Response to Age Concern

Kingston Conservatives have been fierce champions of issues that affect older people in Kingston. Councillor David Fraser has stood up for the users of Hobkirk Day Care Centre in New Malden against personal attacks by the Lib Dem Leader of the Council. We have as a Group also always welcomed Age Concern in Kingston and recognised the outstanding work the organisation does.

We believe that the Lib Dems are wrong once again in not recognising the increasing elderly population of the borough. They failed to see the increase in birth rate and now they ignore the growing number of older people. They say we are getting younger in Kingston, many may wish that to be true but when you exclude our ever expanding University population, the remainder both at school age and those in retirement is on the increase.

We need to be more imaginative in how we work with older people and organisations like Age Concern. We need to help people stay independent and able to remain in their own homes for as long as possible. We also need to plan for a new generation of Care Homes to replace Hobkirk House and Newent House that are now showing their own age and need updating. We also want to address the growing problem of older single people not having access to places where they can socialise with others. One local doctor said “There are far too many single older people, waiting behind their front doors to die”. We need to address this and provide more activities in Kingston and not less for older people.

We have addressed your concerns as expressed in the spring edition of Agenda:

Health and care

Age Concern say: Increase investment in preventative measures now, thus saving money on treatment and care in the long run. In addition to this, more funding should be put into
dementia research. Join up health and social care services to create a fully integrated, accessible service and support the voluntary sector to help people to stay independent and in their own homes for longer.

Kingston Conservatives say: We support your views on more preventative care and research into Dementia. We will on a local level look to merge more of our social care services with those of NHS Kingston. In the Long Term we believe NHS Kingston should become part of the Council which would allow us to develop even better services and reduce costs that can be reinvested in new and innovative support to our residents. We passionately believe that everyone should be given the support they need to stay independent and in their own homes for as long as possible and we will support the voluntary sector and work with NHS Kingston to achieve this aim.

Society for all ages

Age Concern say: Create more opportunities for contact and support between the generations in order to strengthen community cohesion and tackle negative perceptions and stereotypes. The balance also needs to be redressed to make older people as much of a priority as the younger generations.

Kingston Conservatives say: We welcome this suggestion. We will invite Age Concern and the Youth Council to meet with the Conservative Executive Member for Community and Well Being to discuss how we as the Council can work to with both Age Concern and the Youth Council and other organisations in the borough to address the issues raised.

A Councillor will be appointed as an advocate for older peoples concerns and interests and will be charged with raising awareness of the issue and to make sure that the Council acknowledges the needs and gives the same priority as shown to other members of the community.

Support for voluntary sector

Age Concern say: Local authorities should more actively support voluntary organisations such as Age Concern Kingston to enable them to support older people and the local community.

Kingston Conservatives say: We have already pledged in our Manifesto to work more closely with the Voluntary Sector and help build capacity to meet the demands that will be made upon it.
Retirement age

Age Concern says: Scrap the default retirement age and replace it with a flexible, phased approach to retirement. Forced retirement is ageist and leads to a loss of skills and talent.

Kingston Conservatives say: We understand this point of view. Councillor David Fraser is 82 years old and has no plans to retire either from the Council or his job with Surrey County Council as a social worker.

Carers

Age Concern say: Increase support and benefits for carers of older people and older carers and improve access to treatment for early stage dementia, which severely affects carers.

Kingston Conservatives say: The Conservative Party has national policies that address these concerns for carers. We have always been supportive of the Kingston Carers Network and will do all we can to support carers of older people and older carers.

We will review the access for early treatment for early stage dementia and work with NHS Kingston to make any improvements that can be made.

Pensions

Age Concern say: Increase the state pension and link it to national average earnings.

Kingston Conservatives say: This is our national policy and we understand the financial pressures on older people’s incomes. We will do all we can on a local level to freeze the costs of services for older residents and work with Age Concern and others to expand the access to services that can be enjoyed and are affordable to use.

Information and advice

Age Concern say: Support people to make their own choices by improving access to advice and information.

Kingston Conservatives say: We will develop a new day care service for our older residents. It will have as its aim the provision of places to meet, talk, relax, and be entertained, but also somewhere to seek advice and help to enable the enjoyment of life in retirement. We want elderly residents to live independently for as long as possible.
Housing

Age Concern say: Kingston council housing stock is very old and private housing is expensive. Affordable, quality housing is desperately needed to ensure people have the choice to remain living independently.

Kingston Conservatives say: We agree that our Council owned housing stock condition is poor. Working with development partners we have plans and we will seek to address this issue in the next four years.

End discrimination and abuse

Age Concern Say: Bring the ban on age discrimination in the NHS into immediate effect rather than waiting until 2012. Tackle ageism in the workplace and in the media and bring the campaign against elder abuse into the mainstream.

Kingston Conservatives say: We will add our voice to this concern locally and we will also look to how the Council behaviour and how the Council can provide leadership to all local employers on this point, stopping age discrimination in the Royal Borough of Kingston.

Improve public transport

Age Concern say: Create a more accessible, joined up transport system and better and more reliable door-to-door and community transport through consultation with older people, as set out in the winter issue of Agenda. The withdrawal of Capital Call and the Kingston Enterprise has had a severe impact on older people’s mobility and has increased their sense of exclusion and isolation and needs to be tackled urgently.

Kingston Conservatives say: Conservative Councillor Ken Smith has been actively reviewing the provision of specialist transport for older people. We will work with the Mayor of London to ensure we have the best possible services.

Safety and security

Age Concern say: Improve safety and security for older people both inside and outside the home by tackling crime and anti-social behaviour and improving the environment to reduce the risk of falls and increase accessibility.

Kingston Conservatives say: We share your concerns and have several pledges to address the issues you raise. We will have one Conservative Councillor in charge of Crime Prevention, Licensing and Enforcement, something the Lib Dems refuse to do. We will work with the Local Police and Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, to increase the number of police on our streets. We will respond to the wishes of local people and tackle anti-social behaviour as a priority. We will improve the security of our Parks and Green Spaces. We will show zero tolerance toward those who spoil our neighbourhoods with graffiti.
Adult education

Age Concern say: Redress the balance to make adult education as much of a priority as youth education and make lifelong learning accessible and affordable for all.

Kingston Conservatives say: In our Manifesto we have already pledged to protect and develop our Adult Education Services to ensure access for as many residents as possible. We agree that it has to be given a greater priority both locally and we will lobby for better funding from Central Government.