Sarah Newton MP welcomes new ‘Active at 60 Community Agents’ to Cornwall

Today the Government announced a new fund of £1 million to help older people stay active and make the most of their later lives.  The money is available for local community groups or organisations within 30 areas of England to bid for small grants of between £250 and £3,000.

Each local community group within the selected areas will recruit at least one Active at 60 Community Agent who will volunteer their time to help motivate, encourage and organise people within their communities to become more physically, socially and mentally active.  Active at 60 Community Agents will be from the communities they are helping, and will have the flexibility to design innovative ways of encouraging and inspiring activity to improve people’s later lives.

Through the Active Community Agent initiative those people who are more at risk of social isolation in their later lives will be supported in becoming more active, independent, and positively engaged with society.

In welcoming this new initiative, Sarah Newton commented: “Today a very important new report was launched, demonstrating the need to reach out to isolated, older people in our communities.  It is not just the job of Cornwall Social Services and the NHS to provide help, but each of us must do what we can to help.  I am aware of the valuable work that a great number of volunteers do to help older people in their communities but there is more that can be done.”

According to the new study carried out by the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), an increasing number of older people are being left without children or partners to help care for them.  They said a rise in family breakdowns is having a “ripple effect” throughout society, with high divorce rates and the collapse of long-standing relationships diminishing the bond between older people and their children.  Although the report does celebrate the fact that many older people are “the heartbeat of volunteering and civic participation” in communities, it also tackles the uncomfortable truth that far too many face serious challenges.  Consequently, there is a very real danger that many older people will be left behind and could be forgotten by society entirely.

The report estimates that the number of older people in the UK in need of care and support is expected to increase by 1.7 million over the next 20 years, while the number with dementia could double by 2040.

The immediate impact, the report said, has been a sharp rise in the burden on the estimated six million unpaid carers who do look after a family member, with more than a fifth now providing 50 hours or more care a week.

Commenting on the report, Age UK’s Director said: “People are becoming increasingly isolated in later life for diverse reasons, including bereavement, ill-health and a poor physical environment.  With changing demographics and family patterns, we estimate that the number of people aged 75+ living alone will increase by over 40 per cent over the next 20 years.”

Sarah Newton is also supporting Age Concern Cornwall’s “Spread the Warmth” campaign, which aims to help alleviate the needless suffering older people face in winter.  Aiming to help older people live safer, healthier, more fulfilling lives through practical advice and support services, the campaign focuses on helping older people stay warm as well as reminding neighbours and friends of what they can do to help.

Sarah would like to hear from any of her constituents who would like to find out how they can get involved with the Active at 60 Community Agents.  She can be reached on 01872 274 760 or Sarah.Newton.MP@parliament.uk