Wikipedia
Help the Aged is a United Kingdom based charity, established in 1961 to address issues affecting older people. As of 2002, it employs over 1,800 people and has an income of £75 million/year.Among the many issues tackled by Help the Aged are: Ageism Age discrimination, particularly in healthcare and employment. Poverty among older people. Representation of older people in political and social areas. Standards and levels of care in nursing homes and sheltered housing. Research into medical conditions such as dementia and incontinence.The charity maintains over 350 high-street charity shops, with income also coming from legacylegacies, fundraising events and partnerships with corporate and governmental !organisations.Charles,_Prince_ of_WalesH.R.H.? The Prince of Wales is the patron ofHelp the Aged. ----Older people neglected in Tsunami response A report by HelpAge Older people are not being specifically targeted and in some cases discriminated against, in emergency Tsunami programmes says a new report “The Impact of the Indian Ocean Tsunami on Older People: Issues and Recommendations,” published by HelpAge International, supported by its partner HelpAge India six months after the natural disaster.As estimated 14,000 older people over the age of 60 died in Sri Lanka, India, Thailand and Indonesia, and a further estimated 93,000 older people, have been displaced as a result of the Tsunami. Despite the fact that older people are recognized as a vulnerable group in international conventions, they are still not being directly targeted in relief and rehabilitation programmes.Key findings of the report include the following:• Many older people lost their livelihoods and/or family members who provided them with support, but their financial needs are not being addressed.• Policies that prevent communities from returning to coastal land will have a serious impact on older people, who are less likely to have documentation proving previous ownership and therefore likely to be excluded from housing reconstruction assessments.• The lack of detailed data on older people means they were overlooked in the initial relief response and are likely to be forgotten in plans for recovery and rehabilitation.In the days after the Tsunami, the report found that older survivors were jostled out of the way by younger people during aid distribution. Seventy-five year old, Perumal, from India says he was forced to stop queuing for food. “I had been pushed out on earlier occasions and fallen on the ground. I knew I would not get anything. The fastest gets the food, the strong one wins. Older people and the injured don't get anything.” Many older people did not receive monetary compensation. But those who received pensions or had access to short-term relief payments say it provided crucial support for them and their families.Over the next three years, HelpAge will provide a package of support tailored to older people’s needs. This will include: the establishment of livelihood and income generation activities; shelter for those excluded from other housing programmes; and support for older people’s self help groups to advocate for rights.HelpAge is calling on governments and relief agencies to:• Collect data disaggregated by age and gender.• Implement intergenerational approaches to emergency response programmes that support older people’s roles.• Establish mechanisms to support older people’s access to their entitlements including food, health services, shelter and financial aid.• Develop social protection schemes in the form of small regular cash payments to older people.• Consult older people during rehabilitation process.Mathew Cherian, HelpAge India’s chief executive says: “Older people affected by the Tsunami are now trying to re-establish businesses, repair homes and get on with their lives. Already amongst the poorest and most vulnerable, those responsible for reconstruction and rehabilitation need to ensure older people receive targeted support in future plans. Schemes such as the fishermen’s pension in Kerala show how older people can be protected from losing everything in a disaster.’ For more information visit http://www.helpageindia.org
External links - helptheaged.org.uk - The Help the Aged web !sitehttp://www.helpageindia.or g/Category:British? charitiesCategory:Charities for the elderly
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