Member Article

Tackling social exclusion for the over 50s

Gateshead has been chosen as one of the pilot locations for LinkAge Plus - a £10million network of one-stop-shops to provide services for people over 50. The town, together with seven others from around the UK, will test a new idea to help the older generation get involved in the community. The initiative is aimed at creating better social inclusion in communities across the UK. One-stop shops will be created and will offer housing advice, access to transport, health service, employment advice and information about volunteering opportunities. Minister for Pensions Reform, James Purnell said: “We are launching eight LinkAge Plus pilots today which will work at the heart of local communities to support older people where they live. The pilots will be one-stop-shops for people aged 50 and over. “People who find it difficult to travel will benefit from the outreach activity which will bring the services to them, whilst for others there will be drop-in centres for socialising as well as getting the information and support they need.“The Link Age Plus pilots are part of the Government’s Opportunity Age strategy for older people, and the cross-Government action plan to tackle the social exclusion of older people published in a report from the Social Exclusion Unit in January.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .