Netflix for seniors

The new "Netflix for seniors" that can help reduce loneliness

Living Memories Online offers access to hundreds of hours of archive films and newsreels from the 20th Century…

● "Netflix for Seniors" can help older people stuck at home to step back in time, triggering memories and reducing feelings of isolation

● Also helpful for people living with dementia or in residential care to bring back memories and encourage reminiscence with families, friends and carers

● "When I watch these films and chat about them they make me feel younger again", says 84 year old Noelle Ingham With millions of vulnerable elderly people stuck at home and with limited social contact, a new online service could offer them a valuable lifeline.

Dubbed "Netflix for Seniors", Living Memories Online brings memories back to life through archive films and newsreels from the 20th Century capturing everyday life at home and work as well as important national events. 28 It’s been launched by Living Memories C.I.C., a not-for-profit social enterprise, to reduce isolation and help improve the health and wellbeing of older people. As well as sparking memories, the old films encourage elderly people, including those with dementia, to reminisce with families, friends and carers.

These archive films give a fascinating insight into all aspects of life in the past. For a monthly subscription of just £5, individuals, care homes and other organisations can search for films by decade, topic (such as home, travel and work) and subject (eg. fashion, shopping, cars). They can make a collection of their own favourites, which can be shared with other users. They can also access online reminiscence resources to help trigger conversations.

Brian Norris, founder of Living Memories CIC, says: "Archive films are a wonderful way of prompting older people to share memories and life experiences.

Long-term memory is usually one of their strengths, so reminiscence encourages them to communicate and feel more confident about themselves. Living Memories Online makes reminiscence activity much more widely available.

Living Memories was developed by Brian and his wife Leonore after long practical research with older people, including those with dementia. It already publishes DVDs and reminiscence resources and for some time has been running Tea and Memory groups where archive programmes and newsreels are shown to community groups.

Brian says: "At the group sessions we found that many older people, including those living with dementia, who had previously been reluctant to talk started to reminisce about their lives and shared experiences, to make new friends and get to know their neighbours."

NHS social prescribing nurses in Brian's local area of East Devon started referring people to the sessions, and demand was so high that Brian and Leonore decided to develop Living Memories as an online service that could be used by care homes, local memory cafés and in people's own homes. The pandemic gave added urgency to get their new project up and running nationally.

The Abbeyfield Society, a charity which operates over 450 retirement houses across the UK, has already signed up to use Living Memories Online for its residents. It is also partnering with Living Memories to create virtual and live Tea & Memories reminiscence groups around the UK in the communities in which Abbeyfield operates. Abbeyfield Society Chief Executive, David McCullough, said:

“The new excellent Living Memories Online streaming service helps us engage older people within our own Abbeyfield homes and also to connect with local communities to reach elderly, lonely people. It is an exemplar of the strategy for people to come together and open up friendships and initiate conversations, particularly in these difficult times of the pandemic. It is exciting to be finding new ways to be creative and to have a positive impact on people’s lives. We know that our residents’ wellbeing is lifted from the testimonies we have received.” At Abbeyfield Residential House in Tavistock, Devon, they recently ran two Tea & Memories trial sessions using the new Living Memories online platform. Graham Osborn, former Chair of the Abbeyfield Society Trustees in the Devon town ran both sessions. The first, which centred around a film called Marvellous Milk, was for a small group of six residents: “It was a roaring success, with the event almost running itself with just a little direction from me as the residents’ enthusiasm triggered lots of memories which led to others and so on. There was plenty of involvement, laughter and overall enjoyment and after 45 minutes, which went so quickly, we ended for a cup of tea - with milk! "We had nearly a full house of residents present, so there was a vibrant and stimulating environment with much laughter and discussion about the past. The topic from the Living Memories was on a 1958 film excerpt entitled Lovely Launderette. My vice-chair on the House Committee was helping out and I know she was quite surprised at the interaction between residents, some of whom normally are very quiet, but as she said to me afterwards, they came to life when talking about events some 60 years ago." "I encouraged the residents to describe what this reminiscence means to them and they told me how watching the films immediately brings a smile to their faces as they start to remember those ‘good old days'. One told me how "with the demanding challenges we face as we get older it is refreshing and stimulating to be taken back in time and to experience once again individual precious memories of joyful opportunities and adventures - moments that we never wanted to end."

Accessing your Pension Money sensibly and avoiding Pension scams

Whether you have a defined benefit or defined contribution pension scheme, you can often start taking benefits from the age of 55. You could use this to help top up your salary if you are still working or to enable you to work fewer hours or even retire early. You may also be able to release a cash sum from your pension too.

Often the first 25% of the fund will be tax-free if taken as a cash sum. The remaining 75% would be counted as income and taxed in the usual way. So care needs to be taken as could push you into a higher income tax bracket for that financial year. Which part of your pension you take also effects what levels you can contribute back into a pension in the future. If you just take the 25% tax free lump sum, you can continue to contribute up to £40,000 per annum into a pension. However, if you take out any of the remaining 75% taxable portion of your pension, the amount you can contribute into a pension each year reduces to £4,000 per annum.

Pension Scams to avoid

Pension scams have increased recently due to the Coronavirus impact on the economy and people having financial difficulties due to job losses. One particular scam to be wary of and avoid is companies claiming they can access your pension money before the age 55 One particular scam to be wary of and avoid is companies claiming they can access your pension money before the age 55. Accessing your pension before age 55 is viewed as an unauthorised payment in most circumstances. The tax you will pay for accessing can be up to 55%, as well as charges of up to 30% by the firm which does it for you. If a website or marketing brochure advertises that you can or should access your pension before the age of 55, it is unlikely they will be authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority and any advice or guidance they give you will be unregulated. This means you will not be able to complain to a regulator if anything goes wrong.

There are two instances when you can legally access pension money under age 55. The first is if you’re too ill to work or if you have a serious illness which means you are expected to live for less than a year. The second is when you have a protected pension age lower than age 55. An example of someone who might have a ‘protected retirement age’ might be a professional sportsperson. If you are planning to access your pension and are unsure of the rules or how to do so, make sure you seek professional advice and consult a regulated financial adviser. You can check if the advisory firm is authorised and regulated to give financial advice by going to the FCA register on their website.