First three winners announced for the inaugural All Ireland Inspirational Life Award

 
Professor Desmond O’Neill scooped an All Ireland Inspirational Life Award on 8th March for his inspirational leadership in engaging older people to lead active and fulfilling lives at an award ceremony in Belfast, hosted by BT. The professor was presented with his award, along with two other winners, by Senator Mary White and Dame Joan Harbison, for his Trojan work championing active and positive ageing in Ireland. The Professor is most well known for his involvement and recommendations in the Leas Cross report, the highly publicised enquiry into the standard of care in Irish nursing homes, developing the Irish Gerontological Society, as well as for his roles as: Medical Director for the Alzheimer Society of Ireland and Chair of both the Irish National Audit of Stroke Care and the Irish governments Elder Abuse Working Group.
 
Commenting on his recognition, Professor Des O’Neill said, “My work to date has focussed on promoting an Ireland that welcomes and supports ageing as a positive development. In order to achieve this, it requires joint working between older people, advocacy groups and the professionals and academics active in the sciences of ageing. By recognising the people, projects and organisations showcased here today we are developing a common goal in making Ireland a place where ageing is a positive experience, and promoting a sense of a demographic dividend."
 
Other winners on the day were, Carmel Devaney, aged 73, from Westmeath, who won her award for being an outstanding role model as chairperson of the Athlone Careers Support Group and for living a life dedicated to caring for others, including family and friends, over the past 20 years. Also awarded was Belfast City Council, who showed leadership to end discrimination on age grounds and in developing initiatives to engage older people in leading active and fulfilling lives, under the theme, Better Support for People and Communities, which is run as part of the Belfast Healthy Ageing strategic partnership. The award, which is the first of its kind in Ireland, is kindly supported by BT, The Irish Times, Vodafone and Tyrone Crystal.
 
Speaking after receiving her award Ms. Carmel Devaney said, ”I was shocked to hear I was nominated for, and won this award for caring for family and friends, which I have done all my life. In today’s fast paced world, people don’t have time for older people, but they are at the very top of my list, especially as chairperson of the Athlone Carers Group. The group is a great relief to those who spend their time dedicated to others and may have no other outlet. We meet once a week, where members partake in activities, exercise, workshops and even have the opportunity to go abroad for weekends.”
 
Councillor Diane Dodds, Chair of the Council’s political reference group leading on older peoples’ issues commented on Belfast City Council’s win saying, “I am delighted to accept this award on behalf of the Belfast City Council. As a civic leader for Belfast we have put tackling issues affecting older people’s wellbeing in the City as a priority under our theme of Better Support for People and Communities. As a key partner in the Belfast Healthy Ageing Strategic Partnership our goal is to continue to drive the work of the partnership forward, and make improvements for older people living in and visiting the City.”
 
 
Each winner was presented with a trophy from Tyrone Crystal for their outstanding work for leadership and achievement in enabling older people to realise their potential and in combating ageism.
 
The awards developed by Senator Mary White, spokesperson for older people and children, were attended by well known organisations and persons, north and south, who are co-operating in its promotion and adjudication: Age & Opportunity; Age Concern Help the Aged NI and Third Age Foundation. Awards will be presented in May and August 2010 followed by an annual event to recognise the achievements of all the award winners. A number of entries were received from right across the Island of Ireland and nominations are now being sought for the next round.

Applications can be made online at www.irishtimes.com/events/inspirational or by emailing Ashley Beston at inspirationalaward@ireland.com and requesting an application form. The closing date for the second round of nominations is Friday, 30th April 2010.
 
The panel of adjudicators comprises leaders of organisations to the fore in promoting positive ageing, those who took imaginative initiatives in their organisations and people who are themselves role models for active living: Catherine Rose (Chief Executive, Age & Opportunity), Anne O’Reilly (Chief Executive, Age Concern Help the Aged Northern Ireland), Sir George Quigley (Chairman of Bombardier Aerospace), Inez McCormack (Participation and the Practice of Rights in Northern Ireland), Mary Nally (Chairperson, Third Age Foundation), Padraic White (Entrepreneur and former Managing Director of the IDA Ireland), Nickey Brennan (Former President of the GAA) and  Martin Donnelly

Warmer Homes Scheme

The recent cold snap made many of us realize just how badly insulted some of our homes can be. If you are reviewing the insulation in your home, you may be entitled to a grant from Sustainable Energy Ireland under The Warmer Homes Scheme.

Click here to find out more.

Dundrum House Hotel Offer

Dundrum House Hotel, Cashel, Co. Tipperary joins Golden Ireland with a fantastic mid-week offer of 3 Nights Dinner/B&B for only €159pps

For more information, go to: http://www.goldenireland.ie/hotels~id~100564~Munster~Dundrum-House-Hotel.htm

Funny YouTube Clib on Ageing

Here is a short YouTube clip made by Age Action Ireland. The idea of this fun film is to challenge the stereotype of ageing and, in doing so, challenge age discrimination.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laCLBVmk1EU

New Year - New Ideas!

As we welcome a new year and a new decade, perhaps it's time to consider pursuing an educational course that you've always thought about doing but never quite got round to it. Our Guide to Further Education may give you some ideas about how to get started.

Click here to find out more.

Your action helped save State Pension   

Older and Bolder Campaign Says "Thank You!"

Older people reliant on State Pensions and other supports have escaped from Budget 2010 unscathed.  They stood in front of the firing squad with other Social Welfare recipients and they were not hit by any flying bullets. We are relieved because we know how reliant a majority of older people are on social transfers to protect them against the risk of poverty.  Older & Bolder welcomes the maintenance of State Pensions at current levels, the protection of the Household Benefits Package, Travel Pass, Living Alone Allowance, Over 80 Age Allowance and Fuel Allowance.
 
Older & Bolder believes that the Government’s decision to leave the State Pension almost intact – apart from the 2% cut due to the suspension of the Christmas Bonus – was due to the concerted campaigning by members of the alliance and by thousands of individual supporters across the country.
 

This campaign tapped into the same energy that inspired the spontaneous and vocal response by older people to last year’s proposal to abolish universal entitlement of the medial card to the over 70s. The response to our petition to protect the State Pension was tremendous and we would like to thank all those involved; from those who took the time to sign an individual petition to those who organised petition stands and lobbied their local TD’s.
 
Since the McCarthy Report was published in July, Older & Bolder has advocated the protection of all vulnerable groups and the shaping of a society where there’s trust, solidarity and where we develop systems of care and support that pool costs and risks across the generations.  Accordingly, we cannot celebrate a budget that targets vulnerable groups within the 65 years and under population and asks them to shoulder the burden of fiscal adjustment. Social welfare benefits to Widows/Widowers, Carers, Guardians and Blind Persons have all been cut; and  recipients of Invalidity, Occupational Injuries, Disability and One Parent  Family  payments and Children’s Allowance have also had their benefits cut.
 
This budget has also introduced a range of different measures that will affect all generations. In the coming days Older & Bolder will be assessing these cuts, charges and taxes to see what impact they will have on older people. Measures requiring scrutiny include the introduction of prescription charges, water charges, changes to Carer’s supports, property and carbon taxes.
 
In the longer term Older and Bolder will be on alert for any proposals to change the State Pension age and are awaiting with interest the Government’s National Pensions Framework shortly to be published by the Minister for Social and Family Affairs. The continued protection of the State Pension is vital not just to the present cohort but to all future cohorts of older people.
 
Thank you for your continued support,
 
Patricia Conboy
Project Director
 
Older and Bolder
Jervis House
Jervis St.
Dublin 1
Ireland
Telephone :  00353-1-8783623
Web: www.olderandbolder.ie