by: Dick Stroud
South Gloucestershire Council are putting together a strategy for the 50-plus.
Now that should be a good thing? Yes and no. This is the council’s objective of the strategy.
The strategy focuses on the things that people tell us really matter as they get older – being able to be part of their community, to live in a safe neighbourhood, being able to live in their own home, having good health and transport, access to local facilities, being treated with dignity and respect, being in control and having choice over their care when they need it.
The result of all of this is a 38 page strategy document.
This is where it all starts to go a tad wrong. The document contains a number of ‘vision statements’. Our Vision:
People over 50 should be able to live as independently as possible within their local communities with easy access to those things they want to do, they should feel empowered, confident and safe and have the ability to influence decisions that impact on their lives.
People over 50 should have access to a range of affordable, comfortable, flexible transport options, which meet their needs across the whole journey being undertaken.
Are these statements aimed at the remarried 50 year old, shopping for baby clothes for the new child? What about the 50 year old just returned from trekking in Patagonia?
Sorry South Gloucestershire Council. I think your vision is really aimed at the 75+ alternatively it a vision that applies to just about all ages. One explanation is that people living in South Gloucestershire have all prematurely aged?
Original Post: http://www.20plus30.com/blog/2007/10/damned-if-you-damned-if-you-dont.html
