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Russell Taylor

Ageing Society and State Pensions

Age Action Alliance Secretariat

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Table Discussion

So what do we know already about

the Age Action Alliance?

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• A UK wide network to promote partnership working & practical action

• Launched on 30 September 2011

• Secretariat support provided by Age UK and DWP

• Partnership Development Group of 50:50 older people & organisations

• Commitment to ensuring older people at heart of the Alliance

• Aims to focus on socially excluded & most vulnerable

About the Alliance

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  “The Age Action Alliance vision is to improve the

quality of later life through partnership working between members and older people; creating communities where older people feel secure, valued and able to contribute to society.”

 

Our Vision

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An Alliance?Why now?• People in the UK are living longer than ever before. Over the last century,

average life expectancy has increased by 30 years and will continue to rise.

• This is cause for celebration but also requires efforts to adapt society so that it takes advantage of opportunities and respond to the challenges.

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Male 65+ Female 65+

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Some interesting numbers*.

• One in six of us is now aged 65 and over. This is a 900K increase on 2001.

• At 12.2 million the number of pensioners in the UK is equivalent to the combined populations of Finland, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.

• In 2010 there were 12,640 centenarians in the UK – expected to increase to 160k by 2040.

* ILC – uk July 2013 – Ageing, Longevity and demographic change.

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Why an Alliance?

• The Alliance recognises the value of partnership working between older people and cross sector organisations in seeking solutions to improve later life.

• Members wish to celebrate the contribution older people make to society and challenge negative attitudes which hold them and society back.

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How does the Alliance work?

• Most of the work of the Alliance centres around the working groups under 14 Themes older people told us matter to improving their lives.

• A Partnership Development Group – made up of 50:50 older people and organisations – and the Secretariat support and coordinate overall activity.

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Age Friendly Environments Attitudes to Ageing Digital Inclusion Excluded Groups Healthy Workplaces Loneliness & Isolation Money Matters Public Health & Active Lifestyles Safe Warm Homes Social & Economic Participation of Older People Transport European Matters Research Older People’s Day (New)

Alliance Themes

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Expectations of Members

• Support the vision and values of the Age Action Alliance• Agree to share contact details with other Members• Act as an ambassador & encourage others to join• Receive communications from the Alliance & seek out opportunities• Strive to involve older people & ideally co-design and co-deliver work• Share information and good practice with the Alliance

Benefits to Members

• Free to join and be part of a growing national network• Receive regular communications from the Secretariat & Working Groups• Opportunities to share information & good practice with other members• Take advantage of Alliance social media: AAA blog, twitter and facebook• Use Alliance logos and ‘I’m a member of…’ stamps to identify membership

Joining the Alliance

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“Since its launch in October 2011, the Age Action Alliance has made great progress in

bringing together stakeholders to work together to develop practical solutions on the ageing agenda. For Alliance Boots, it has been an

opportunity to work with a range of partners to support older people in the UK. Importantly it

has also presented an opportunity to give focus to our own work on ageing. Across the business, we are looking more closely at how we support

older patients and customers in a more coordinated way to ensure that we are addressing and reflecting their needs

effectively.” Boots

Fantastic! In our outcomes focussed world this is an excellent example of the Alliance facilitating things that may never have happened to help vulnerable older people

National Energy Action (NEA) 

I joined the Alliance: “To inform older people and the agencies with whom they work on the solutions to tackling fuel poverty, reducing morbidity and mortality amongst older people as a result of living in a cold home.”

I joined the Alliance (for): “better prepared older population. A unified approach to better health and wellbeing. A proactive and action oriented approach to solving issues faced by current and future generations of older people.”

I joined the Alliance: “To make a real impact on the use of the experience of retirees to help younger generations”

I joined the Alliance (to): “Shift thinking locally & nationally, stimulate innovation, challenge assumptions”

I joined the Alliance( to): “Increasing the impact and relevance and 'value added' of our contribution to improving life for older people in the UK - now and for future generations.”

I joined the Alliance (and): “Already have benefited from the excellent briefing note that comes out each week and circulate this to others across the county. From attendance at the isolation and loneliness working group. Becoming a member of the Alliance have shown to partners our commitment to older people and is assisting specifically with the work of my team and department.”

Members’ Testimony

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Older People’s Day

. • Last year it is estimated over a million people took part in over 6,000 events throughout the UK.

• We expect to exceed that figure this year with even more people involved across the UK

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In Summary

Age Action Alliance

480 + Organisations

PDG 14 Working Groups

Partnership Development Group.

50% Representation of Older People.

THEMES

Warm HomesDigital inclusionLonelinessAttitudes TransportMoney

Older People members of each working group

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Thank You.

Russell TaylorRussell.taylor@dwp.gsi.gov.uk

• Follow us: Twitter: @AgeActAlliance• Like us: Facebook.com/ageactionalliance • Visit our: Website: www.ageactionalliance.org