Traditionally across the month of October, in line with International Older Person’s Day on 1st, Age Friendly Island (AFI) have organised the Celebrating Age Festival (CAF), working with organisations and local communities to run a diverse range of events.
This year, in line with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and inspired by Greater Manchester (who developed the phrase Valuable not Vulnerable), AFI are leading on a local campaign to start a conversation around ageism.
Age Friendly Island is part of Ageing Better, a programme set up by The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest funder of community activity in the UK. Ageing Better aims to develop creative ways for people aged over 50 to be actively involved in their local communities, helping to combat social isolation and loneliness.
Knowing where to start the conversation around ageism can feel overwhelming. The WHO Toolkit identifies three ways to combat ageism:
- Policy and law can address discrimination and inequality based on age and protect the human rights of everyone, everywhere
- Educational activities can transmit knowledge and skills and enhance empathy
- Intergenerational interventions can contribute to the mutual understanding and cooperation of different generations
- To support organisations, resources and support have been developed are available on the Age UK IW website: Valuable not Vulnerable: a world for all ages
For more information, please contact [email protected] or call 01983 525282.
All old people are vulnerable, all women are vulnerable, all children and all young people are vulnerable, all those with disabilities are vulnerable, all those with mental health problems are vulnerable, all alcoholics and drug addicts are vulnerable, all those with lower incomes are vulnerable, all those classed as “underprivileged” and “disadvantaged” are vulnerable, violent offenders are classed as ‘vulnerable’ by do gooders. Q. Is there anyone who isn’t vulnerable nowadays?
You seem to have missed the point, but don’t let me spoil a good rant.
The message was to not use the word vulnerable, as in “Valuable not Vulnerable”
I totally got what the point was. My point made in relation to it was that it is only because old people are generally regarded as “vulnerable” that the point was raised in the first place. If old people were not regarded as vulnerable then no point would have needed to be made. The fact is the world “vulnerable” is banded about so much these days and applies to nearly everybody, so it has almost lost all of its original meaning and has become almost meaningless.