Being a part of it all

Hull City Council and its partners in the NHS and voluntary sector have put together an older people's strategy to ensure older people in Hull can enjoy a better quality of life

Right: Ole Nelson-Girtchen and his wife Gillian in the restaurant where they met. Above: Gillian takes an order from a customer and (below) Ole takes away the washing up.

Ole Nelson-Girtchen and his wife Gillian met when they began volunteering at the Age Concern Hull healthy living centre in Porter Street, west Hull.
Both had been widowed after 40 years of marriage and had children and grandchildren, but found themselves feeling isolated in their retirement and spending all day in their own homes.
They married two-and-a-half years after starting voluntary work in the centre's restaurant.
"Volunteering changed our lives and without it we may never have met," says Gillian.
"We love it down here, the atmosphere is great, we've made new friends and we are doing something for the local community."
Ole and Gillian are among the hundreds of older people who visit the centre each week.
Opened seven years ago, thanks to more than £800,000 of funding from Hull City Council, it provides volunteering opportunities and a range of services and activities for older people, including:

• gym, plunge pool or sauna
• French and German classes
• line dancing
• carpet bowls
• internet
• craft classes
• health services such as breast screening or advice from a modern matron or chiropodist
• or simply catch up with friends over coffee or a healthy meal

More about the strategy

(Left to right) Christine Johnson and Sue Davis exercise on the treadmill as Christine Burgess and Barbara Dawson carry out voluntary work on the centre's reception desk

In preparing the older people's strategy Hull City Council consulted with older people throughout the city and with key organisations including Age Concern Hull, Carers' Centre Hull and NHS Hull.
The strategy, called 'Being a part of it all' makes clear commitments to older people and their families, backed up with specific actions to help them meet everyday needs – such as staying well, keeping warm, and getting out and about – and staying in control of their lives.
"Now we have a strategy, it doesn't mean we'll stop consulting with people," says Cllr Stephen Baker who has responsibility for adult care, health, and voluntary services in the city.
"We want older people and their families, as well as other people in the city, to tell us what they think of the strategy, how we can improve it, and how we can make it work."
The commitments and actions in the strategy are intended to bring real benefits to older people and their families by assisting and enabling them to:

• improve health and well being by helping older people stop smoking, lose weight, and become more active to prevent heart disease and reduce the risk of stroke
• improve quality of life by supporting people to make the most of their capacity and enabling them to remain independent for as long as possible
• increase their contribution to the local community by extending opportunities for volunteering
• increase the choice and control they have in their lives by making sure health and social care services leave people in charge of decisions that affect their lives
• combat age discrimination by ensuring older people, including those from minority ethnic groups, are not excluded from community life
• improve economic well-being by taking actions that reduce the financial pressures many older people experience
• maintain security, dignity and respect by giving particular attention to older people who are vulnerable or at risk

Know the facts... there are 77,000 people in the city aged 50 or over women in Hull have a life expectancy of 79 years and men 74 years more than 8,000 people aged 75 or over in Hull are living alone around 20,000 Hull people provide care for an older relative 6,000 of these provide care for 50 hours a week

info

For more information on the strategy phone 300300 or write to Being a part of it all, c/o Brunswick House, Strand Close, Hull HU2 9DB. Over the coming months, there will be a number of events where local people will be able to have their say – look out for details.