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 1. Mixing generations

 

“A lifetime neighbourhood would provide all residents with the best possible chance of health, wellbeing and social inclusion, particularly as they grow older. This would require an accessible and pleasant built environment in which residents of all ages are not unnecessarily excluded by age, physical or cognitive ability, and remain able to work, socialise and participate for as long as possible.”

Toward lifetime neighbourhoods - Harding E (2007) International Longevity Centre UK

 

The Open Door will give an opportunity for young and old to learn from each other

 

 

 2. Learning

 

Median hourly pay for workers in their 50s is £12.00 and £10.00 for workers aged 60+, as opposed to £13.03 for workers in their 30s 1

 

17% of 65-74 year-olds and 13% of those aged 75+ have taken part in learning in the last three years 2

 

80% of those 65+ engaged in learning report that they do so for personal and leisure interests.3

 

Being able to learn new things is something we often take granted, the Open Door Centre plans to encourage learning in all ages, placing significant importance on things such as computers, modern technology and new skills.

 

 

  3. Friendship and Mutual Support

 

In Barnet where older people do not live alone, they are quite often looking after an elderly partner within their home, or indeed being looked after themselves. Within Barnet, it is estimated that there are 5,334 people over the age of 65 providing unpaid care to a partner, family member or other person. This represents 11% of older people in the borough, and by 2020 this number is set to increase by over 1,000.

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5% (500,000) people aged 65+ in the UK say they spent Christmas Day 2010 alone 4

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Age UK reports that there are 3895 lonely older people living in the postcode area around the Open Door Centre (Sept 2017)

 

The Open Door Centre offers friendship to anyone who comes to visit.

 

 

  4. Fitness for Life

 

In 2008, 32% of people aged 65 and over who were admitted to hospital were found to be malnourished at the time of admission.5

People aged 75-plus are much less likely to report taking the minimum levels of physical activity necessary to achieve health benefits.6

In the winter of 2006/07, over 1 million older people (60+ GB) cut back on food shopping in order to pay for their home heating costs.7

8% (65+, GB) said that in recent years, they have sacrificed food expenditure in order to buy presents for Christmas.10

Latest estimates suggest 1.3 million people over 65 suffer from malnutrition, and the vast majority 93% live in the community.9

 

The Open Door Centre offers drinks, snacks and light lunches and just as important, people to talk to.

 

 

  5. Time out/breathing space

 

Nearly half 49% of all people aged 75 and over live alone 10

12% of older people feel trapped in their own home 11

6% of older people (nearly 600,000) leave their house once a week or less 12

17% of older people have less than weekly contact with family, friends and neighbours 13

 

The respondents also revealed that caring for another person also took its toll mentally, with 68.8% saying being a carer had damaged their psychological well being, and 42.9% reporting that their mental health had worsened in the past year. 14

 

The Open Door Centre hopes to provide a location for respite for those who most need it.

 

 

 6. Travel, Lifestyle, fun

 

Over-65s are estimated to spend an average of 80% of their time in the home - 90% for people over 85

 

People who took part in more health-maintaining and independence-maintaining behaviours were less likely to feel isolated and more likely to feel that their community was a good one to grow old in.15

In the UK, 11% of those aged 65+ say they find it difficult to access a corner shop; 12% find it difficult to get to their local supermarket; 14% to a post office; 12% to their doctor’s surgery and to their local hospital 16

 

The Open Door Centre hopes to offer ideas and experiences to bring practical help and add quality to lives.

 

 

  7. Advice and Information

 

60% of older people in the UK agree that age discrimination exists in the daily lives of older people 17

53% of adults agree that once you reach very old age, people tend to treat you as a child

52% of older people agree that those who plan services do not pay enough attention to the needs of older people  17

68% of older people agree that politicians see older people as a low priority 17

76% of older people believe the country fails to make good use of the skills and talents of older people 17

 

The Open Door will be a ‘listening ear’ to all

 

  8. Spirituality

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A new Theos report finds that the drift away from institutionalised religion and a practised faith has not equated to Britain becoming a nation of atheists.

"On the contrary, a spiritual current runs as, if not more, powerfully through the nation than it once did," the think tank says. A recent  poll finds that over three-quarters of all adults 77% and three fifths 61% of non-religious people believe that "there are things in life that we simply cannot explain through science or any other means".

The Spirit of Things Unseen: belief in post-religious Britain Published by Theos 2013

 

It is important to see spirituality as not just an individual or personal issue but something that is held in community

‘How to help young people explore and develop their spirituality ’  National Council for Voluntary Youth Services

 

The Open Door Centre will be a place where all ages can question and discuss

 

 

  9. Hospitality

 

Approximately 775,000 older people 7% of those aged 65 or over in the UK) say they are always or often feel lonely 36% of people aged 65 and over in the UK feel out of touch with the pace of modern life and 9% say they feel cut off from society 17

Half of all older people (about 5 million) consider the television as their main form of company  17

 

Every hour, over 50 older people are neglected or abused in their own homes by family members, friends, neighbours or care workers 19

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The Open Door Centre will offer a safe haven to all

 

 

 

Bibliography

 

1  Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2011 Results (Table 6.5a), ONS, 2011 

 

2,3 Narrowing participation: The NIACE Survey on Adult Participation in Learning 2011, Press Release, NIACE 2011 

 

4 Christmas and Laughter Survey (unpublished), 2011

 

5 Nutrition Screening Survey in the UK in 2008, BAPEN, 2009 and The MUST report, BAPEN, 2003 

 

6 Government recommendation defined as averaging at least 30 minutes a day, at least 5 days a week, of at least moderate intensity 

 

7 ICM Winter Costs Survey, 2007

 

 8 ICM Christmas Spending Survey (Barclays), 2007   

 

9 Elia M, Russell C. Combating Malnutrition: Recommendations for Action. Report from the advisory group on malnutrition, led by BAPEN. 2009.

 

10 General Lifestyle Survey 2010, table 3.3 (GB), ONS, 2012

 

11 Spotlight 2006 survey (GfK NOP, 2006)

 

12 One Voice: Shaping our ageing society, Age Concern and Help the Aged, 2009

 

13 Loneliness, Social Isolation and Living Alone in Later Life, C. Victor et al., 2003 

 

  14 Always on call, always concerned: A survey of the experiences of older carers. The Princess Royal Trust for Carers, 2011 

 

15 Aspirations for later life. Humphrey, A., Lee, L., and Green, R., for the Department for Work and Pensions, 2011 

 

16 TNS Agenda for Later Life survey for Age UK, 2013 

 

17 One Voice: Shaping our ageing society, Age Concern and Help the Aged, 2009

 

18 One Voice: Shaping our ageing society, Age Concern and Help the Aged, 2009 

 

19 UK estimate adapted from “UK Study of Neglect and Abuse of Older People, Prevalence Survey Report”, M. O’Keefe et al. for Department of Health and Comic Relief, 2007 and “Elder abuse in Britain”, J. Ogg and G. Bennett, BMJ Vol. 305, October 1992