A Fairer Scotland for Older People is the result of a Scottish Government engagement process with older people across Scotland through the involvement of many of the organisations that support them It was published in April 2019

The main aspiration of this framework is to challenge unwelcoming attitudes to, and discrimination towards, older people.

Recognising the contribution older people make to their communities and bringing generations together

Enabling better access to a range of services older people and when they need it Opportunities for engagement in community activities are enhanced if people remain physically fit and active throughout older age. Our Active Scotland Delivery Plan22 aims to cut physical inactivity in all people by 15% by 2030, using wide-ranging approaches that include active travel funding, support for formal sports and informal physical activity, and partnership-working across the transport, education, health and planning sectors. Specific Age, Home and Community: next phase strategy.26 It takes account of changing needs and demographics and will help address issues of isolation older people can face. It also looks at improving access to suitable housing. Many older people rely on others for maintenance of their homes, which can make them more vulnerable to scammers and rogue traders. Online and cold-calling scams can also be harder for some older people to detect and protect themselves from. Lack of awareness and technical knowledge may be contributing factors. The role of the Telephone Preference Service should be much more prominent, but its effectiveness should be monitored and reported. The Telephone Preference Service is the only official UK ‘do not call’ register for opting out of live telesales calls. Its register is established and supported by legislation. Organisations that want to make live telesales calls in the UK are legally required to screen their sales lists against the Telephone Preference Service list. Public money is not used to support this service Intergenerational As part of the legacy of the Year of Young People, we’ll look at what more we can do to develop intergenerational practice and encourage contact between people of all ages. This will help to challenge ageism and discrimination and ensure that people of all ages are more included in their communities.29 The National Centre for Intergenerational Practice in Scotland, Generations Working Together, promotes intergenerational approaches to enhancing and improving the lives of older and younger people. Intergenerational practice contributes to giving people of all ages a more positive attitude to ageing, countering and reducing negative attitudes towards older and younger people, helping older and young workers to support each other and see the shared benefits of a vibrant community, and supporting people’s educational development.30 But of course, encouragement must be given to ensuring intergenerational links are forged naturally and are not derived solely from projects Self directed support The Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013 enshrines in law that people who are eligible for social care support must be involved in decisions about what their support looks like and how it is delivered. This re-balancing of power between services and the individual seeks to ensure that the supported person can direct their care in a way that focuses on the aspects of life that matter to them. The Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014 provides the framework under which health and social care integration is taken forward. A key element of the Act is that integration authorities are required to engage and consult with a range of stakeholders, working with local communities and professionals to improve outcomes and sustainability. It is important that the voices of those in communities, including older people’s, are heard on matters relating to health and social care integration. This takes place primarily at locality and strategic planning group level, but improvements in how engagement and consultation are taken forward are important in supporting the appropriate redesign and delivery of services that will meet older people’s, and others’, needs within their communities. Sensory impairment See hear strategy The term sensory impairment can apply to several different conditions. The strategy reflects this and works across a wide spectrum of categorisations and all age groups, supporting people who identify with, or who have a diagnosis of, auditory, visual or dual sensory loss. Digital inclusion working with organisations such as the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, Age Scotland, third sector community projects and housing associations to develop a network of digital champions for older people to aid digital inclusion and reduce social isolation and loneliness through the development of essential digital skills.

Ensuring people are financially secure and supported as they age

It will take a multi-agency approach and commitment from wider society to achieve real change.