Government reneges on promise for free bus pass in England for the over-60s

Last year - in April - I wrote about this offer in a post on my old blog: Free bus travel for over 60s anywhere in England As of April 1st. 2008 everyone aged over 60, or eligible as disabled, can get free off-peak* bus travel on local buses anywhere in England. (Over 60s in Scotland and Wales already get free national bus travel at any time of the day) *Off-peak is travel between 9.30am and 11pm weekdays and anytime during the weekend. It was good news but it didn't last long. This is the news about the scheme today: End of the road for free go-anywhere bus pass for the over-60s Are you 60 or over and do you fancy a free trip to the seaside? Grab your coat because this weekend is your last opportunity to take advantage of a benefit that the Government is quietly withdrawing. From next Wednesday - April Fool's Day - bus passes issued to the elderly and disabled will no longer be valid on hundreds of services. A year ago, ministers trumpeted the Government's generosity in giving 11 million people free travel on all local buses and coaches in England. Now pass holders will once again have to pay on coaches, park-and-ride buses, open-top bus tours and any services intended “primarily for tourism”. (link via timesonline.co.uk) Charming! And I bet the offer hasn't been changed in Scotland and Wales! Why is it we always get short-changed in England?! I thought it was bad enough that the offer was limited to off-peak bus travel in England - considering that over 60s in Scotland and Wales already were getting free national bus travel at any time of the day - but now most of the offer for over 60s in England has been withdrawn. I think this is outrageous! I am fed up with this Labour government! Edited to add a link from DirectGov (the website of the UK government for its citizens, providing information and online services for the public all in one place): There hasn't been any mention in the news about the free bus service being withdrawn or changed anywhere else in the UK apart from England so I assume this information from the goverment is still correct: Bus passes and coach travel for over 60s Local bus travel in Wales In Wales, if you're over 60, you're entitled to a free bus pass from your local authority. You can use it at any time of the day and are entitled to travel on all local bus services in Wales. The pass can also be used on some long-distance services. Local bus travel in Scotland In Scotland everyone 60 or over is entitled to free local bus and scheduled long-distance coach services within Scotland at any time of the day, including the morning rush hour. This scheme is run by Transport Scotland and you need to apply for a National Entitlement Card to travel for free.

Women make history as Chelsea Pensioners

Female army veterans become first women Chelsea pensioners Royal Hospital, Chelsea, takes new step after 300 years One of the army's oldest institutions took the arrival of two pioneers from what some – but not old soldiers – might think of as the monstrous regiment of women in its stride today, as two female veterans became the first women Chelsea pensioners. It has taken the Royal Hospital, Chelsea, founded by Charles II in 1682 for "the succour and relief of veterans broken by age and war", more than 300 years to accept women army veterans; though Dorothy Hughes and Winifred Phillips, both in their 80s, looked very far from broken as they posed in their new uniforms. (link via guardian.co.uk) This is wonderful news. Congratulations Dorothy and Winifred! Well done! Related link on the web: The Royal Hospital Chelsea - The Home of The Chelsea Pensioner

Elderly: reading, knitting, & other mental activities may delay memory loss

Speaking of knitting (as I was in my previous post), I think it's fascinating to learn of new research from the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota about how a mental workout such as knitting may be able to delay memory loss: Knitting 'can delay' memory loss Engaging in a hobby like reading a book, making a patchwork quilt or even playing computer games can delay the onset of dementia, a US study suggests. (link via BBC News) This is very encouraging news about getting old. If the results of this study prove to be true, than memory loss should not be accepted as inevitable in the elderly. It also helps to highlight how unhealthy it is to watch a lot of TV and more importantly how wrong it is for elderly to end up in nursing homes where their major "activity" might be watching TV rather than participating in cognitive exercise (exercising their brains). I hope that since I'm a voracious reader and I also enjoy knitting, that I am protecting myself from the onset of dementia!

Generous Icelanders donate blankets & warm clothes to UK pensioners

This is a heart-warming story from The Sunday Times today: Iceland finds somewhere that’s worse off – Britain As the people of Iceland struggle to cope with the collapse of their economy, they are still thinking of those who are suffering more – we British, for example. A shipload of blankets and warm clothes will arrive in Grimsby tomorrow, donated by listeners to a popular morning radio show in Reykjavik after a report on the terrible conditions in England. “When we broadcast the story that UK pensioners were dying from the cold, our listeners could not believe their own ears,” says Heimir Karlsson of Bylgjan radio, which organised the appeal. “Families, some from far away, came one after another with garments. One nine-year-old girl gathered 37 beautiful sweaters and delivered it to us at the radio station.” The blankets will be distributed in Britain by the National Pensioners Convention. It is sadly true that a lot of the elderly are suffering badly in Britain and Fuel poverty is putting older people at risk when temperatures plunge. (link via Sky News). The UK Government should be ashamed. I am so impressed by the generous and kind-hearted Icelanders who have their own financial woes in their country and yet they are reaching out to help the elderly in Britain. Thank you to everyone in Iceland!

Surfing the web is good for ageing brain

The internet beats books for improving the mature mind, say neuroscientists Scientists discovered that searching the world wide web exercised the mind far more than reading and was similar to completing crosswords and puzzles. Brain scans showed that going online stimulated larger parts of the brain than the relatively passive activity of reading a novel or non-fiction book. It was so stimulating that the authors of the study believe it could actually help people maintain healthier brains into their old age. (link via telegraph.co.uk) So as people get older, they should add surfing the net* to other mental activities like doing crossword puzzles and sudoku, to exercise the brain. *If you want to learn more: Learn the Net a guide to the Internet and World Wide Web.

Housing an ageing society: practical & stylish designs

Goodbye doilies The style-savvy over-65s are about to influence design as never before

James Mair of Viaduct, a designer furniture retailer, has seen a rise in older customers over the past five years. "A lot of 60- and 70-year-olds are classic empty nesters. They feel like a complete change. They may have had a more traditional home in the past but now have a real curiosity about modern design."

Earlier this year the government launched Lifetime Homes, Lifetime Neighbourhoods - a national strategy for housing an ageing society. By 2011 it will be compulsory for all new-builds to incorporate flexibility, such as dropped kerbs on pavements, no stairs up to the front door, a toilet downstairs that can be converted into a shower. "These ideas are universal," Wright says. "Having a ramp up to the front door helps a parent with a buggy, too."

(link via guardian.co.uk)

Lifetime Homes, Lifetime Neighbourhoods: A National Strategy for Housing in an Ageing Society is the first of its kind in the world.

I'm impressed with the ideas behind the government initiative. Let's hope it will actually be put into practice - the compulsory design for all new-builds - and that the promise to better support older people in their current homes will be upheld.

Supermarket 'for older people' may open in Britain

Tesco, which hopes to open the country's first pensioner-friendly store complete with wider shopping aisles and brighter lights, has sent a group over over-65s to the Kaiser supermarket in Berlin, the first of its kind in Germany. The group will report back to Tesco before a decision is made on the proposed 60,000sq ft store in Newcastle, next door to Newcastle University's Institute for Ageing and Health. Professor Jim Edwardson, 67, founder of the Institute and one of those who travelled to Germany, said: "Almost everything about supermarket shopping in the UK is wrong for elderly customers, from shelving that is too high to reach or too low to get to. (link via telegraph.co.uk) This is great news! It's about time that supermarket owners realize that many of their customers are older and should be catered to. In fact, all supermarkets should be re-designed and/or modified to be 'pensioner-friendly' and meet the needs of pensioners* and indeed all their customers, regardless of their age. It would make shopping eaier for everyone not just the elderly! *a pensioner is a person who has retired, and now collects a pension Tesco is one of the world's leading international retailers

Living longer and age discrimination

The famous novelist, Margaret Drabble. has written a powerful article about age discrimination published in The Observer today: The old have a powerful role to play. We're going to enjoy it. From offensive road signs to bad jokes about silver surfers, age discrimination is one of the besetting problems of our times I recommend you read the entire article. Margaret Drabble makes a lot of excellent points such as this: We don't like being portrayed officially as dodderers with sticks and bent backs who are a menace on the roads and we object to patronising jokes about silver surfers. We want to choose to grow old gracefully, like the Queen or disgracefully, like John Mortimer and Beryl Cook, or not at all, like Helen Mirren. We don't want to be lumped into a category.