Page 11 - BPW-UK-E-news-Edition 112 - May 2023

You only have to listen to the news to hear of the issues with the NHS un-

able to cater for their clients and older people, less able to fight for their rights,
are being decimated against with poor care.

Another key area of discrimination is digital. We are increasingly reliant
on mobile technology from the simple task of parking a car to gaining access to

bank accounts. A number of attendees spoke about how their ageing relatives
are unable to grasp the functionality which is causing real issues for day-to-day
life and they are feeling disenfranchised.

The third session covered

Ageism, Intersectionality and Human Rights
with
Jenny Manchester (Centre for Ageing Better)
Tracey Bignall (The Race Equality Foundation)

There is an increase in poor health, financial insecurity, housing and men-
tal health which is having a cumulative effect on quality of life for older persons.

Within the Bangladeshi and Pakistani communities, a high level of women
is caring for aged relatives as unpaid carers as well as working in low paid jobs
averaging around 50hrs of unpaid care a week.

Most in these communities retire as a result of ill health rather than a cho-

sen retirement with prospects.
Dementia also seems to be disproportionate within these groups and there
is evidence of earlier deaths with a decreased life expectancy of 12 years for
women.

Improvement will come with research and the gathering of data via collab-
orations with community groups and voluntary organisations;
Help for BAME communities can be found here:
https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/a-z-topics/
black-asian-and-minority-ethnic-bame-communities

Jenny Manchester (Centre for Ageing Better) spoke
about her Lottery funded organisation and touched on how biased
the beauty industry is, as beauty is associated with the young and
pretty. All marketing campaigns are not aimed at an older demo-
graphic i.e. over 50 unless it’s for retirement homes and disability
products!
By their very nature anti-ageing products are negative and
media the over 50s as a burden to be dealt with.
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