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June 1, 2017

Age Friendly Leeds: What’s Your Pledge?

Everyone can do something to make Leeds more age friendly. 

Leeds City Council’s Public Health Resource Centre recently hosted a “Want to Know More” information session covering the ins and outs of what it means to be Age Friendly. 

Time to Shine went along to present the Age Friendly Charter and encourage people to get involved in their own communities. 

People had good small-group discussions about what Leeds gets right in being age friendly (e.g. Neighbourhood Network Schemes), and where the gaps still are (e.g. transitional housing for people coming out of hospital). 

But beyond large-scale policy and infrastructure strategies, we delivered the message that everyone can do something. The Age Friendly Charter encourages individual citizens to consider the needs of older people by: 

  • Not parking on pavement, in bus stops, or disabled parking bays.
  • Keeping streets clean 
  • Showing patience, compassion and respect to those who may have mobility problems or memory loss. 
  • Being a friendly face and good neighbour to older people in the community. 

Attendees of the session also made their own pledges. 

I pledge to make Leeds more Age Friendly by: 

“Challenging age discrimination in my work and personal life.” 

“Provide more opportunities for ageing people to be physically active” 

“Being patient with older people; being more aware of neighbours, i.e. curtains being closed, especially in winter; being tolerant in queues in shops.” 

“Giving older people input into running the Caring Hands project at North Leeds Medical Practice.” 

So what will your pledge be? Let us know in the comments or tweet us!