How Sutton Council is supporting International Day of Older Persons

Sutton Council is supporting International Day for Older Persons. In January 2020, The Sutton Plan, partners, with AgeUK Sutton and the Council as lead partners, announced their ambition to make Sutton an age-friendly borough and to join the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Global Network of Age Friendly Communities programme.

During the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic, it is more important than ever that we listen to the older members of our community about the impact the virus and its countermeasures has had on them, and ensure that they are able to participate in and contribute to groups and events in our borough as we move into a “new normal”. Age UK Sutton, the Council and our partners will build on existing initiatives to increase individual and community resilience and ensure that older people living in our borough have a strong voice and are valued for the contribution they make to the economy and to society.

How can you help?

Age UK Sutton will be holding a number of engagement events throughout the year to listen to older people’s priorities and concerns and to help shape what ‘age-friendly Sutton’ will look like.

There are a number of ways you can join the conversation, to ensure that as many people as possible can share their ideas.

Online events

The first virtual event will be an informal discussion called In Conversations and this will be on Tuesday 3 November at 11:00am-12:30pm and the topic will be the benefits of an Age Friendly community. 

Tuesday 17 November 10:00am-1:00pm for the first Age Friendly Forum. This event will be a ‘Question Time’ panel discussion. Join us and a panel of local professionals to discuss loneliness and isolation in Sutton. 

We will also be holding a healthy lifestyles event in January where we will discuss how we can improve our physical and mental health. 

Age UK Sutton and Sutton Council are committed to ensuring access for all older people who wish to participate in events. Due to COVID restrictions, we are not currently able to bring people together in person, but Age UK Sutton is able to support participation in a number of ways, including digital coaching, and loan of devices. As restrictions are eventually lifted, we plan to have more live events, in different parts of the borough.

Telephone survey

Take part in a telephone survey, where you will be asked for your opinions on what an Age Friendly place should be.

Mailing list 

Join the Age Friendly mailing list, to keep you up to date with upcoming events and the progress the project makes throughout the year. 

If you are interested in any of these events please join Age UK Sutton’s mailing list by emailing agefriendly@ageuksutton.org.uk, or call AgeUK Sutton on 0208 915 2233.

Nicola Upton, AgeUK Sutton’s Chief Executive, said: 

“Being age friendly is about the type of place that we are, the services that we offer people, but also the kind of lives that we want everybody to have as a community together.”

“I’m really pleased that despite COVID-19 and the challenges that it has presented across our society, the London Borough of Sutton is continuing its commitment to the World Health Organisation’s Age Friendly Communities Programme, and I am proud that Age UK Sutton is leading this work in partnership with Sutton Council to deliver an age-friendly Sutton.”

Councillor Ruth Dombey, Leader of Sutton Council, added: 

“I’m delighted that we are now launching our age-friendly engagement programme. Key to all of our work is not just valuing and respecting older people in the Borough but also listening to them and benefiting from their expertise and experience.

“We will use these listening events to make meaningful progress towards becoming an Age-Friendly Borough. International Day of Older Persons is a great opportunity for us to re-emphasise the commitment made at the start of the year and I am looking forward to continuing the conversation with our online events and telephone surveys.”