Wirral Older Peoples Parliament

1. Hospital Discharge
We are conerned about stories we hear of older people sent home from hospital and not coping properly. How common is this? Probably most of us do have all the support we need. To find out, we have worked out a short questionnaire, and want hundreds of these to be completed. So if you or any of your family or friends aged over 50 has been in hospital in the last year, please get in touch for copies of our questionnaire. (Phone or email Brian in the office) The more we get the better. It will be evidence for the hospital and community services.

2. Grandparents raising grandchildren
We are hearing about quite a lot of grandparents in Wirral, who have the full time care of grandchildren. This is fantastic, if the alternative is that the children would be in foster homes or children’s homes, looked after by the Local Authority. But, in many cases, the grandparents are struggling financially (after all, most of them are over retirement age) This is a national problem, but here in Wirral, we have an MP (Frank Field) very bothered about the situation, and a Children’s Services Department of the Council, trying to give advice and emotional support. We are trying to work for a national allowance. Get in touch, if you know of any grandparents who have the care of grandchildren. We need to find out who they are, and what their situation is.

3. Care Homes
We are looking hard at how we can add to the information which is available to people who find they need to move into a care home of some sort. This usually is a very stressful time for older people and their families, and it is very hard to find out just which home is going to be right for each particular person. It is also a worry, trying to sort out money issues when you need extra care. Age Concern Wirral has lots of help and advice available, but we are hoping to find ways of getting more known about our local Care Homes. We are horrified that accounts of poor practice and abuse are still coming in about one or two of our Homes.

4. Disabled Parking
We have already had a successful campaign at Arrowe Park Hospital, which has led to more disabled spaces and more fines for people who use them without blue disabled badges. We must not let up on this. Do we need to extend this to other public car parks, where people think the places are being abused?

 

5: Education
Margaret Testo, and her committee members are deeply involved with a number of noted Educational Providers and various other departments. Like Wirral 3 L’s and the Wirral Met College or the Learning & Skills Council who are all involved in the provision, encouragement, and availability of facilities, equipment, and assistance in the extension of learning systems for older people. The use of computer technology is quite important in today’s society, and whilst some older persons may feel intimidated by such developments, the provisions of simple learning techniques are proving to be invaluable.

6: Accommodation
Parliament Committee Members, belonging to various other organisations are using gathered information to ensure that elderly or vulnerable citizens in the community have a collective voice in the standards and compatibility of sheltered housing and community living facilities.

7: Law and Order
Ken McDermott, has been in progressive consultation with the Police Authorities and Wirral Council Officers, expressing the related fears and concerns felt by many elderly residents about the safety or wellbeing of communities, this is also an ongoing part of education and understanding being carried out in the schools educational system. The authorities place a high importance that senior citizens and vulnerable members of our communities have a right to live their lives in comparative safety and comfort.

8: Transport
Joanna Mcllhatton, and committee members have been assessing the available transport facilities provisions and urging the need for better improved use of public transport enabling older maybe less mobile members of the community to travel in comfort.