Mayor’s Blog: Helping our community to love later life

It has been my privilege to meet many residents, typically, quoting Kenneth Williams, “those not in the first flush of youth.”

They are often the volunteers and trustees of many charities and societies that help our borough’s life move along in a positive fashion. No, they are not doing it just to receive a ‘feel good’ factor for themselves but often they are contributing much time and effort to keep good things going.

This week the Deputy Mayor and I are taking part in the “Big Bus Tours” which are visiting the borough’s community centres. These often have not only social activities for the over 55yr olds but also some for younger age groups. For example, Linden Hall, Hampton, has activities for both. The Greenwood Centre, in Hampton Hill, has a FLexercise class for the over 55s (which I have enjoyed over many years.) Barnes Green Day Centre is advertising Bridge and Picasso in the park, an art group for those with dementia. The difficulty is choosing which one!

One of my charities, Age UK Richmond, has a banner which says: “Age UK, we’re here to help more people Love Later Life.” This is an incredibly positive message and one reason why I chose Age UK. One can become rather despondent as you look in the mirror and note that age has caught up with you. I had a rather funny awakening when my youngest son asked me why I was putting on a certain face cream. I said, “to help keep wrinkles at bay.” He just said, “It’s not working.”

So, what is old age? Probably when parts of our physical bodies start to look different or slow us down in one way or another. Some of us are fortunate to still run marathons and others not so. If you are one of the latter and need transport to that community centre, you can go along and by having a chat and listening to others around you make a contribution.

Age UK held a health day recently where I was able to hear a talk on dementia. It reminded us that dementia is a disease and one size does not fit all, early diagnosis is helpful and that there are some things we can do to delay the onset of the disease, good diet and some exercise of the mind and body.

If you need some inspiration (or just a day out) I would suggest going to the Full of Life Fair, coming up on Friday 13 October. This is held at Twickenham Stadium and is a celebration as well as a place for information sharing. Do register online or phone 020 8871 8390 during normal working hours.

One of the sorts of groups that I have been please to meet, or is that hear, are singing groups. Examples are ‘The Garrick’s Temple Singers’ who sing madrigals and ‘Folk on the Green.’

So to end, thank-you to those who are not in the “first flush” and who contribute so much. For example, from that older woman I saw removing some rubbish from the bus and putting it in the bus stop bin, or in a longer deeper way the resident who I met who had cared for her husband when he had dementia.

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