Legends from the world of entertainment are supporting charity Independent Age in calling for an Older People’s Commissioner for Scotland.
Singer Barbara Dickson OBE, actor Gregor Fisher and actor Barbara Rafferty have added their voices to the campaign that calls for everyone to have their voice heard as we age.
In supportive messages released today, Wednesday 7 June 2023, the well-known faces urge the Scottish Government to appoint a commissioner to act as a champion for older people.
A commissioner in Scotland would ensure the voices of older people are heard by encouraging joined up thinking across all government departments and long-term policy solutions that benefit everyone in later life.
They would also challenge the misconception that everyone in later life is enjoying a comfortable retirement. With more than 150,000 older people in Scotland living in poverty, and many more struggling to make ends meet due to the cost of living crisis, the stars speak about why establishing a commissioner is so important.
Barbara Dickson OBE, 75, who is a two-time Olivier Award-winning actor said: “I’m joining Independent Age to call for an Older People’s Commissioner in Scotland because it’s time my generation had a champion to highlight the issues we face as we age. Poverty is impacting on too many older people in Scotland. 150,000 people over 66 now live in poverty and face a daily battle to make ends meet. An independent commissioner to join up government decision making and policies with the needs of older people in mind is urgently needed.”
Gregor Fisher, 69, is best known for playing the title role in the well-loved comedy series Rab C. Nesbitt. He said: “I’m supporting the call for an Older People’s Commissioner for Scotland because so many older people are struggling at the moment. It’s so important that, as we age, we know our voices will be listened to and represented, especially when it comes to government policies that will shape our experience of ageing.”
Barbara Rafferty, 73, who plays Bernie O’Hara in soap River City said: “As we age, we can start to feel invisible and like our opinions don’t matter. With Scotland’s ageing population, we urgently need a champion for older people to ensure services and policies are designed with the needs of people over 65 in mind. That’s why I’m joining Independent Age to call on the government to create an Older People’s Commissioner for Scotland.”
More on the campaign
As well as attracting support from famous Scottish faces, the campaign also has the backing of 35 organisations who signed a joint statement launched at the start of May. The call is also backed by the public, with a recent YouGov poll commissioned by Independent Age showing that almost 9 in 10 (89%) of Scottish people over 65 support the creation of a commissioner.
Currently 1 million people in Scotland are aged 65 or over. In less than 20 years, over 1.4 million (1 in 4) people will be over 65.
1 in 7 older people in Scotland are now living in poverty, up 25% in the last decade, yet Independent Age says that this issue hasn’t been prioritised by the Scottish Government.
If created, an Older People’s Commissioner would ensure that the long-term needs of people in later life and the challenges faced by the population as we age are considered in all policy making. The role would bring Scotland in line with Wales and Northern Ireland, which both already have Commissioners, to help make Scotland the best place in the world to grow old.
Debbie Horne, Scottish Public Affairs and Policy Manager at Independent Age said: “Every day, we hear from older people across Scotland who say they feel ignored and like their voices are not heard. We know that many are in financial hardship, making their life a daily struggle, yet this issue is seldom discussed.
“We are incredibly grateful to Barbara, Greg and Barbara for supporting our call for an Older People’s Commissioner in Scotland and shining a light on poverty in later life.
“We all deserve to look forward to our later years and an Older People’s Commissioner would be a champion for the over 65s. We urge the Scottish Government to establish an Older People’s Commissioner and bring Scotland into line with the other devolved nations to ensure no one feels left out of the conversation as they age.”
To add your name to the support statement for the campaign, please visit Call for an OPC in Scotland (independentage.org)