Silver Surfers' Day

Watch Silver Surfers Ambassador Sir Terry Wogan on the BBC Breakfast Sofa talking about the benefits of surfing the net and Silver Surfers’ Day on Friday 21st May

Silver Surfers’ Day is the biggest, national campaign to promote use of digital technologies by older people. It is run by Digital Unite and was started in 2002. Silver Surfers’ Day is its ninth glorious year. It’s on Friday 21 May.

On Silver Surfers’ Day we support people and organisations all over the UK to open their doors and give local older people a taste of what the digital world has to offer them at a Silver Surfers’ Day Event.

Silver Surfers’ Day Events involve digital skills and digital technology and older people in some way, but exactly how is up to you. We have loads of suggestions and learning materials for you to use, but you can decide whether you explore the web, do some digital photography, set up blogs, Tweet for a day, use Wii or gaming to entice people in.

On Silver Surfers’ Day last year, 400 Event Holders registered more than 1,000 events. In 2010, we’re planning – with your support – to promote even more.

Anyone can become an Event Holder – big, small, local, national – if you’re already working with older people, if you are passionate about supporting them to be digitally literate, then Silver Surfers’ Day is for you.

Into the mid 70s

Oliver Pritchett writing in today's Telegraph:

Only four more years. I can hardly wait. New research shows that we are happiest when we are 74. According to a new study in the journal Social Indicators Research, our morale starts going down in our teenage years and carries on sliding until we hit 40, then starts to creep up, reaching a peak in the mid-seventies, when, among other things, we have fewer responsibilities and financial worries.

To reach this insight, more than 21,000 British men and women were surveyed, and regularly asked how happy they were. I wonder if I was one of them? Can't remember now; I'm becoming forgetful. I might have misheard or misunderstood; the old hearing is not as good as it was. Sometimes I'm asked a question, and I take a chance and say: "Yes." Maybe that's what happened when a researcher inquired after my sense of well-being. Goodness knows how many surveys we pensioners must have mucked up over the years.

Still, I must agree that the seventies are looking pretty good so far. It's great to be past the moody rebelliousness of the forties, the insecurities and shyness of the fifties, the frustrations and volatility of the difficult early sixties. Obviously, one of the explanations for this contentment is that we septuagenarians no longer have many parental responsibilities – allowing us to make the invigorating and liberating discovery that our children (and even sometimes our grandchildren) are more grown-up than we are. And it's a wonderful time for marriage. My wife and I spend the time helping each other remember the names of close friends, films, books, streets and even towns and cities. It's competitive, it's fun and it's so satisfying when you finally come up with the answer at 3.15am.

Then there's my renewed Freedom Pass, which arrived yesterday. It gives me free travel in London and now also on buses throughout the country. It's a really pleasing thing to have, and I enjoy it more every year. There's a photograph of a weird old man on it: the thinning grey hair is wild and the eyebrows are out of control; he has taken off his glasses and he stares out in a bemused sort of way. My God, if that is me, I'm not surprised that kind people offer me their seat on the Tube and that young women sometimes smile at me in the street, encouraging me to keep going.

What was especially interesting about this survey was to learn that this particular pattern of happiness is strictly a British phenomenon. The German Institute for Economic Research found that in their homeland, levels of satisfaction remained pretty stable throughout their life. Poor old Germans, with nothing to look forward to.

On the other hand, as a septuagenarian, one has a licence to make the odd stereotypical observation. So I may be allowed to suggest that Germans, on the whole, go in not so much for happiness but more for jollity. This is something the British try to avoid – particularly in old age. Our special skills lie in being grumpy, cranky and crotchety. And the research that surely must be undertaken next is to discover the age at which British men and women are at their most grumpy. I daresay it will show us reaching our peak at 74 – which helps to explain why we are also at our happiest then, given that grumpiness can be one of the great pleasures of life.

All that's left, then, is to work out how I'm going to celebrate this landmark occasion. Maybe I'll take a free prescription and meet a few friends for happy hour at the local chemist. I'm a bit of a regular there. And as we celebrate, we can spare a thought for all the poor miserable so-and-sos who have to conduct this kind of survey.

Voice of Older People

Joan Bakewell, aged 75, a Dame and with a CBE, is a grandmother and has recently accepted an invitation from Harriet Harman to take on this role. She explains "I am not on the government payroll. I retain my independence. I am a spokesman to the government rather than for it. There are now more pensioners than teenagers in Britain and it is important that they are listened to. I am happy to stir up debate." She has recently published her manifesto for a fairer deal for older people in 'The Times'.

Joan Bakewell's manifesto for change

Joan Bakewell was recently appointed by the Government as the Voice of Older People. Below are the key points of her 'manifesto for change':

Government commitment We want to know that considerations of accommodation and care are taking a high priority in government strategy and that local planners will cater for older people.

Financial security Probably the thing we worry about most is not having enough money to fund care at the level we would like. So we want minimum care standards at the cheaper end of provision to be raised. We want a shake up in the patterns of financing care, with the Government making clear what we, after a lifetime paying taxes and insurance stamps, are entitled to. We want government to pressure energy companies to give financial concessions to the older people and for local authorities to consider council tax concessions.

Housing choices We would like to be able to choose between a community consisting largely of our own age group, or to remain part of the broader community, with all the delights and irritations of normal living.

Information There are plenty of charities and grant-giving bodies that can, and do, offer services and help to older people. But we don’t know that they are there or how to reach them. Please let us have a regularly updated directory of all that is available.

Professionalism We need a workforce trained in all the particular skills of caring: not simply nursing but an attitude of compassion and empathy that promotes friendship and wellbeing. We need pay structures that tempt people to do this.

Accessibility We don’t want to be out of sight, out of mind. That means being near bus stops, shops, parks, cinemas, etc.

Science There are great strides to be made that can make life easier for us as we grow less mobile, from architecture to technical wizardry. Competitions and prizes — granny awards — could encourage the young to join in.

Respect We don’t want to be infantilised and patronised by younger generations who know little of the useful lives that we have led. When we are in care we want fewer rules about how we can behave. We want flexibility for our visitors and sympathy for our families. We want more dementia units in care homes and more funding for research into dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

(Edited extract from The Times).

There is an online petition which will be sent to the Department of Health as part of its public consultation on the forthcoming Green Paper on Care and Support Services.

Archdeacon Forder RIP

Our oldest resident has died and it was his funeral today. Charles came here to Dulverton with his wife 29 years ago and would have been 102 on 6th January next.

03 January 2007

Archbishop's congratulations on 100 years for Yorkshire priest

Diocese of York News Release

The Venerable Charles Forder, a priest of the Church of England in Yorkshire for 76 years, celebrates his 100th birthday at his home in Scarborough on Saturday 6th January 2007.

Born in Norfolk in 1907, Charles Forder studied at Christ Church and then Ridley Hall, Cambridge, before being ordained a deacon in 1930 and a priest in 1931. He served as Curate of St Peter's, Hunslet Moor, Leeds until 1933; and then moved to be Curate of Burley, Leeds, from 1933. In 1933 he became Vicar of Wibsey, Bradford, until 1940, moving to be Vicar of St Clement's, Bradford until 1947. He then moved to the Diocese of York to be Vicar of St Andrew and St Peter, Drypool, Hull, until 1955, also serving as Chaplain to HM Prison, Hull, from 1949 to 1951, and then to HM Borstal, Hull from 1951 to 1952. In 1955 Charles Forder moved out of Hull to become Rector of Routh and Vicar of Wawne (near Beverley) until 1957 when he was appointed Archdeacon of York.

The Archdeacon of York is a senior figure responsible for the care and discipline of clergy, overseeing the proper running and maintenance of churches, and undertaking much administrative and legal work within the Archdeaconry of York, which includes the City itself and is roughly bounded by Tadcaster, Selby, Market Weighton, Stamford Bridge, Malton and Easingwold. It includes about 200 churches. As Archdeacon, Charles Forder's title changed from "The Reverend" to "The Venerable", and as he took up the reins he also became Rector of Sutton-upon-Derwent from 1957 to 1963, and then Rector of Holy Trinity, Micklegate, York, from 1963 until his retirement in 1972 at the age of 65. He became a Canon of York Minster in 1957 and has been a Canon Emeritus since 1976.

The late Canon John Norman, Rector of Dunnington from 1961 to 1972, spoke in 2001 of his friend Charles Forder as, "A friendly, charming man: gentle and a delight to work with." Canon Norman still had his copy of Charles Forder's authoritative and comprehensive book, "The Work of a Parish Priest", first published in 1941 and revised and reprinted several times. He commented on Archdeacon Forder's ability as an organiser, his comprehensive understanding of church administration (he was influential after the war in the Church Assembly, and one of the architects of its successor, the Church of England General Synod), and his immaculate study and dress-sense! Charles Forder also wrote a booklet entitled "Synods in Action" to co-incide with the introduction of the Synodical structures in the Chuirch of England in 1970.

On Charles Forder's 100th birthday, Saturday 6th January 2006, he will receive the traditional message of congratulation from HM The Queen, and will be visited at his home in Dulverton Hall, Scarborough (a retirement home run by the Church of England Pensions Board) by relatives and friends from Norfolk and elsewhere. The Bishop of Hull, the Right Reverend Richard Frith, will celebrate the Eucharist in the chapel at Dulverton Hall, assisted (at Charles Forder's suggestion) by the present Archdeacon of York, the Venerable Richard Seed. A reception after the service will be followed by a private lunch party.

Archdeacon Forder's guests will, remarkably, include his 86-year-old successor as Archdeacon of York, the Venerable Leslie Stanbridge (1972 - 1988); his 75-year-old successor as Archdeacon of York, the Venerable George Austin (1988 - 1999); and the present Archdeacon of York, the Venerable Richard Seed. Richard Seed follows Charles Forder not only as Archdeacon of York, but also as Rector of Holy Trinity, Micklegate, York. It is unique and thought to be unprecedented in the Church of England for four successive holders of the same senior post to be able to celebrate the centenary of one of their number together!

The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, said, "Charles Forder's life and ministry have been a great blessing to the Church and those with whom he has lived and worked. As an Archdeacon, a writer, and an influential member of the Church Assembly, he freely shared the wisdom and experience he gained as a parish priest, and I know that many will join me in giving thanks for his long service to Jesus Christ and his people. I wish Charles a very happy hundredth birthday, and pray that he will continue to enjoy good health, the company of those around him, and the love of God whom he has served so faithfully for so long. It is fitting that Charles' birthday falls on the day of Epiphany. Charles had the wisdom of the wise men to seek Christ. On this feast of epiphany may the great light of Christ shine on all who are gathered to celebrate his long life." 

Chips with everything

Health-monitor microchips for the elderly
By Nicole Martin,
Digital and Media Correspondent

Elderly people could in the future be fitted with microchips so that their doctor can monitor their health from miles away, according to a study by the communications watchdog.

They could also no longer have to rely on their memory to take their medication thanks to new "intelligent pill boxes" that would send automatic reminders to patients via their home computer.

A glimpse into the "granny flat of the future" is given today by Ofcom in a report that predicts how wireless - or wi-fi - technology might be used within 10 years to improve the lives of the elderly.

It says that older people will be able to live more independently in their homes by harnessing the same wi-fi technology that currently allows people to access the internet without their computers being physically connected to a socket.

The watchdog, which is working closely with the Department of Health, predicts that "in-body sensors" will be implanted inside a patient's body to pick up dangerous health signs such as high blood pressure or an irregular heart beat.

An automatic alert would then be sent wirelessly, via a home computer, to a GP, who would be able to contact the emergency services or make a home visit if they believed that a person's life was at risk.

Ofcom also predicts that sensors will be fitted on pill dispensers that would sound an alarm or send a message to a home computer if a patient forgot to take their medication.

If the patient ignores the alarm, an automatic message would be sent by email from the home computer, or by text from a mobile phone, to their GP, family or carer.

"Wireless devices are now an essential part of our everyday lives," says the report, Tomorrow's Wireless World. "The use of [wireless] technology could empower the individual to take more responsibility in maintaining their health, freeing up resources within the NHS for other, higher priority uses.

It adds: "Some of the technologies described could be deployed for use within the next 10 years."

Ofcom is also in talks with the Department of Transport to use wireless technology to improve the response of the emergency services in the event of a serious car crash.

Proposals to fit cars with sensors that automatically alert paramedics to an accident via a text message sent by a mobile phone are already being considered by the European Commission and could be on the market by 2011.

The watchdog predicts that "intelligent bracelets", worn by drivers, would enable the emergency services to access their medical records and alert hospital staff to allergies or any serious conditions.

Burmese Beatitudes

We are praying for Burma this week when the protesters take to the streets seeking more freedom and greater democracy so this may be of interest -

The Beatitudes

according to the residents of a retirement home in Yangon, Myanmar

Blessed are they

who understand my faltering steps and shaky hand

Blessed are they

who know that my ears must strain to catch the words they say

Blessed are they

who seem to know that my eyes are dim and my wits slow

Blessed are they

who looked away when coffee spilled today

Blessed are they

who with a cheery smile stop to chat for a while

Blessed are they

who never say 'You've told that story twice today!'

Blessed are they

who know the ways to bring back lovely yesterdays

Blessed are they

who make it known that I am loved, not left alone

Blessed are they

who give me strength to bear my cross

Blessed are they

who ease the days on my journey home in so many ways.

Silver Surfers

It seems I am not alone at this lark....

Here come the silver surfers
By Harry Wallop

Grey-haired internet users - known as silver surfers - will become the dominant group using the worldwide web by the end of the year, according to online analysts Hitwise.

The firm's latest monthly statistics show that people aged 55 and over make up 22 per cent of all British users online, just a touch behind the most active users, who are between 35 and 44 in age.

Heather Hopkins, of Hitwise, said: "It's phenomenal how quickly silver surfers have increased in numbers."

A year ago the 55-plus category accounted for just 15.7 per cent of internet users, but in the last year, as broadband has become more and more prevalent, pensioners have been logging on in greater numbers.

They have already overtaken their grandchildren, in terms of market share, but will become the number one users "some time this year", said Hitwise.

Search engines, shopping and pornography are the three most common websites that are visited by silver surfers.

"A desire to view salacious content does not decrease with age," said Miss Hopkins.

Other popular websites are travel, news and media pages.

Meanwhile, stocks and shares and other investment websites are a particular favourite along with yachting and boating sites.