| The lead article this month is an opinion piece from a leading dementia expert on the ethical challenges of assisted dying – a must-read piece, and I’d really welcome your feedback and replies on this most sensitive of topics. Finance inevitably is at forefront of this issue. The current brouhaha over Winter Fuel Payments is focussing minds on ensuring that pensioners on lower incomes are encouraged and enabled to apply for Pension Credit, which will unlock a raft of potential benefits. The challenge into the future will surely be to look at how the large numbers of pensioners who don’t “quite” qualify, but are still living in poverty can be helped… Water bills too represent a major expense for many pensioner households, and Independent Age is flagging up how hard it will be into the future as these bills spiral even higher. There are some excellent articles this month on later life employment, and on housing – including a warning from the Centre for Ageing Better on the future threat posed by climate change of overheating homes that are built to keep heat in, not out. This is something that I have been raising for some time, and hopefully it will now start gaining some traction. One of our members has launched an easy-to-use smartphone, and is offering readers a discount, while we also learn about how digital tech is helping in the battle to speed hospital discharge times. Finally, have you ever wondered why you find yourself grunting as you get out of a chair… we might just have the answer. Oh, and just to add that last month we added our 200th member to our ranks. Onwards and upwards! That’s all for this month, but remember: if you’d like to share your opinions and news with other member, or tap into the expert input of older people to inform your policies and services, email info@theageactionalliance.org. We would also welcome sponsors to support our website and newsletters. Tony Watts OBE, Editor |
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