Western Isles £694 City of Aberdeen £1,427 City of Edinburgh £2,162 City of Glasgow £1,980

East Dunbartonshire £2,785 East Renfrewshire £858 SCOTTISH AVERAGE £1,273

Top tips for funeral planning & avoiding rising costs Don’t put it off - the trend of rising funeral costs is predicted to continue.

Making funeral arrangements ahead of time - this removes financial, emotional and practical concerns for your family at an already difficult time.

Shop around - there are different types of funeral plans available. Read the small print and find one that suits your needs. Check what costs are covered in the plans e.g. Does the Plan include cremation or burial costs and if so, what is guaranteed to be covered?

Prices cut by £100 until 30th November so enquire now by visiting or calling: Causewayside House, 160 Causewayside, Edinburgh EH9 1PR, 0800 456 1137, or, 37 Glassford Street, Glasgow G1 1UG, 0800 500 3159.

References

1. Age UK Enterprises 2014 2. Sun Life ‘Cost of Dying’ 2014 www.sunlifedirect.co.uk/workarea/downloadasset.aspx?id=19327353063 3. Longevity Centre www.ilcuk.org.uk/index.php/publications/publication_details/the_funeral_time_bomb 5. Funeral Planning Authority www.funeralplanningauthority.com/statistics.html 6. CAS ‘Cost of Saying Goodbye’ 2015 www.cas.org.uk/system/files/publications/the_cost_of_saying_goodbye.pdf

4. Sun Life ‘Cost of Dying’ 2015 www.sunlifedirect.co.uk/press-office/cost-of-dying-2015/

We give free support to all veterans no matter if they lost their sight during or after service.

Search â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Scottish War Blindedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; to find out if we can help you or someone you know.

inform

Meet the Age Scotland team:

Jonathan Park At Age Scotland, we have a wide array of staff who take on a number of diverse roles. We’re going to be profiling a different member of staff in each edition of the magazine to highlight some of the jobs we do. First up is our Business Development Manager for Now & Next, Jonathan Park.

Now & Next was set up by Age Scotland to deliver courses to help people plan for retirement. We sat down with Jonathan to find out more…

What brought you to Age Scotland?

I’d been working in sales for a computer company when I saw the role of Business Development Manager advertised with Age Scotland. It seemed like a great opportunity to use my skills in sales to help not only a charity, but through the Now & Next course, hundreds of people (so far!), across the country.

So what does your role involve?

My role is about going and speaking to businesses to show how the Now & Next courses can be beneficial to them and their workforce. It seems odd that an employer should help an employee for after they leave them, but helping with the transition from fulltime employment in retirement can have very real benefits for a business. We’ve all heard the phrase that a happy worker is a productive worker, well for many, the thought of retirement can be stressful, and we help to ease the process.

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We also offer courses to raise awareness of Early Stage Dementia which can have a life changing Innes MacLeod: Information ng Officer, impact of emaking s: Traini newly diagnosed employees feel m a J wenat ease in the workplace. more -R) G

10 Call Age Scotland on 0333 323 2400

And how do the courses help the people who come along?

Now & Next courses offer expert advice from financial, legal, health and career planning perspectives to give you all the information you need to retire when and how you want to – it’s a packed course!

What’s your best tip for those thinking about retiring?

My number one piece of advice is that it’s never too early to start planning. The sooner you do, the better chance you’ll have a happy retirement. The best feedback we’ve had from the courses is when we get referrals from people who’ve had a friend or colleague on the course. No matter the workplace, our courses have had a really positive impact on the life outcomes of people all across Scotland, you can’t say that when you’re selling computers!

If you want to find out more about the Now & Next courses, just give us a call on 0333 323 2400 or email Karen.Grzywa@agescotland.org.uk

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Time to get

SMART

about energy Smart Energy GB, the voice of Britainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s smart meter rollout, has teamed up with Age Scotland to reach thousands of older people, particularly those with memory impairment, with information about smart meters and the national rollout.

Get Gaz & Le c under contro cy l.

Ask your energ y supplier ab out getting a smart meter at no extra co st.

Every home in Great Britain will be offered a smart meter by their energy supplier, at no additional cost, by 2020.

A smart meter is not compulsory, but if you do accept one, it will replace the traditional gas and electricity meters that we currently have in our homes.

Smart meters will bring an end to estimated bills as they send regular accurate meter readings automatically to your energy supplier. A smart meter comes with a small portable screen known as an in-home display which shows you how much energy you are using and what itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s costing you in pounds and pence as you use it.

This could help you to better manage your energy consumption by understanding which appliances are using the most energy and the difference small changes can make, such as only filling the kettle with enough water for your cup of tea rather than the whole kettle.

Smart meters are being gradually rolled out across Great Britain. Your energy supplier will contact you when one can be installed in your home and you will receive further information to help you decide if you would like one.

This installation can only be carried out by your energy supplier in a pre-arranged appointment and you will not be charged for this.

Age Scotland has information leaflets available to tell you more about smart meters and the rollout. Please pop into your local Age Scotland charity shop or visit the website to view the leaflet online agescotland.org.uk/smartmeters To speak to someone please call Silver Line Scotland on 0800 4 70 80 90

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At Age Scotland we value face-to-face contact.

Whether it’s our Community Development team who travel across Scotland meeting member groups or our social enterprise, Age Scotland Enterprise where you can sort insurance by sitting down and talking to a real person.

However, not everyone shares our belief that you should be able to communicate with organisations and people by other ways than through the internet.

It is with this understanding that with more and more of our lives having to take place online, we decided to theme an Advantage to show how you can get online.

We know that for many people, using the internet is just not accessible in their day-to-day lives. Many older people don’t have a computer at home which is cutting them off from a range of services. With more and more services and companies putting their business online, we want to do all we can to help.

So throughout this edition of Advantage you’ll hear stories from people who were once digital deniers but are now on the internet band-wagon! From grannies who use it to speak to their grandchildren to our member groups who are using it to stay in touch, the internet can be life-changing, but you need to be shown what you’re doing.

So if you are interested, then we’ll show you how to find groups in your local area that are helping older people get online. They really are brilliant groups!

We’ll tell you the most important thing, how to stay safe online. So many people worry about internet security and Age Scotland Regional Ambassador, and retired Police Officer, Iain Howie has tips for you on page 29.

Finally, there’s information for member groups to tell you about funding that’s available for our member groups to help you to get digital or up your digital game, more details on page 16.

So whether you want to dip a toe in the digital world or want to enhance your existing skills then this edition of Advantage is for you! As always, if you’ve got any questions, then please do give us a call on 0333 323 2400 – we’d be delighted to talk to you!

12 Download factsheets: www.agescotland.org.uk/publications

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Getting online with a visual impairment You may think that the ever increasing number of things we can do online - shopping, banking, travel, booking doctor’s appointments, communicating with family and friends - would leave blind and partially sighted people at a disadvantage. Isn’t sight essential to access the information explosion that new technology brings to our fingertips?

Online Today is a Lottery-funded project led by sight loss charity RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People). Specially trained staff and volunteers hold sessions across the country to ensure that no one with sight loss is left behind in today’s digital revolution.

The Online Today team guide their customers through the basics of how smartphones and tablets can be configured to maximise their accessibility and get users started on their online journey.

“Our sessions are very informal, not aimed at people who already have an interest in technology,” says Sheila. “Many people with sight loss are older, so we demonstrate the relevant features of whatever device they have in easy to understand, non-jargon language.

We have a range of tablets and smartphones and can bring these along for people to try out, too.”

“Many of today’s smartphones and tablets come with in-built features that can make it far easier to use for someone with a visual impairment,” says Sheila Sneddon, who manages Scotland’s Online Today team.

Janet Prydie (57) from Dundonald in South Ayrshire, attended an Online Today session in Glasgow and was delighted with the results. She had struggled to use her iPad but is now much more confident and has since bought an iPhone as well.

“You can enlarge and change the type of font used, change the background colour for better contrast, and use software that reads texts to you. Many of the people we introduce to these features never even knew they were there. They’d simply assumed they wouldn’t be able to use new technology.

“I am relaunched on a wave of enthusiasm,” Janet said, “determined to use my iPad a whole lot more and to meet the challenge of ‘taming’ the iPhone!

Without the Online Today team my iPad would still be snoozing in a drawer. They also gave me the push I required to get onboard the smartphone train!”

“But that would mean they were excluding themselves from a vast range of everyday activities - because so many things we do nowadays are done online. Often we see services, discounts and deals that can only be accessed online.”

If you’d like the Online Today team to visit your group to give a demonstration, or if you have any questions about the project, then you can get in touch with them on 0131 657 8204 or email onlinetodayscotland@rnib.org.uk

Donate regularly to Age Scotland: info from 0333 323 2400 13

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Alista

ers getting the practice in sions | Silver city Surf training ses 1 2 1 IT’s of ACE ntage a v d a s ir take

ACE IT and other great groups across Scotland Getting started online For many, the biggest problem about getting online, is finding someone that can offer you impartial and balanced advice. We all know the situation, you go in to shop looking for advice and all they want to do is sell you something, so where can you turn to?

Well luckily, all across the country there are fantastic groups providing just the advice and support you might need to get online. In this article we profile two groups, one in Edinburgh, the other in Aberdeen but there are too many across the country to cover them all in this magazine. So here we give you a flavour of what is available at two groups and if you want to find a group local to you, then we let you know how to do that at the end of the piece.

ACE IT

ACE IT is a computer training provider for the over 50’s which runs a year-round programme of events from its base in Edinburgh.

The team offers older learners the opportunity to find out more about IT in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Launched in 2001, the charity rapidly became one of the key providers of computer training for older people in the Edinburgh area.

Several awards later, ACE IT believes that one of the keys to their success is taking away the fear of computers and technology by offering fun and jargon-free training.

As there are now so many different devices available, ACE IT has moved away from classroomstyle learning and now mainly offers one-to-one training. The training sessions offer the opportunity to get one-to-one tuition on any digital device laptops, tablets, iPads, Kindles, e-readers, smart phones and cameras.

Typical queries may be about attachments, using Skype, storing photos or sending email. Once the staff at ACE IT have identified the nature of the difficulty, the learner is paired up with the tutor best able to help with the specific problem. Each session lasts one hour and costs £8.50.

14 Find our factsheets: www.agescotland.org.uk/publications

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Margaret and Madg e writing

their latest

ion ation sess newsletter for the ACE IT website | Silver City Surfers inform

The team at ACE IT will do their best to make sure that each learner has the opportunity to learn at their own pace, in a relaxed and supportive environment.

For more information about ACE IT, call 0131 477 3883, email jenny@aceit.org.uk or visit their website aceit.org.uk.

Silver City Surfers After Edinburgh, we travel North to find out about another group helping older people to use new technology. Silver City Surfers is based in central Aberdeen and provide free weekly drop-in sessions where older adults can learn technology at their own pace in an Internet Café setting. The charity is involved in a range of projects all directed at making computing & the Internet accessible to older people including monthly information talks to make technology that wee bit less challenging.

Silver City Surfers present monthly inspirational talks to generate interest in getting online on the second Monday of each month. These talks generally take the form of a short presentation followed by a miniworkshop staffed by volunteer tutors. The presenter of these popular sessions, Graham Castle, is happy to repeat these talks, upon request, to interested groups e.g. Church groups, old folks clubs, lunch clubs and the like.

As these sessions rely on people being able to attend them, the charity has another project that gets their practical and valued advice out in to communities where people are less mobile. Silver City Surfers is instigating a series of mobile tech talks and workshops in Aberdeen City and Shire. The aim is to create selfperpetuating Internet Clubs in areas where these do not already exist and where there is a proven need.

Silver City Surfers is involved in a successful intergenerational project which brings children and older adults together collaborating on a range of school projects - children use technology in partnership with the expertise gained from older people’s experiences throughout their lives.

For more information about Silver City Surfers, visit www.silvercitysurfers.co.uk or call 07799 371329.

Around Scotland These fantastic groups are just two of the many that exist around the country. If you’re looking to take up the technology challenge and don’t know how to get started, give Silver Line Scotland a call on 0800 4 70 80 90. Our team has been compiling a list of the groups that exist to help you get started or further hone your skills, so get in touch, and we’ll get you connected!

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For many of Age Scotlandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s member groups, the desire to start using digital technology is there, but the support to get systems set up seems like too much of a challenge.

The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) has been running a project to overcome this barrier and we asked them to tell us more about it.

Scotland is already a digital nation. Eight in ten households have an internet connection, and four in ten have a tablet computer. Six in ten people use a smartphone. For those who have the access, motivation and skills to get things done online, life is enhanced.

But still far too many people risk being left behind.

16 Call Age Scotland on 0333 323 2400

If this were just a case of missing out on a few distracting websites and celebrity tweets then we might think nothing more of it. But the stakes are so much higher. Amongst other things, the internet helps people keep in touch, learn new things, save money, find work and stay healthy. For some people itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been a genuine life saver. These things matter to everyone, and they should be for everyone. When it comes to closing the digital divide, the most important insight is that the real challenge is about people, not technology.

So we must look to each other. All of us can help friends and family to take their first steps online and make the most of everything the internet has to offer. And charities, voluntary and community

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organisations and social enterprises will be on the front line, because they can use the relationships they already have with people and communities as a springboard to passing on basic digital skills.

By developing digital skills charities and community organisations can also become more effective at their core business. We know that digital helps with fundraising, member recruitment, event organisation and campaigning. Charities that use digital well are more likely to increase their funding that those that do not.

SCVO is working through our One Digital project to help local community groups and charities to feel more confident about how to use digital, and to pass skills onto other people.

If you are already helping people to get online and would like some support, or if you are new to digital but want to start now we would love to hear from you.

We can give you free access to online learning courses, which will train you as a ‘digital champion’.

These courses are full of helpful information and will build your confidence using digital. Two of the courses were developed by Age UK for older people, and give great ideas about fun activities to engage with online, and how to overcome challenges around hearing or dexterity.

age When trying to eng ed skills it people with very lim confusing n be a the digital world ca a good job in oes place, the course d focus on giving simplifying with a confidence.”

I liked the structure of the course, the fact sheets and the multiple choice questions. It is a fantastic course and I hope more people become digital champions.”

We are also running free training and events across the country in September. These are designed to bring people together to share stories, get help and feel inspired. We would love to see you at one of these events, and will help you link up with other people who are interested in the same area.

Find out more at digital.scvo.org.uk/onedigital, email us at onedigital@scvo.org.uk or call 0131 281 0868.

17

inspire

LET’S GET MOVING

Jenny

nd and Yola

a

Do you know that keeping physically active and taking part in regular exercise is the single most important thing that you can do to keep yourself healthy? It can help to prevent a wide range of health problems such as Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and dementia and can also improve your confidence, social connections and overall quality of life.

How much exercise do I need to do?

Health professionals recommend that we should participate in 150 minutes of moderate exercise every week. Moderate exercise should make you feel a bit warmer and make your heart pump a bit faster. This doesn’t have to be an exercise class and can include many activities such as brisk walking, dancing, housework etc. Ideally, you should aim to be active every day but adding in any amount of extra activity will make a difference.

How do I get involved in the Move It! Campaign?

Acknowledging the significant impact this can have on people’s health and wellbeing, Age Scotland is staging a physical activity campaign during 2016 It’s called ‘Let’s get moving!

The aim of the campaign is to raise awareness about the importance of physical activity and exercise, encouraging people to build this into their daily lives. We would like as many people and membership groups as possible to join in the campaign as we know there is a tremendous amount of great activity going on. This could be an opportunity to profile what you or your group is involved in – or it could be a chance to tell us your own story about what you do to keep active - and what got you started.

As part of the campaign we aim to share this information widely within our communities to share the great things you are doing and inspire others to participate in regular activity.

Later in the year we will be organising a national ‘challenge’ event and there will be more about this in future issues of ‘Advantage’.

How to contact us If you are interested and would like to be involved or if you just want to hear more about it please contact Jenny Ackland or Yolanda Strachan. We can be contacted via e mail jenny.ackland@agescotland. org.uk or yolanda.strachan@agescotland.org.uk or telephone 0131668 8069.

18 Visit Facebook.com/agescotland for details of events near you

inspire

Could you be an inspirational Award winner in 2017?

Nominations are welcomed for the Age Scotland 2017 Awards which celebrate the groups and individuals who have made a significant contribution to the lives of older people in Scotland. The Awards ceremony will be held at our National Conference in Perth Conference Hall on Wednesday 29th March 2017.

Nominations are now open for the following awards: •

Jess Barrow Award

for Campaigning and Influencing

•

Patrick Brookes Award

•

Services for Older People Award Member Group of the Year Award Volunteer of the Year Award Lifelong Learning Award Age Scotland Inspiration Award

• • • •

for Best Working Partnership

Two New Categories for 2017 The Lifelong Learning Award follows the theme of our conference and has been created to celebrate all the groups that encourage learning, whether that’s a Men’s Shed teaching woodworking, a lunch club with a range of brilliant speakers, or a group dedicated to new skills. If you believe that learning isn’t age restricted, get an application in for this award.

di Read 2016’s Awards were presented by Ed

er

The Age Scotland Inspiration Award has been created to highlight the great work done by either older people themselves or individuals and groups that are leading by example in making Scotland a place where everyone can love later life.

There’s no limit on inspiring people so we won’t limit the number of winners for this award. If we read the story of an inspirational act, we want to tell the world about it; so each winner will have a short video made about how they have inspired people and it will be shown throughout the day at our conference.

The nomination closing date is Friday 25th of November 2016 and winners will be notified by Christmas. Winners will receive a trophy and a certificate. Professional photographs and a short video will be made about each award winner that will be shown at the ceremony. Invitations to the awards ceremony will go out close to the event.

We look forward to receiving your nominations.

You can download a copy of the nomination form online at www.agescotland.org.uk/awards. For further information call 0333 323 2400 or email awards@agescotland.org.uk.

19

Robin & Marian

The Grump

Get Involved

Luminate 2016 is here!

Luminate, Scotland’s creative ageing festival, is back for its fifth year this October. The festival is all about having fun, celebrating creativity and exploring what ageing means to all of us.

This year is no exception with some fantastic, age defying events taking place right across the country, from the Scottish Borders to Shetland. Whether you enjoy classical music, are passionate about dance or want to learn a new skill, the varied programme ensures there is something for everyone.

Each year the Luminate film tour showcases films with a theme of ageing, and this year’s selection all explore different relationships. Screenings include 45 years, Andrew Haigh’s drama about a marriage in crisis, The Grump, a Finnish comedy about an 80-year-old farmer who has to move in with his son and daughter-in-law, and Robin and Marian, starring Audrey Hepburn and Sean Connery as the famous couple reunited later in life. Look out for these titles, and more, at cinemas near you.

Building on the success of the Luminate Photography Challenge in 2015, the competition ran again over the summer. This year we collaborated with Stills, Centre for Photography, and asked older photographers to send us their pictures of buildings that have played a significant role in their life. You can see some of the submitted images, as well as pictures taken by architectural photographer Chris Leslie as inspiration for Challenge participants, at a pop-up exhibition as it tours the country.

After touring for the very first time as part of Luminate last year, PRIME are performing nationwide once again in 2016. For Carry on Dancing they’ll be joined by elder dance companies Quicksilver and Gracenotes, and will dance to an eclectic soundtrack including music from the Rolling Stones and some Hip Hop tunes. You can get involved too at dance classes taking place across Scotland. There will be a dance and movement workshop, 1973, for over 50s at Cove Park led by choreographer Janice Parker, and people of all ages are invited to enjoy the Intergenerational Dance Party together in Glasgow.

Theatre lovers won’t want to miss Forgotten, Pat Kinevane’s captivating portrayal of four older characters, living in retirement homes and care facilities around Ireland. The festival programme also features a selection of dementia friendly shows.

Relaxed performances of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,

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Get Involved

Forgotten. photo: Ger Blanch

photo: Eoin Carey

photo: Brian Hartley

Carry on Dancing

DIVE

Foula, Shetlands

by Chris Leslie (Photography Challenge)

one of the world’s favourite musicals, and Tales of a Grandson, an entertaining re-telling of Scotland’s history, will appeal to audiences of all ages.

Luminate is also about challenging stereotypes, and bringing generations together. The programme this year includes a Burl and Purl DJ Nite, hosted by the same organisation that brought you the intergenerational grafitti project in 2014. After several sessions with a professional DJ, this group of over 60s will host a spectacular event to demonstrate their new mixing skills. Dive Edinburgh’s finest purveyors of weirdo cabaret and performance parties, are once again teaming up with Luminate to present a timeless cabaret for all ages and persuasions.

As always, there is plenty of opportunity get involved online too. You will be able to view some of our exhibitions and take part in creative competitions from the comfort of your home via our website at www.luminatescotland.org.

This is just a glimpse into what’s on offer during Luminate throughout October. Browse the printed brochure, that accompanies this edition of Advantage, or visit the website www.luminatescotland.org to find events and activities happening near you.

You can also sign up to the newsletter for regular updates, or connect with the festival on Facebook (facebook.com/LuminateScotland) and Twitter (@LuminateScot).

www.facebook.com/agescotland 21

Get Involved

Fundraising

Ocean Terminal | Rebecca Dickson with one of our great volun teers

Team Update Welcome Rebecca!

Our Community and Events Fundraiser Stacey is off on maternity leave so to cover her role, we welcome Rebecca Dickson! Rebecca has worked in a number of positions at Age Scotland, most recently working on our Power of Attorney campaign and in the Silver Line Scotland helpline. Rebecca has been out and about already as you can see from the photos at Ocean Terminal.

Forth Rail Bridge Abseil On the 26th June, 27 of our brave supporters ventured out to South Queensferry to abseil 165ft off the Forth Rail Bridge. Between them, they raised just under £7000. The heavens held off until the very last group of abseilers set off, but the rain didn’t dampen any spirits - both abseilers and volunteers alike enjoyed the day!

Age Scotland was selected as one of the charity partners of the abseil this year, along with CHAS (Children’s Hospice Association Scotland). The event was organised by the Rotary Club of South Queensferry with the Glasgow Climbing Centre providing technical support, and we would like to thank them both for making the day a success.

This is the seventh year the Rotary Club has organised the abseil. Across the 7 years, more than half a million pounds has been raised, with proceeds going to charities across the country. A magnificent effort from the Rotary Club of South Queensferry!

Edinburgh Gay Men’s Chorus A huge thank you to the Edinburgh Gay Men’s Chorus, who on 2nd July put on their summer concert at the Church Hill Theatre, Edinburgh with proceeds going towards Age Scotland. To honour the “Night at the Movies” theme, the Chorus performed a ‘mash up’ of Disney songs, a Calamity Jane medley, and an inspiring version of “Somewhere over the rainbow” as tribute to the victims and others affected by the 12th June shootings in Orlando. The sold-out event raised £237.32 and was enjoyed by all who attended.

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Proud abs eilers | The Edinburgh Gay Men’s C horus | Keith,

our new Director of Charity Services is runnin

’s 10km g the Men

Keep on Running

Upcoming Events: Silver Shindig

Throughout September, October and November, our supporters have signed up to participate in organised running events. From the Glasgow Big Fun Run, to the Edinburgh Dog Jog and the Loch Ness Marathon, there is something for everyone!

We are delighted to host for the second year running our glamourous Silver Shindig!!! It’s the ideal opportunity for a glamorous night out whilst supporting the charity, so come along and join us at the iconic Hub on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile on Friday 11th November 2016.

To lead by example, Keith Robson, Age Scotland’s new Director of Charity Services who we introduced on page 5, has even signed up to run the Edinburgh Men’s 10km in November. Keith last did a 10km 10 years ago but since he’s joined Age Scotland, he’s taken to heart our physical activity campaign so has set himself a strict target for the race. You can find out more about the campaign and how to get involved yourself on page 18.

Guests will receive the full Silver carpet treatment!

Come along and enjoy a champagne reception, four-courses of fine dining, our twenty’s plenty raffle and silent and main auction. All of this followed by live music from one of Scotland’s premier live bands Corra – it will be an exceptional night!

Tickets are £84 per person or £800 for a table of 10.

Whether it’s a team night out or a night with family and friends, it’s sure to be a night to remember.

Ocean Terminal At the end of July, our fundraising volunteers held a collection at Ocean Terminal, Edinburgh. They handed out balloons, wristbands and cheer! In return, they raised more than £70. Thank you to our volunteers for sharing their positive energy with the public and for proudly supporting Age Scotland.

For information on any of these events or ways to get involved contact the fundraising team:

tel: 0333 323 2400 email: fundraising@agescotland.org.uk

www.facebook.com/agescotland 23

Get Involved

n king in Shettlesto Woodwor

Fort William welcomes new sh edders

The Shettleston Shed Iain McVicar, Men’s Shed Development Officer for the West of Scotland:.

As Development Officers, we spend a considerable amount of time each month travelling Scotland on our own - I can sometimes persuade the dog to come with me. However, I was delighted to get some human company on one recent trip as members of fledgling sheds in Oban and Campbeltown joined me on a trip to the brilliant Fort William Shed.

Boats, motorcycles, electric quads, various woodwork projects and converting buses into touring recording studios; the activities of the Fort William shed are fascinating. The team were so welcoming and took great delight in explaining their methods and why they came to the shed. The fitted kitchen they had installed now allowed them to supply their guests with homemade soup and sandwiches which was worth the trip alone.

Our appreciation to local TSI staff who were on hand to help me and arranged a mini bus to get us all there. To say the visitors were delighted with the Fort William reception would be an understatement, but it was the enthusiasm, venue and projects that inspired a whole new tranche of shedders.

“A worthwhile and informative visit!”; “Encouraging and inspiring”; just some of the great quotes on the way home.

The guys in the Shettleston Shed greeted me the day after their venue had been broken into. Although nothing had been stolen, it was a violation that you would have been forgiven for thinking would have lowered morale - it didn’t. There humour was brilliant and reminiscent of my time in the Dockyards!

The first Shettleston shedders had just turned up to a meeting, in reply to a local housing association asking if anyone would be interested in attending a shed (not setting one up). Somehow, they got sucked in and they’ve been running Shettleston Shed ever since. I spoke with Robert Couper, a community artist, who had never intended to join the shed and had just come along to help with IT classes... “it’s as if I had known these men at Shettleston all my life, and all in less than three months”.

Although the Shettleston shed has a well-equipped workshop, most of the guys come for the social interaction and camaraderie. Shettleston doesn’t have views of Ben Nevis, doesn’t have fjords or flocks of “happy campers” milling around. Shettleston is a working class area that is in Glasgow’s heartland.

Although the Fort William and Shettleston Sheds are in very different neighbourhoods, they are more alike than dissimilar, they share the same DNA and fill the same gap in the community.

Ian McVicar: Ian.McVicar@agescotland.org.uk 07808 024 801 / 01586 820 087

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Get Involved

Carse of Gowrie s hed’s

activities

include w ood and m ) etal working (Secretary | Roy Garland (Chair), Brian Sloan and Derek Keiller

Tim Green, Men’s Shed Development Officer for the East of Scotland: In June, I visited the Carse of Gowrie and District Men’s Shed along with our Chief Executive, Brian Sloan. The shed is based in Swan House, Technology Park, Dundee and with 70 members, they’re always busy! The most recent addition to the shed is a fitted kitchen where they hold cookery lessons and demonstrations for their members. It is a truly inspirational Shed which seems to expand every time I visit. The Shed exemplifies what a dynamic and committed bunch of folk can achieve through voluntary effort. This was recognised when the Shed won a Silver Award within the section ‘Working with Communities’ at the Perth and Kinross Council’s ‘Securing the Future’ Awards Ceremony in the Perth Concert Hall in May. The Shed are taking great steps towards inclusiveness. They are sharing their facilities with people with early stage dementia. They have also made it possible for a registered blind member to safely take up woodturning. This has given him a renewed sense of achievement and purpose by making candlesticks, egg cups and bowls.

Dundee’s Lord Provost visited the Shed early in 2016 and was so impressed that he asked the wood turning section to produce a gift to be given to the Queen when she visited Dundee. A wooden quaich, made by Bill Beckers (Vice Chair), was presented to the Queen in July.

Colin and Duncan are both 84 years of age and are grateful to the Shed for bringing them together and both maintain that, “… as well as providing work opportunities, the Shed should accommodate people who don’t particularly want to do something with their hands.

Our experience, perhaps is a unique one but we are convinced that there must be many others out there who are living by themselves and would value the chance to meet others in a welcoming environment.”

For Colin, “The place was like heaven to me because nobody’s going to need to be fed or help with getting to the toilet or requiring this that or the other. It was such a relief to have a place to escape to for the few hours respite care I had provided by Social Services.

Since I started coming to the Shed I have seen it develop from a basic establishment to something of a luxury setting with computer room, workshop, kitchen and sitting area.”

The Shed makes a wide range of products to sell, with profits helping to fund its activities. If you’re interested in either being a member or buying one of their products, then visit their website, carseofgowriemensshed.webs.com

Tim Green: Tim.Green@agescotland.org.uk 07718 579 291 / 01383 882 151

25

going local

enio achar S Newm

ge tour peyside Coopera r Citizens S

News from around Scotland The Scottish Government’s “Loneliness and Isolation” agenda progressed from talking to solutions this February, when a number of third sector organisations received financial support to directly tackle this sensitive agenda.

Here at Age Scotland we know only too well the devastating effects loneliness and isolation can have on people. With official figures quoting 1 in 10 older people feeling lonely most or all of the time and 1 in 6 only speaking to family or friends once a week, our Silver Line Scotland helpline regularly receives calls from older people just looking to talk or have a chat about ordinary everyday things. Researchers indicate that loneliness or isolation has a hugely detrimental effect on both a person’s physical health and their mental wellbeing. We were therefore delighted to receive £80,000 funding from the Scottish Government to help elevate and target this modern day malaise that undermines the quality of life of so many of Scotland’s older residents.

The funds are being distributed to Age Scotland member groups through our Community Grants Programme which this year focusses on projects specifically designed to target isolation and loneliness.

In May, 45 member groups were awarded a small grant to help with the costs of their Summer outing.

Members have been sending us postcards to tell us all about their day out and what it has meant to them. Having a day away from the usual routine and the opportunity to visit interesting places,

especially for those who don’t have their own transport, has been much appreciated. Spending time with other people, getting to know members of their group better, chatting, the banter on the bus and enjoying a meal in the company of others is also valued by those who have took part in the outing. A big thanks to the hard working committees in Age Scotland member groups who make these valuable days out happen.

The Newmachar Senior Citizens visited Speyside Cooperage for their Summer Outing. 33 members took part in the outing to learn about the traditional crafts involved in shaping, shaving and charring casks for the whisky industry. Age Scotland was delighted to assist with the costs of the coach hire.

Isobel Wood, Chair of the Group describes the outing: “The Club members went by coach to Speyside Cooperage in Dufftown. We were welcomed on arrival and split into 2 groups. We were then shown a video presentation of the cooperage set up and the work involved. Our group really enjoyed the tour before going a fly cup and complimentary dram and then high tea in Huntly.”

“I never go visiting interesting places like a working cooperage. What an opportunity the Newmachar Group has given us.” “…the company with old and new friends was great, lots of laughs.”

26 For news and views visit www.agescotland.wordpress.com

going local

Netw o

rk Me eting

Voices and Choices

Our Development Grant awards have been varied and innovative, with 18 member groups receiving funding for projects which involved equipment, one off events, tutors, training and support for activities over a period of time.

One pilot project by Muirhead Seniors Forum, an extremely active forum in North Lanarkshire who have various activities throughout the year, saw the forum organise a summer walking group for those members who were looking to get involved during the summer months. So far the walks have been well attended and members have indicated that they are well appreciated, despite the rain! Other grants have included support for tutor fees, bowling taster sessions, games equipment, entertainment costs, support for venue hire costs and catering costs.

We will be monitoring and evaluating our grants programme carefully and hope to feed back to the Scottish Government on the importance and impact of the work of our member groups’ before the end of the year.

The grants programme is still open to applications.

The closing date for applications for Festive Celebrations and Round 2 - Small Development Grants is 30th September 2016. If you would like to discuss the programme and how your group could benefit from Age Scotland grant support contact Email: members@agescotland.org.uk Tel: 0333 323 2400

Network news The month of June saw National Community Development Officer Heather Baillie and Policy Officer Ciaran McDonald travel to the north of Scotland to visit Tongue and Wick to hold a series of network meetings with our member groups in the North of Scotland. Held over 2 days the meetings were well attended by member groups from within these localities giving members the opportunity to be updated on the work of Age Scotland both locally and nationally as well as participate in the consultation that Age Scotland are carrying out on behalf of the Scottish Government seeking members views on improvements that could be made to housing.

In autumn our next round of Network meetings will begin with a Joint Ayrshire & Dumfries & Galloway, West of Scotland, Inverness, Ullapool, Fort William, Wick, Grantown on Spey and Moray. Details of these events will be sent to member groups in the areas nearer the time.

Congratulations to Haydays and the Rotary Club which held a highly successful conference for older people in St Andrews and the East Neuk of Fife in June. More than 100 people took part in Voices and Choices: Be Prepared for the Future!. There were short talks by Age Scotland, Solicitors for Older People, Pilgrim Care and Citizens Advice Scotland and more than 27 local and national organisations provided information stalls.

27

Clubs

ark, o in the P A Day

Active rganised by

Seniors Glasgow

What does a Regional Ambassdor do?

Jean Taylor, our new Regional Ambassador for Glasgow writes about her new role.

My first invitation as an Age Scotland Regional Ambassador was to attend an event to celebrate ‘Silver Week’ 2016 hosted by the Lord Provost of Glasgow, Councillor Sadie Docherty and Dame Esther Rantzen (Silver Line founder) at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall in May. The speakers were Silver Line Chief Executive Sophie Andrews, the Good Morning Service Chief Executive Nicky Thomson, and Age Scotland Chief Executive Brian Sloan.

Dame Esther outlined the origin of Silver Line’s one-stop free helpline for older people, initiated by her loneliness following widowhood. Nicky Thomson described the free alert and befriending Good Morning Service, and becoming a partner of Age Scotland. Brian Sloan provided an update on the successful approach of the Scottish Government to focus on isolation and loneliness as a separate issue from the group of other older people issues.

Dame Esther chatted with Silver Line Scotland’s cheerful and warm-hearted volunteers who derived as much pleasure from the telephone calls as the older person. A splendid afternoon tea and excellent entertainment nicely rounded off the event.

Silver Line Scotland even t in Glasgow

I attended my first meeting of the Age Scotland Member Services Committee. The meeting was a helpful learning experience, and an opportunity to meet other Regional Ambassadors and hear about their work in the community.

The Scottish Pensioners’ Forum (SPF) 25th Conference titled ‘A Living Pension for All’ was my next meeting in Glasgow City Chambers in June, chaired by Rose Jackson, Unison with Guest Speakers Neil Duncan Jordan, National Pensioners’ Convention; Lorna Binnie WASPI (Women Against State Pension Inequality) Campaign; and Grahame Smith, General Secretary STUC (Scottish Trades Union Congress).

The Guest Speakers addressed changes that had been made to the State Pension Age through various Pension Acts without official notification to those concerned, and shared their plans to revisit those changes; also, to campaign for the aggregation of several jobs’ pay for the calculation of National Insurance contributions, and for a higher State Pension. The Conference was most informative.

‘A Day in the Park’ organised by Active Seniors Glasgow in Victoria Park, Glasgow on 14 June 2016 to assist at the Age Scotland stall has been my latest event. The area was busy with older people enjoying music, dancing and a good free lunch between visiting the charity stalls which were full of information resources. I had a rewarding time chatting with people choosing booklets from the wide range of subjects at the Age Scotland stall: a worthwhile day out.

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