Advantage Magazine Winter 2015

Advantage photo: Eoin Carey

Age Scotland’s magazine: winter 2015/16, issue 45

Silver Line Scotland at Christmas p9 Sporting Memories p29 Time to Volunteer? p18

Advantage is the Age Scotland magazine that provides information, inspiration and ideas to empower Scotland’s older people, their friends, families and carers.

Calendar

p 4

News

p 8 Enterprise p 9 Silver Line p 10 Inform p 18 Inspire p 22 Get Involved p 24 Going Local p 28 Clubs Corner p 30 Interview

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.

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.

Email: advantage@agescotland.org.uk Telephone: 0333 323 2400 Write to:

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

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.

ISSN 1747-4515

Foreword

foreword

e ecutiv x E f e i h C Brian Sloan, Hi Everyone, Well here we are with another edition of Advantage at the end of another year. 2015 has been a big year for Age Scotland; We’ve started our project to support and enable Men’s Sheds across Scotland and hosted Scotland first ever Walking Football Festival. We’ve also continued our work to support our member groups across Scotland though our Community Development team will be changing for 2016 which you can read more about on page 7.

What never changes is the extraordinary dedication of our staff as they work tirelessly to support Scotland’s older people and be fantastic ambassadors for Age Scotland. That said, the great work our staff do is supported by all our wonderful volunteers and you can read about two of them on page 18, and find out how to take on a new volunteer role - if it suits your New Year resolutions!

With the magazine you may have also had a copy of our Hot Tips calendar. Hot Tips is a superb resource all year round to give you great advice and it’s not a bad calendar with some cracking photos as well! If you’ve picked up this magazine, and as such don’t have a copy of Hot Tips then fear not, we may still have a few copies left so just call 0333 323 2400 or email info@agescotland.org.uk and we’ll send you one if they’ve not all been snapped up!

We’ve got some great information in Advantage from a number of organisations that you can rely on to provide solid advice; Silver Line Scotland, LGBT Age, Tax Tips for Older People and the Scottish Welfare Fund. We’ve also got an interview from Scotland’s Solicitor General, Lesley Thompson QC, who has some good advice to beat bogus callers.

Finally, we’ve got an interview with Professor Brendan McCormack, Head of Nursing at Queen Margaret University, who talks about the future of nursing.

We’ve got a round-up of the fabulous Luminate Festival 2015 and finally we’ve got some great information from our fundraising team for those of you who are interested in ways to help Age Scotland.

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

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

Bye for now,

Brian Sloan

3

news

Age Scotland launch Now & Next In October, Age Scotland launched Now & Next our new offering for pre-retirement training.

ndnext.org nowandnext.org

With Now & Next, our aim is to guide and support everyone who is transitioning into later life. We know that the more thoughtful and planned you are about preparing yourself mentally, emotionally and tland financially for later life, the healthier and happier the Age Scotland yside House experience will be.

Causewayside House ewayside In supporting you to step purposefully into later Causewayside life, Now &160 Next understands that each person’s h EH9 1PR circumstances are unique. IfEH9 you are1PR thinking about Edinburgh

3343 0100

or planning your retirement, our pre-retirement workshopsRegistered are annumber opportunity 153343 to get support, Charity number SC010100 information and guidance about actions to take now and what is next for you after finishing work. The workshops blend financial and legal information and guidance with lifestyle and health advice to allow you to confidently take this step.

Quality Matters 16th March 2016:

Age Scotland’s National Conference Age Scotland’s National Conference will be held on Wednesday 16th March 2016 in Perth Concert Hall.

All members are warmly invited to participate in this event. Our conference theme is Quality of Life.

We have started planning for the event and in the New Year 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 If you are not planning on taking full retirement and other parts of the country, the presentations by our BRAND SEPT 2015 areGUIDELINES thinking about| reducing your working hours, fantastic speakers, discussions on well being and NOW flexible & NEXTwork BRAND GUIDELINES | SEPT 2015 taking on more or continuing working; later life, and the range of information stalls.

Now & Next, powered by Age Scotland and working We look forward to bringing members together with locally qualified professionals allows us to again in 2016 for the second National Conference. provide support and opportunities to enrich your life and support a full, productive and fulfilling later life.

Contact: 0333 323 2400 / If you are interested in our courses, please contact Jonathan Park: jonathan.park@agescotland.org.uk or 0333 323 2400.

4

NationalConference2016@agescotland.org.uk

Sign up for e-news at www.agescotland.org.uk

news

h MPs e Scottis h t f o e m o Age Scotland staff and trustees with s

Hot Tips for the winter!

The latest edition of Age Scotland’s celebrated ‘Hot Tips’ calendar is once again receiving excellent feedback from people keen to hear more about what they can do to get prepared for winter and plan for the year ahead.

The calendar, now in its fifth year, is part of the charity’s Spread the Warmth campaign and features contributions from Citizens Advice Scotland, Stroke Association, Care and Repair Scotland, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Scottish Energy Networks and Scottish Hydro Electric. As well as content from these partner organisations, each month focusses on a special theme, such as information on staying active, saving money and keeping safe at home.

Westminster reception In October we were delighted to host a reception at the House of Lords, kindly sponsored by our trustee, Lord Foulkes of Cumnock. We invited all Scottish Members of Parliament and of the House of Lords to meet staff from Age International, Age UK and Age Scotland. With so many new members of parliament, this was a really great opportunity to show how Age Scotland works with the rest of our partners from the Age Network to support older people and work to ensure that everyone can truly love later life.

We’re really grateful to all who came along for showing an interest in Age Scotland and we look forward to working with them in the coming years to find new ways to help loneliness and isolation in older people.

Over 80,000 copies of the calendar were produced thanks to grant funding from the Scottish Government.

These have been distributed through a variety of routes, with copies now available from your nearest Age Scotland shop, your local library or by calling Silver Line Scotland on HOT TIPASR CALEND 0800 4 70 80 90. Anyone looking to obtain a copy of Hot Tips should contact these suppliers to see if they have any remaining.

2016

Alternatively, you may want to contact your parliamentarian – many of whom requested copies of the calendars to distribute amongst their constituents.

To find contact details for your MSP, go to www.scottish.parliament.uk/msps.aspx or for your MP, go to www.parliament.uk/ mps-lords-and-offices/mps/.

Follow us on www.twitter.com/agescotland

5

news

Flu. I’m Ready For You.

The best defence against flu is this year’s vaccine.

Flu is coming and it can hit you hard. So don’t risk it. If you are aged 65 or over you are more vulnerable to it and should get extra protection by getting the free vaccine.

Make an appointment at your GP practice today. immunisationscotland.org.uk/flu NHS inform 0800 22 44 88

6

Email your events to advantage@agescotland.org.uk

news

Age Scotland’s Community Development Service Like many other charities we are in very trying times financially where many funding and income streams are being affected. As a result we have had to make some changes to our staffing and services to ensure the long term sustainability of the charity.

Age Scotland is committed to providing a frontline Community Development Service but this team has been reduced in size and we will be using a different delivery model to ensure we can make the best impact with the resources we have available.

The new national Community Development team members are: Carole Anderson, Linda Anderson, Heather Baillie, Elizabeth Bryan, Tim Green, Ian McVicar, Douglas Macnaughtan, Charlie Murphy and Helen Simpson. Working together the team will be: • Organising regional network meetings, policy engagement events and a national conference for Age Scotland member groups • Offering information, advice and support to member groups to assist with delivery of their services • Building a bank of resources for member groups • Supporting our team of Regional Ambassadors • Publicising the important work of Age Scotland’s member groups and sharing good practice • Giving talks to ensure that members have the information they need about Age Scotland’s work and can connect with us.

We will also be providing specialist community development support to Men’s Sheds across Scotland along with other projects depending on funding.

If you would like to contact the Community Development Team please call 0333 323 240 or email members@agescotland.org.uk.

We look forward to working with members across Scotland and would like to thank everyone for their support and understanding as we transition to the new service.

Update from our Early Stage Dementia team Age Scotland’s Early Stage Dementia Project is well under way. The project is aiming to create information resources and training that will help people understand more about the condition.

The first part of this is going around Scotland to find out what people want to know about early stage dementia. So far we’ve travelled across Scotland, from Dumfries to Inverness and beyond and have been getting some valuable and considered feedback.

Those involved in the consultation told us that they would like to know more about what actions they can take to reduce the risk of dementia as well as what support is out there for those with early stage dementia, their relatives and carers.

Based on this and future consultations, the team will be working to create useful and accessible information resources that will be available as publications and online.

People have told us it would be helpful if those who might come into contact with people living with dementia had training to help them be as understanding and supportive as possible. With this in mind the team is developing training for our member groups across Scotland. We have already started rolling out training to Age Scotland staff, volunteers and trustees, the initial feedback for which has been extremely positive and has already contributed towards making Age Scotland better at supporting those with early stage dementia.

The Early Stage Dementia Team are eager to hear from anyone with suggestions about information and advice or training related to Early Stage Dementia. If you have any suggestions, contributions or are interested in receiving training with your group, please contact us by emailing ESDteam@agescotland.org.uk.

Email your events to advantage@agescotland.org.uk

7

Richard (photo by Mark Mainz)

inform

How I saved on my insurance premiums Richard Garrow, 65, of Kelvinside, Glasgow told us about his experience with Age Scotland Enterprises:

I reduced the cost of my car & home insurance policies October 2014

Find out more For more information on our products and services, visit www.ageuk.org.uk/scotland/products.

To speak to someone to see if we could help you save on your insurance premiums, get in touch with us at Age Scotland Enterprises: Email: insurance@agescotland.org.uk Tel (Glasgow office): 0800 500 3159 Tel (Edinburgh office): 0800 456 1137.

8

I have been aware of Age Scotland over the past few years through the leaflets my mother received to improve her lifestyle. Reading through this literature I found out more about Age Scotland Enterprises. I was amazed at the support available, not to mention the range of products on offer that are tailored especially for older people.

I had been a loyal customer with my previous home and motor insurance companies for a while. When they informed me that my insurance premiums were going up again I decided to shop around and approached Age Scotland for quotes.

After speaking with a friendly arranger, I decided to switch suppliers and, to my amazement, I reduced the cost of both my car and home insurance policies. I was delighted! I’ve also bought a travel insurance policy with them which gave my family and me the peace of mind to enjoy a wonderful holiday in France.

Having the Age Scotland shop on our doorstep in Glasgow is really reassuring. Being able to speak with local people on the phone or in person at the shop is a godsend. I can’t speak highly enough of the team. It’s the personal feel that I really like – it’s definitely something that’s important to me.

I also like knowing that Age Scotland Enterprises’ net profits go directly back to the charity and support older people in Scotland.

The peace of mind I’ve been given through my experience of dealing with Age Scotland Enterprises in Glasgow has been priceless.

Call Silver Line Scotland on 0800 4 70 80 90

inform

Silver Line Scotland this Christmas I dread Christmas as it coincides with my husband’s death. Winter is not a good time for me.” Anna, 70 As the evenings last longer and the festive season approaches, for many older people Christmas can be a difficult time of year. As one caller told us: “They are very mixed feelings I have about Christmas.

I know the family do not want me to be alone, but there are factors involved. I like the comfort of my own home, I can do my own thing, but at someone else’s home I feel sometimes that I am in the way.”

“It is Christmas as me and my wife use to know it, but I will be sitting in the chair alone without her.

I might have to go up to the bedroom and cry my eyes out. On one hand you’re with your family, the other thing is she isn’t there.”

Silver Line Scotland will be open throughout the festive season with our usual 24 hour service. Our helpline staff will be offering advice, information and a friendly chat to anybody who is not looking forward to the winter months.

We are the only free, confidential helpline for older people open every single day and night of the year.

In addition to our Silver telephone friendship and Silver Circles, we now offer a letter exchange service between an older person and a pen friend.

Silver Letters is the exchange of regular letters and correspondence between an older person and a matched volunteer Silver Line Friend. All postage is free and sent via our mail centre. It is not a counselling service and Silver Line Friends will never meet or know the address of the people they write to.

We are currently looking for older people to join our Silver Letters service. If you have an older relative, friend or neighbour who may be interested in this service, please visit: www.thesilverline.org.uk/ what-we-do/referrals/

9

inform

Q: Over the years you’ve been volunteering, what have the highlights been?

s on untis i Tim P

adors T Age’s Ambass e of LGB

LGBT Age is a project run by LGBT Health and Wellbeing for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people aged 50 and over in Greater Glasgow, Edinburgh and the Lothians. The project aims to promote health and wellbeing and create social opportunities. It offers a befriending service, a social programme, information sessions and online resources for professionals to help make their organisation more inclusive for LGBT people.

One of the project’s ambassadors is Tim Puntis. We sat down to have a talk to him about why he got involved and why the project is so important.

Q: How did you get involved with LGBT Age? Tim: I’ve been as active as I could at various stages throughout my life as part of the LGBT community.

After retiring I wanted to volunteer and I noticed that LGBT Centre for Health and Wellbeing were looking for volunteers. I started as a volunteer befriender but eventually I came across an opportunity to help with capacity building in other organisations to help them think about the needs of older LGBT people. n Jam Gwe ) R (L

er, Innes MacLeod: Information ning Offic es: Trai

Tim: There’s been a lot of meetings but they’ve all been really useful to help to provide a voice for LGBT people. A personal highlight was helping to contribute to a document called Living Well In Later Life which looked at how to improve services for older people in light of the integration of health and social care. It’s great to know that our work will represent the LGBT community to influence services over the next ten years.

Q: What are the challenges facing older LGBT people?

Tim: Many organisations seem to think that they will deal with services for older LGBT people once someone announces to them that they are gay. Many claim that there are no LGBT people in their care home, lunch club or activity group but there really are! A friend of mine came out in the magazine of his sheltered accommodation and was subject to abuse from other residents. There were three other gay men living in that facility who had to witness that abuse. What kind of message does that send about the help and support available to older LBGT people?

The work of LGBT Age is so vital, both in providing services and advocating on behalf of older LGBT. It has the power to change lives and I would encourage any organisation that provides services for older people to visit their website to check out the great resources they have created.

More information Email: lgbtage@lgbthealth.org.uk Tel: 0141 271 2330. www.lgbthealth.org.uk/services-support/lgbt-age/

10 Call Silver Line Scotland on 0800 4 70 80 90

inform

Action on Elder Abuse Scotland Challenging harm & abuse of older people Action on Elder Abuse (AEA) Scotland has recently set up as a new support organisation for older people in Scotland. We work to protect older people from a wide range of harmful behaviour and abuse, including: • physical abuse It’s still early days for AEA Scotland, but we’ve got ambitious plans for our services which will include:

• psychological abuse • sexual abuse • financial abuse • neglect.

We’re part of the well-respected UK-wide charity, Action on Elder Abuse, and our work in Scotland aims to take account of Scotland’s unique cultural and social identity, as well as the different support frameworks for older people and other vulnerable adults. We provide direct support to older people experiencing or at risk of harm, as well as raising awareness and campaigning work to improve the lives of vulnerable older people in Scotland.

Financial abuse is one of the most commonly reported concerns we hear about from older people, making up 25% of calls to our UK-wide helpline last year. We know this is an issue that many older people are concerned about, whether it’s abuse within family relationships, or things like fraud, phone or internet scams, or doorstep crime. Unfortunately older people can be a particular target for this kind of abuse, therefore we’re keen to tackle this appalling crime by working with the government, banks and other partner organisations to minimise financial abuse and offer support for those who have experienced it. We’ll be holding a national conference next year to try and come up with some solutions to tackle financial abuse, so please keep in touch with us if you’d like to find out more.

• a Scottish helpline for anyone concerned about harm and abuse of older people (in the meantime, Scottish callers can continue to use our UK-wide helpline) • a national conference on financial harm in early 2016 • a peer support project to provide volunteer support to those who have experienced abuse • a library of free information materials, publications and newsletters • research and projects relating to harm and abuse of older people, including research on financial guardianship and power of attorney • campaigning and awareness-raising work We’ll be working closely with other older people’s organisations, including Age Scotland, to ensure we’re all providing the best possible support to our service users.

More information Email: scotland@elderabuse.org.uk Helpline: 0808 808 8141 Enquiries (non-helpline calls): 0749 666 3815 Web: www.elderabuse.org.uk Keep up to date with our work as it develops by signing up to our newsletter via our website.

Call Silver Line Scotland on 0800 4 70 80 90 11

inform

Tax Help for Older People is a service provided by the charity Tax Volunteers, offering free, independent and expert help and advice on personal tax matters to older people (approaching 60 or over) on lower incomes (less than £20,000 per year). We will, however, be flexible where other circumstances e.g. disability or advanced age suggest an easing of this limit. The service operates across the UK, with a national helpline and a network of over 450 professionally trained tax volunteers.

HMRC independent research estimates that in any one year there will be in excess of over one million taxpayers who need some additional help or support to deal with their tax affairs, over and above that which can be offered by HMRC’s own telephone contact centres. 20% of all taxpayers are pensioners; Tax Volunteers estimate that there are potentially 50,000 older people in the UK in need of additional help and assistance with personal tax, tax credit or pension credit problems.

Tax Help for Older People is urging the over sixties to make timely checks that they are not contributing too much in income tax.

Operations Director Carol Pavely said “Tax can become more, not less complicated after retirement or semi-retirement. Every year many people are notified by HMRC of new tax codes or overpayments or underpayments of income tax. These can be

very confusing, especially as many of us rely on our employer to deal with our tax payments while we are employed. This can be a whole new world to some over-sixties and comes at a time when other challenges such as illness, disability and bereavement can also hit. We urge anyone over the age of sixty, and on a lower income, to seek clarification on any aspect of their income tax liability they do not understand. A simple tax health check can set your mind at rest and more complex problems can be sorted out. This service is completely free, independent and confidential”.

As well as its national helpline and network of volunteer tax advisers, the charity is also working with local organisations to help people. Carol Pavely confirmed “Our working partnerships mean that we can see people face to face when that is the best way to help, bringing the expertise of our specialist area of advice right to where it is most needed, in local towns and cities and in people’s homes.

Older people give a great deal to our society. We are working hard to ensure that we are giving them something back and supporting older people when they need advice and support at this time and all year round.”

If you are an older person on a lower income, or someone acting on their behalf then you can contact Tax Help for Older People on its lo-call helpline 0845 601 3321 or 01308 488066 or visit www.taxvol.org.uk.

12 To find out about donating regularly call 0800 833 0200

inform

CASE STUDY Jean’s story Do you need help to get an essential household item, like a cooker or washing machine, but don’t have the money to buy it? Are you in a crisis because of a disaster, like a fire or a flood, or an emergency such as losing all your money?

You may be eligible for a grant from the Scottish Welfare Fund.

The Scottish Welfare Fund (SWF) is a discretionary fund, delivered by local authorities, which provides two types of grants. They can help people on benefits, or those on a low income, who are having difficulty meeting one-off expenses because of an exceptional situation.

The two types of grant available are: • Community Care Grants – helping you to leave care and live on your own, or to continue living in your own home.

• Crisis Grants – helping if you have an emergency, or are in crisis, and need to pay for things.

Awards do not need to be paid back and may be made to you in cash or ‘in-kind’, for example, a fridge-freezer or bed. There are rules regarding the types of items the SWF can help with and there are qualifying conditions. You can find out more about your eligibility by contacting your local authority or Silver Line Scotland.

Jean is 80 years old, married and in receipt of Pension Credit. She has a heart condition and poor mobility. Her cooker is broken and cannot be repaired and she has no funds or savings to buy a new one.

Jean applied to her local council for a Community Care Grant for a new cooker.

The council considered Jean’s case and she was awarded a Community Care Grant. They arranged for the delivery and installation of a new cooker to Jean’s home.

For more information, please visit: www.gov.scot/Topics/People/welfarereform/ scottishwelfarefund

Download factsheets: www.agescotland.org.uk/publications 13

inform

Luminate 2015

once again proved that creativity has no age limit!

During October Luminate, Scotland’s creative ageing festival, brought people together from across the generations in an exciting and diverse programme of events exploring what growing older means to us all.

The festival is now an annual fixture in Scotland’s events calendar, and this year featured over 430 events and activities with, by and for older people.

Audiences across Scotland had the chance to enjoy Donna Rutherford’s Broth, a production exploring experiences of older people through the tradition of soup making. If you missed this heart-warming show during its Scottish tour, you can watch it online at www.luminatescotland.org or Luminate’s YouTube channel. The festival also collaborated with A Play, A Pie and A Pint to present a new play about one family’s struggle with dementia - Descent by Linda Duncan McLaughlin - at Òran Mór in Glasgow and the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh.

For the first time Luminate teamed up with Dive, Edinburgh’s finest purveyors of weirdo cabaret, in an entertaining queer cabaret night for all ages and persuasions. It was a wildly successful evening and we hope for more in future years!

The programme included some amazing dance performances and activities, including the thoughtprovoking Once Upon A Time by Theatre Bristol at the Tron, featuring two professional dancers and a trapeze artist all aged over 65. Older dancers across Scotland showed that you’re never too old to dance, trying out new skills in a range of dance workshops from ballet to Indian, and Scottish dancers were also featured in the first ever tour by Dance Base’s PRIME and Scottish Ballet Elders’ Company. In Greenock, a performance by older people who took part in an aerial dance project - Up, Up and Away – took the audience’s breath away.

Cinema audiences in different parts of the country enjoyed some wonderful films on a theme of ageing. One of the titles that moved and inspired audiences was Hip Hop-eration, a documentary about a group of older people from New Zealand preparing for the biggest dance competition of their lives - the World Hip Hop Dance Championships in Las Vegas. In many venues this film was screened along with a Scottish documentary Directed by Tweedie, examining the relationship between children and their grandparents.

Music also featured in the programme, including an uplifting concert by the Tayside Silver Strummers, the massed ukuleles of the Dundee and Perth Universities of the Third Age. Live Music Now was once again part of Luminate, bringing live music to older people around the country

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

inform

performed by young musicians, and this year visiting care homes and older people’s groups in East Ayrshire, Dundee and Fife.

Tramway offered people over 50 an opportunity to participate in workshops and produce work as part of their Luminate Week at the Turner Prize 2015 exhibition, and the Scottish National Gallery invited people living with dementia and their friends and family to enjoy a guide tour of paintings by Arthur Melville and try out some watercolour painting. In Lockerbie there was an exhibition of artwork made by the residents of Notwen House care home who had worked with mixed media artist Tracy Metcalfe.

This year Luminate launched its first Challenge, inviting people of all ages to take a photographic portrait of someone from a different generation and to tell the story behind the picture.

Artist Robin Gillanders created some photographic portraits to inspire participants, and selected images toured to many venues in Scotland and can still be viewed online the Luminate’s website.

This is just a small taste of all the events and activities that took place in October from Scottish Borders to Shetland. Luminate wouldn’t be possible without the huge help of artists and communities across Scotland, and the festival works closely with Age Scotland who were one of the founding partners.

Plans for Luminate 2016 are well underway and we hope that you will join us next year!

To stay up to date with Luminate news, join the festival’s mailing list at www.luminatescotland.org.

15

inform

16 To donate regularly to Age Scotland call 0800 833 0200

inform

How to beat the bogus callers Lesley Thompson QC has, since 2011, been Scotland’s Solicitor General and is determined to raise awareness about bogus callers. She has written exclusively for Advantage to say what she and the Crown Office are doing to combat this threat and what we can all do to help prevent people falling victim to this tragic crime.

Every year in Scotland too many people fall victim to the unscrupulous activities of bogus workmen.

Police and Prosecutors are working together to ensure that when these cases are reported to us that those responsible are prosecuted and pay for the consequences of their actions including compensating those from whom they took money.

Recent prosecutions show that we can disrupt the activities of bogus workmen who set out to rob unsuspecting householders often by convincing them they require urgent and costly work to be carried out.

However, my concern is that there are many more cases we don’t get to know about - perhaps because those involved are embarrassed that that they were conned by a bogus workman.

There is no shame attached to becoming a victim of highly organised criminals. That can happen to anyone.

Bogus Workmen cause terrible heartache and financial hardship and many believe they will “get away with it” because those whom they target will be too embarrassed to admit to the police or even to their nearest relatives that they have been persuaded to hand over money.

neral citor Ge Lesley Thompson QC is Scotland’s Soli

My message is clear, do not allow them to get away with it.

The public can do their bit too and along with Age Scotland we are looking to inform and educate not just potential victims in our communities but also their families, friends and neighbours so that people do not fall victim to these heartless criminals.

One of the easiest ways to combat these workmen is to never agree to have any work done by someone who turns up on your doorstep, regardless of how urgently they tell you the work needs doing. Be firm and do not be bullied into agreeing to anything. If your property is in need of work use reputable workmen recommended by friends or family or ones you have used before.

If you are approached by anyone offering to do such work, or notice a friend, family member or even neighbour in such circumstances please be vigilant and do not allow these people to take advantage.

I would encourage anyone who thinks they have been victim of such a crime to report it to the police.

Let there be absolutely no doubt that we will do everything we can to bring to justice those who commit crimes such as these and prey on older and more vulnerable members of our community.

17

inspire

NEW YEAR VOLUNTEER! As New Year draws closer, we inevitably start to think about making New Years’ resolutions. We promise ourselves that we’ll eat better, do more exercise or read more books. What about for 2016 trying something different and making your New Year’s Resolution to volunteer? Volunteering is a wonderful and powerful thing. Not only does it give you the opportunity to change someone’s life or indeed improve life for whole communities you can also feel better about yourself and learn new things while doing it - it’s a win-win!

Research done in May 2012 by the Royal Voluntary Service found that volunteering in later life decreased depression and social isolation.

It was also found to boost quality of life and life satisfaction. It has even been suggested that volunteering can help you to live longer!

There are so many options for volunteering.

Whether you want to help other people, children, animals or the environment, the opportunities are almost endless. There are also choices for how often you’d like to volunteer from just once, to once a month or every week. You could use skills and experience that you already have or have a go at something new. Charities and other organisations across Scotland benefit hugely from the input of volunteers and so do the people they support.

Two of Age Scotland’s volunteers have told us why they volunteer and what they get out of it:

LEWIS I’ve only been with Age Scotland for 2 months, but that’s long enough to know that volunteering here is one of the best decisions I’ve made.

I’m the Community Connecting Volunteer, which means that as well as answering the phones to Silver Line Scotland, on request, I send out letters to callers with a list of local activities and services, ideally, and often, finding exactly what they’re looking for.

As part of the helpline, I work with an incredibly supportive team of people, about whom I think it might even be appropriate to deploy the word inspirational; the empathy on display here is endless. That support is important because the role is challenging, there are real problems out there, but this just means you’re performing a vital role; and there’s plenty of opportunity for personal development.

You never know what the day will bring, but you do know it’ll be both self-enhancing, and socially required.

18 Call Silver Line Scotland on 0800 4 70 80 90

inspire

HOW TO FIND OUT MORE AND GET INVOLVED ROGER I started volunteering with Age Scotland after taking early retirement. My first volunteering was with another charity in one of their shops but I wanted a different kind of experience, one that meant I could use my skills creatively.

After finding out about the opportunities at Age Scotland through the Edinburgh Volunteer Centre I started coming in once a week to help edit the website.

That Christmas, I took on the role of updating pages on the website to make sure all the information about dates and activities in the charity shops was correct.

My role has changed again and I now help to make the website accessible for people with a visual impairment.

I take the written text, process it with voice software and upload the sound files to the website. The process of making the software work was a challenge but it’s great to know that my work has helped to make the charity’s useful information more widely available.

One of the big challenges has been taking factsheets that have diagrams and working out how to describe them effectively. I recently finished the factsheet called Eat Well and I had to describe what a balanced plate of food should look like!

You can find out about all sorts of different volunteering opportunities on the Volunteer Scotland website: www.volunteerscotland.net or by phoning them on 01786 479 593.

Alternatively you can find support locally. There is an organisation for each local authority area in Scotland that support people to find volunteering opportunities (for example Volunteer Centres).

You can get contact information for these here: www.volunteerscotland.net/find-anopportunity/find-support-locally or in your local phone book.

Age Scotland has volunteers who support us in lots of different ways including facilitating Now & Next training sessions, answering calls to the Silver Line Scotland, helping with our information resources, supporting our fundraising and in our charity shops. If you would like to find out more about volunteering with Age Scotland or how you could get involved please visit: www.ageuk. org.uk/scotland/get-involved/volunteer, call us on 0333 323 2400 or email volunteering@agescotland.org.uk.

Age Scotland is a great charity and as well as knowing you’re making a difference, volunteering has made a difference in my life. Although I’m retired, I still value having a structure to my week. Knowing where I’ll be on a Thursday helps to provide that structure so the relationship is mutually beneficial.

19

inspire

Abseil

Spring r o f Sing

THE FUTURE OF FUNDRAISING

Over the last two issues of Advantage we have told you a bit about what our Fundraising team and our wonderful supporters have been up to. From brave souls abseiling off the Forth Rail Bridge to dedicated runners taking part in the Edinburgh Marathon, our important work in tackling isolation and loneliness would not be possible without the support of the Scottish public. As we come to the end of 2015 we’d like to take a look forward to 2016, and what an exciting year it is for you to get involved!

Sing for Spring People over the age of 65 are sometimes considered to be in the Autumn, or perhaps even the Winter, of their lives, but at Age Scotland we believe that people of all ages should be able to live life to the full.

That is why we are appealing to our supporters to take part in our Sing for Spring appeal in March 2016.

Are you a member of a choir or music group, or do you know anyone who is? If so we would love to hear from you. We will be writing to churches, schools and

music groups in January, so if your group would like to be sent a pack, please do get in touch with our fundraising team – see our contact details on the next page.

It could be an event that is already organised annually by the group, an Easter concert for example, or perhaps the group would like to organise a special Sing for Spring event. Either way our fundraising team are here to provide support and materials to help make sure the event is a great success.

Abseil-utely Fabulous You will perhaps remember us telling you about our participation in the Rotary Forth Bridge Abseil in June this year. This event is run annually by the Rotary Club of South Queensferry and this was our first year taking part. We are very excited to announce that due to our hard work and the dedication of our supporters, who raised nearly £9,000 in total, the Rotary have selected Age Scotland as one of two main charities for the event. For 2016, we will be joining forces with Children’s Hospice Association Scotland (CHAS) who are the second charity partner.

The event will take place on Sunday 26 June 2016 and we are looking for people of all ages to take part. It only costs £30 to register, which is fantastic for such a unique experience, and the minimum sponsorship is £130.

20 Keep up to date on twitter: @agescotland

inspire

Dave and

Barry

Our team of 23 supporters had such a great day last year and we would love to at least double our numbers for this year’s event, so that we can make it really special. Can you get involved or help us spread the word to make sure that Age Scotland can fly the flag for Scotland’s older people? We would be so grateful.

Best Foot Forward Supporters, Dave Paterson and Barry Wilson (pictured, in their Age Scotland running vests) took part in the Edinburgh Marathon this year and raised nearly £900 between them. We are so grateful to Barry, Dave and the runners who took part in other events for us too. A huge thanks to all who sponsored them.

Would you or any of your friends, family or neighbours like to put your best foot forward for Age Scotland next year by taking part in a running event?

We have free charity places available in next year’s Edinburgh Marathon Festival, which takes place on 28 and 29 May and also at the Loch Ness Marathon on 25 September.

ey aiser Stac Meet our new Community Fundr

For a full list of running events please keep an eye on the Fundraising section of our website or get in touch with our Fundraising team.

An introduction Our Events and Community Fundraiser, Amy Telford, is moving on to pastures new at The Sick Kids Friends Foundation. Amy asked us to pass on a huge “thank you” for helping to make her feel so welcome. She has really loved working with the member groups she has met.

We are, however, absolutely delighted to announce that Stacey Kitzinger will be taking Amy’s place at the start of December. Stacey is already a member of staff at Age Scotland, working as our Training and Sales Coordinator for our Now and Next training programme. She will be your main contact for any queries about 50/50 fundraising and for any supporters wishing to organise or take part in an event for Age Scotland.

To contact Stacey and the Fundraising team please call 0333 3232 2400 or email fundraising@agescotland.org.uk.

www.facebook.com/agescotland 21

Get Involved

e Christine Clark

to focus on, from getting paperwork sorted, to Trustee training, to ideas-sharing and being involved with other like-minded men. Some of the most important bits of kit are the kettle and the table, at which decisions and discussions take place regularly at their ‘official’ tea break.

Ian McVicar, Age Scotland Men’s Shed Development Officer for the West of Scotland has been out and about supporting and visiting a number of groups.

He brings you news on what’s happening in Dumfries & Galloway to show the work involved in starting a new shed and the support that is available.

More importantly, this support is available wherever you are in Scotland, just get in touch and we’ll help to find your local options.

Dalbeattie’s lanterns

IAN

A number of Men’s Sheds have been established during the past year across Dumfries & Galloway, with several ‘sheds’ in the pipeline.

Each shed has developed its own identity and focus of work; Dalbeattie Men’s Shed started by refurbishing the town’s Christmas Lanterns. The Glenkens Men’s Shed at Balmaclellan has been focusing on woodwork activities, making clocks with some of the flooring from the CatStrand Cultural Hub following the flood in January 2015.

Men’s Sheds are vital in reducing isolation for men and in giving them renewed purpose in life. For many of the original members of the Dalbeattie Men’s Shed, they agree that it’s helped to give them something

One of the most obvious and important aspects in the development of the Men’s Sheds is finding suitable premises.

For some this has proved easier than for others, with the aspiring sheds finding this the most challenging barrier to becoming established. For others, they have been fortunate to gain support from a local business, offering them underused workspaces in which to work and store equipment.

Behind the scenes support is just as vital, with Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway offering support with governance, constitutions, trustee training and funding applications.

Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway is able to facilitate the regional Men’s Shed Network, encouraging members of the different established and aspiring sheds to come together to share experiences and ideas, and to make connections

22 Check out www.youtube.com/user/AgeScotland

Get Involved

Beer can d ragonfly

Jed Shed g roup

with each other. The latest network meeting, held in October at the Dalbeattie Men’s Shed saw 26 people come together to learn from each.

Christine Clarke, Stewartry Development Officer for Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway said “The growth of the Men’s Shed movement in the region is really exciting. I am proud to be involved with the Dalbeattie and Balmaclellan Men’s Sheds, and to be able to facilitate the network meetings and encourage more sheds to be established.”

examples of other projects. From model aircraft to metal work, this is a shed that welcomes all.

One of my favourite spots was an incredibly ornate dragonfly fashioned from a beer can. You can see it pictured above, a great way to re-use something that normally would just get popped in the recycling. The creativity is on display and I wish them well at a forthcoming Christmas Fair where the men will be selling their creations – good luck!

If you’ve got a skill and thought, I could do better than that, or why don’t we have a shed in my area then Ian and I are just a phone call or email away. Our job is to help you start your own shed, the resources are out there for you, give us a ring and we’ll tell you all about them.

Tim Green, Age Scotland Men’s Shed Development Officer for the East of Scotland brings us news from a Men’s Shed that has just settled in to a new space.

The Jed Shed (What else would it be called?!) has been going for about 18 months but only very recently moved TIM in to new premises. You can see from the pictures above the space, which I’m told took a lot of work to get in working order, now looks fantastic! The men from the shed have done a power of work and are now just getting in to the swing of doing what they do best, making superb creations. When I visited it was bird tables and Christmas decorations but you could see numerous

To see how a new shed gets started, go to our Youtube page (link below left), to see the story of the Wee County Men’s Shed.

To contact our Men’s Sheds Development Officers:

Tim Green: Tim.Green@agescotland.org.uk / 07718 579 291 / 01383 882 151 Ian McVicar: Ian.McVicar@agescotland.org.uk / 07808 024 801 / 01586 820 087

23

going local

etwork Cowal N & e t u B

Networking News from around Scotland Age Scotland networks give our members and key local organisations the opportunity to come together to share news and information about their groups and the great work they are doing. They also enable groups to get involved in Age Scotland’s work, engage with other organisations on issues that matter to our members, and to have some fun.

During August-October 2015 network meetings have been held in Alness, Dumfries, Dunoon, Forres, Irvine, Greenock, Glasgow, Golspie, Kelso, Stornoway and Wick. Our thanks to all Age Scotland members, staff and partners who have contributed to these events. Here’s a flavour of what’s been happening in the networks.

Our Bute & Cowal Network in August, held in Dunoon in partnership with the local Third Sector Interface, included a presentation from the local Citizens Advice Bureau’s new Pension Wise Advisor.

There were also “talking tables” hosted by Carr Gomm’s Community Contact Project, Argyll & Bute Citizens Advice Bureau’s Patient Advice and Support Service and Argyll & Bute Third Sector Interface with short presentations on each of these services and the opportunity to ask questions.

Glasgow Network

In September it was the turn of the Ross-shire, Sutherland and Caithness Networks held in Alness, Golspie and Wick. Each network meeting included presentations from Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) Power Distribution which supplies electricity to homes and businesses in the area. SSE staff highlighted the SSE Priority Services Register which provides information and support to affected customers in the event of a power cut.

Personal Safety, Crime Prevention and Early Stage Dementia (ESD) were amongst the topics discussed at the Dumfries and Galloway and Scottish Borders Networks in September. Staff from Age Scotland’s Early Stage Dementia Project also met with members to find out how much members know about dementia, and to ask what information and training would be of interest. The ESD team said that “consulting member groups has helped us to shape the direction of the project’s work, and we are really looking forward to taking the comments and suggestions forward over the next three years.”

The Glasgow Network event in October, took a twist from our usual format with this meeting encouraging member groups to showcase their work and network with each other. A speed dating format allowed the Voice of Experience Forum, Castlemilk Seniors Centre, Renfrewshire Seniors Forum and the Gorbalites 50+ to present to 40 delegates in a whirlwind of information, questions and networking, while shorter workshops also

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

going local

Lewis & Ha

rris Netwo rk

allowed delegates to attend two sessions from Police Scotland, Funding Sources and Physical Activity. Members seemed to enjoy this change with one delegate commenting that “this was a nice relaxed structure and it was interesting to hear from other members and how they organise their work”.

The Ayrshire and Inverclyde Networks also held their meetings in October. 26 members took part in the recently formed Inverclyde Network held in the Beacon Arts Centre in Greenock. As part of the day members met with Age Scotland’s Health Information Writer, Anna Stephenson, to give their views on the types of information that would be useful in relation to health and wellbeing in care homes. “Everyone I met with was fantastic at giving their opinions and providing us with ideas on what subjects to cover. It will allow us to develop a publication that is useful for older people and is informed by what people actually want.”

The Ayrshire network meeting in Irvine was at full capacity with more than 60 members attending to hear presentations from two local groups: the U3A and Food Train North Ayrshire, and also Energy Advice Scotland and Age Scotland Enterprises. Members also contributed information and experiences to inform the Age Scotland’s Early Stage Dementia Project.

One of our fastest growing networks is in Moray and on 1st October, Older People’s Day, more than 40 members met up in Forres. In the morning Geraldine Day from Age Scotland’s Information and Advice Team discussed benefits for older people and after

lunch Jo Roberts of the Elgin Youth Café facilitated an interesting discussion on intergenerational work.

Jo’s talk prompted lots of good feedback and ideas for future work.

And finally at our Lewis and Harris Network in Stornoway in September, member groups were delighted to be joined by representatives from Volunteer Centre Western Isles, Western Isles Community Care Forum and NHS Western Isles Health Improvement. As ever, the groups really enjoyed getting together and meeting folk from the other organisations – and the buffet lunch prepared by the Lewis Retirement Centre Team was outstanding. Donald McKee’s “sticky toffee tower” was the star of the show. He was called on to give an impromptu demonstration of how to make his “apple swan”. An enterprising group has since snaffled him to come and do this at their group meeting – such is the benefit of networks!

Our next major members’ networking event will be Age Scotland’s National Conference.

QUALITY MATTERS will take place on Wednesday 16th March 2016 in Perth Concert Hall. The Age Scotland Awards celebrating the work of member groups and partners will be presented at this event.

Invitations and the full conference programme will be mailed to members in the New Year.

We look forward to seeing you in Perth.

25

going local

Life in Tra ll in Later e W g n i v Li

nent

Events, Conferences and Celebrations in October Several events took place in Edinburgh and Lothians but we’d like to make a special mention of the Living Well in Later Life afternoon in Tranent on 7th October, organised in partnership with East Lothian Council. This free drop in event was well attended and included the chance to try out taster activities such as Tai Chi, Zumba and Kurling and to speak with a range of stall holders. Age Scotland’s Allied Health Professionals, Jenny Ackland and Yolanda Strachan, were amongst those providing information and advice.

On the 9th the Red Road Young Uns (average age 75) staged a wonderful night of Olde Tyme Music Hall at Alive and Kicking in Springburn as part of the Luminate Festival. A hugely enjoyable evening of entertainment was provided for the packed house of 100 plus, who were also treated to pie and beans at the interval. The programme included poems, impersonations, comedy sketches and nearly 40 favourite songs including “it had to be you”; the Lambeth Walk”; “Maggie” “Beer Barrel Polka” and “Wish Me Luck”. Among the invited guests were local MSP Particia Ferguson and CEO of North Glasgow Housing Association (ng homes) Robert Tambourini.

The surrounding Red Road flats were to be taken down two days after the performance so there was a strong emotional resonance to the night for the Red Road Young Uns, after 30 years of performing.

Shopper-Aide in

Campbeltow n

Age Scotland visits to Shopper-Aide and South Kintyre Seniors Forum in Campbeltown were a partnership affair. Jo Cowan teamed up with the Community Transport Association’s Network Development Officer, Sheila Fletcher. Over two days, Jo and Sheila heard about some of the challenges and aspirations around transport for older people in the area and met with some representatives of the local Integrated Care group.

Congratulations to Aberdeen’s Silver City Surfers and Broomlands and Bourtriehill Age Concern in Ayrshire. Both groups celebrated special birthdays in October.

The Silver City Surfers marked their 10th anniversary with a conference inviting older people to get involved in technology. Age Scotland’s Community Development Officer, Suzy Gentle addressed the event and there were several stalls with creative ideas of how to use technology and a film about intergenerational work.

Also in October, Broomlands and Bourtriehill Age Concern turned 40. Chairperson, Betty Weir takes up the story: Established in 1975 to help look after older people in the Broomlands & Bourtreehill area, initially we offered older people a meals on wheels service and some entertainment. Over the last 40 years we have expanded and now have premises which allow us to provide a lunch club 5 days a week and a pick up

26 Join us on www.facebook.com/agescotland

going local

Red Roa d

Young U ns

and drop off service for members who need some assistance in coming to the lunch club. We also still provide meals on wheels services for members who are unable to attend the centre.

Over the last forty years the catchment area has grown with older people from Irvine and other surroundings villages now also benefiting from the services offered by the drop in. Membership of the group now sits at roughly 200 with an average of 30 people attending daily for lunch or to participate in activities a further 10 meals a day are delivered through our meals and wheels service.

The Drop in Centre aims to keep older people physically and mentally active and plays a vital part in allowing older people to stay independent in their own homes longer and helps to reduce social isolation which many older people feel.

Our celebratory 40th Anniversary dinner dance was a great opportunity to thank all our volunteers for their hard work and commitment in ensuring that our centre has achieved everything that it has over the past forty years, and to ensure that it continues to go from strength to strength. We had a lovely night and it was great to have the opportunity to thank everyone who has helped us throughout the years, especially the committee who are here every day ensuring that the service is available to older people.

Regional Ambassadors’ Corner Age Scotland’s Regional Ambassadors have been busy meeting member groups, giving talks about the Charity and representing Age Scotland at local events. For Iain Howie, our Dumfries & Galloway Regional Ambassador, there was a trip down memory lane.

On 26th October he made a return to the Scottish Police College at Tulliallan to give a presentation to approximately 100 officers attending a national cyber crime awareness session. Iain was a crime prevention officer for over ten years and has a wealth of experience in this particular field.

Iain says: “All age ranges are affected by cyber crime but the tendency of criminals to target older people is well documented. Just be cautious when responding to requests for information whether it’s by phone or email. Genuine callers will never ask for bank details or instruct you to move money to a different account.”

For more information and advice check out Age Scotland’s web site www.agescotland.org.uk.

Get in touch with the Age Scotland Community Development Team:

Tel: 0333 323 2400 Email: Members@agescotland.org.uk

Legacy gifts to Age Scotland: info on 0333 323 2400 27

Clubs

e Voice of Experience Forum along with staff and members of the group aking broth at th m d r o f r e h t u Donna R

The Voice of Experience Forum Motherwell Concert Hall was the host for Age Scotland member group, The Voice of Experience Forum (VOEF), celebrations on International Day of Older People. The superb day included the VOEF big day out with a performance of Donna Rutherford’s Broth, a tea dance and a host of information stalls.

The event which was joint funded by Age Scotland and North Lanarkshire Council attracted almost 300 local older residents. Broth, which featured across the country as part of the Luminate Festival, was stories on film screens from senior citizens,

three pots of soup simmering in the forefront and Donna’s witty dialogue certainly provoked lots of laughs and poignant memories from the audience.

With participants raving about how “they enjoyed coming together and making new friends” the event certainly showcased what can be done to combat loneliness and isolation”.

Sandra, Karen and everyone from the VOEF did a wonderful job in creating a great day for all who came along. You can’t really go wrong with an event that ends in a big dance along to the Slosh but from start to finish it was brilliant. If you’re from the Motherwell and Airdrie area and want to get involved then you can read more about VOEF at their website, http://voef.org.uk, or you can call 01236 439550.

28 Join us on www.facebook.com/agescotland

Clubs’ Corner

Membe rs of the gro

up pass

the an old-s o run tyle footb rrie wh o N d n a all while saying t heir favourite memory and right, Margo

p grou

Sporting memories Belshill The second of our Clubs Corner comes from the fantastic Belshill-Orbiston Sporting Memories Group.

The group meets every Friday and once seated around a large table, Norrie Gallagher, one of the two organisers, leads the group to engage everyone coming along in a big conversation on sport.

What’s amazing about the group is watching everyone open up once a sporting memory strikes a chord. Norrie expertly takes a memory from one of the men and passes it around the room so that everyone gets to add their own take on it. Once it’s been around the group then on to the next memory we go and the effect is obvious. Attendees who were quiet when they came in have come alive reminiscing about their love of the beautiful game.

The funniest memory came when someone piped up with the question – “Did I tell you my memory from Wembley? 1977…” And so came a great story from when Scotland beat England 2-1 at Wembley.

The fans had been told that the grounds were being re-turfed after the match and celebrating Scots took to the pitch to get their own piece of turf. The famous image from that match is of the goal posts being taken apart by fans but the man telling the story said he saw people taking big chunks of turf.

He spoke to one who had his arms full and asked

what he was going to do if stopped by the bobbies.

The great response came that if stopped he’d tell the police that it was his brothers grass and it was being looked after while he was away on holiday!

This was just one of the many great stories filling the room with laughter over the course of two and half hours. There was good natured banter about Lisbon Lions and Rangers Bears, memories from the war and a quizzes about football team names. What was evident was how much this activity helped to make those who came along open up. What was also on show was the amazing camaraderie and how the youngest members were supported by the older members, first timers by seasoned regulars.

Sporting memories groups are also not just great social activities, but have been are really positive activities for people with dementia.

As they were tidying up Norrie, along with his colleague Margo were telling us about how the group came about but also how it functions. They couldn’t keep on going without the help from their volunteers. So if you love sport and are looking for a really rewarding volunteer opportunity then check out www.sportingmemoriesnetwork.com to see what groups are operating close by.

Call Silver Line Scotland on 0800 4 70 80 90 29

interview

A motivating mission For our interview this month, we sat down with one of Age Scotland’s Trustees, Professor Brendan McCormack, Head of the Division of Nursing at Queen Margaret University.

Brendan joined us when he moved to Scotland, having been Chairman of Age Northern Ireland

Professor Brendan McCormack wit

How did you get in to nursing?

h a colleague

demonstra ting teach in

Nursing was never my first choice of career! In many ways I am probably like most men of my vintage, in that when I was in school, nursing wasn’t ever discussed as an option. I had a scholarship to attend a Technical College to study plastics engineering, but (now very fortunately!) I failed my mechanical drawing exams and as a result lost my scholarship.

I didn’t know what the future held and during the summer months the School of Nursing at the local psychiatric hospital advertised for student nurses.

I applied and the rest is history!

attempt to argue that nurses are too highly educated for everyday care tasks, because we are graduates and don’t need that level of education.

I often use the analogy of a mechanic when trying to get this point across when people criticize nurses – it is like asking a 1970’s mechanic who has not undertaken continuous development, to know how to fix a 2015 car! Just because a nurse is a graduate doesn’t mean they are incapable of being caring. I continuously witness amazing caring practices from the most highly technically-minded nurses.

How has Nursing changed since you started?

How does your role at Queen Margaret University combine being a practicing nurse with teaching and academic research?

It is a really tough question as in some ways it hasn’t changed at all and in others it has changed out of all recognition! Despite the negative media portrayal of nursing and a worryingly increased negative public perception of nursing (often borne out of little evidence, other than media scare stories) the core values of nursing have not changed. Nurses have always, and will always, strive to protect individual humanity and ensure that people are helped to recover, regain strength and maximize their full potential to live a good quality of life. However, the type of work that nurses do everyday is so different technically from when I started out. Of course the ‘too posh to wash’ comments come flooding at this stage, as an

I have always had the privilege of combining (clinical) practice and academic work in the various roles that I have occupied. I was very fortunate early in my career to be ‘trained’ as a clinical academic in my first senior post in Oxford. There I learned the importance of maintaining practice skills and a first-hand understanding of the realities of the everyday pressures that nurse’s face as a basis for informing my academic work. When I moved to Queen Margaret University, I wanted to replicate these experiences in some way and have now established a clinical role for myself as an Honorary

30 FUNdraise for Age Scotland: call 0800 833 0200

interview

ng pract ice in Qu e

en Margar et’s Clinical Pra ctice Unit

Nurse Consultant in NHS Fife. At Queen Margaret University, we are highly committed to working in partnership with our students in practice, integrating practice into teaching and learning and building strong research relationships with care providers.

What research are you working on?

My research focus is mainly in person-centred care, i.e. developing care practices and services to ensure that care respects the humanity of people and that staff work in cultures that enable them to work in this way. In Norway I have been working on a project to improve the connection between older people living at home in rural communities with their community – essentially trying to reduce social isolation. In Scotland I am working on a few projects that are focused on developing end of life care. In England I am working with a large team of researchers on a project that is focused on improving nurses, carers and family members’ knowledge of ‘symptoms of deterioration’ among older people living in nursing homes in order to implement earlier intervention/ treatment and avoid admission to acute hospitals.

Finally in Northern Ireland I am working with colleagues on two projects that are focused on improving services for people living with dementia.

How do you feel about the future of nursing?

So many nurses feel demoralised by the system within which they work and the endless attack on nurses by the media does little to help. I am however always heartened when I am with the undergraduate student nurses at Queen Margaret University as the commitment and passion of these people for nursing tells me that the future is safe in their hands. I was recently reminded of how much the core values of nursing are still present when I was teaching with our new first year group. We engaged in a lot of discussion as well as creative work and one group of students wrote this poem that, for me, demonstrates how in-tune with the humanity of older people the future nurse is: Caring for me when I need it most, is hard to accept.

I am out of my comfort zone, this you can see.

So please, respect my individuality.

There are times where I am not myself, but I don’t mean to be.

I am worried, not just for me but for my family.

All I ask is for you to involve me in my care.

Please don’t make decisions when I can be there.

I know you’re very busy.

I am not blind.

I can see.

I know your care is divided up with him and me.

So before you get frustrated with me, I do not mean to whine.

Just remember, I was once your age but you were never mine.

31