Have this week's events brought good news or bad for older
people?
By Rebecca Law, Media and PR officer
A new study, Ageing and the Use of the Internet, commissioned by
the Nominet Trust made this a good
week for older entrepreneurs. We've reported before on the
enormous contribution made to society by older people. Their
charitable giving, volunteering, engagement in local civil society,
not to mention the hours upon hours of free childcare they provide,
make a vast contribution to the lives of others. But now it
appears, they are leading lights in our business world too. The
study found that while two fifths of the people polled believe most
entrepreneurs to be in the 25-34 age group, the truth is that the
largest number of British entrepreneurs are in fact 55 and
over.
The Nominet report also shows there is a real need for services,
products and technologies for older people and so have created the
chance for older internet entrepreneurs to compete to win financial
backing for digital projects that improve the lives of older
people. Applicants, who need to be over 55, will have the chance to
win a share of £250,000 if they have an idea that either addresses
social problems facing older people, or provides a new or better
way for older people to feel more comfortable with technology and
the internet.
While the over-65s have really begun to embrace the e-world, the
reality is that there is a sharp drop in the number of over-75s who
are online. While 40% of the over-65s are internet savvy, only 20%
of over 80s currently use the internet.
It seems that this older age group is not yet fully aware of the
real benefits of technology and the internet - such as being able
to keep in touch with family and friends, pursuing their own
passions and hobbies, getting access to better services and being
informed citizens, so we'll be looking forward to seeing the
outcomes of Nominet's plans.
It was however a bad week
for social care. We were really disappointed to learn that, since
the coalition came into power, £1.3billion has been removed from
council's annual spending on help for the over-65s.
While older people are already struggling to cope with rising
food and fuel prices, low interest rates on their savings, and now
a cut in their winter fuel allowance, a report from the House of
Commons has now shown that most councils are increasing their
charges for social care, while also restricting their support to
only those with the most critical needs.
We predicted last year, when George Osborne promised an extra
£2bn for social care, that without ringfencing, this money was
likely to find itself being used to plug the holes left by huge
cuts in other council funding. And it's clear now from these
findings, that much of this money has indeed failed to make it
through to the frontline. We need to be asking why some of our most
vulnerable citizens are being asked to shoulder these extra costs
by having to pay more for less care.
We hear from the people we support that valued, low-level,
low-cost services that perform an essential preventative role (such
as lunch clubs and befriending schemes) are being
disproportionately affected. It is these services that have a
proven impact on reducing the need for higher level care and
reducing the risk of admission to hospital, which ultimately costs
us all more.
