Older People
As with the population generally, people as they age have fundamental life choices to make. However in rural areas these choices can be highly restricted, as is the support and information available to make them.
Given the long history of their work within rural communities, members of the Rural Community Action Network
have a strong understanding of the relationships between residents’ needs and local service provision and work to support these initiatives.
New resource on ageing for communities
Working with expertise from AgeUK and the Rural Media Company, ACRE has published a new short resource aimed at rural communities wanting to explore issues and the needs of older people living in their areas. The resource is part of a series of Topic Sheets for communities engaged in Community Led Planning.
ACRE Policy Position Paper - Older People
ACRE has complied a number of Policy Position Papers reflecting the issues of importance to rural communities and how our members in RCAN respond to them. The text below highlights part of ACRE's Policy Position Paper on Older People
Older people are the backbone of rural communities through the contribution they make to the sustainability of local community life. ACRE believes that it is essential that older people have access to appropriate services and support to enable them to stay and remain active within their community.
ACRE Briefing: Ageing
ACRE compiled a Briefing in 2009 entitled Building a society for all ages and Working together for Older People in Rural Areas. It summarised the then Government Strategy on Ageing: Building a Society for all ages and the related document Working Together for Older People in Rural Areas that examines evidence on the social exclusion experienced by older people in rural areas and identifies examples of innovative service delivery that is making a difference.
Over the hill?
ACRE is working on a three year project called Over the Hill? to raise awareness and community-led solutions that address the needs of rural older people. Led by Rural Media Company the aim of the project is to raise awareness and community-led solutions that address the needs of rural older people (focused on housing and financial exclusion). Other partners include AgeUK and Age Concern based in the West Midlands.
