Older people in the media awards - vote for your favourite

I don't think anybody on here means to be condescending. For me nominating a senior celebrity is just a bit of fun and certainly not meant to be detrimental or patronising to anything or anyone else. There are many wonderful older people to admire for all sorts of reasons, in fact I think most of us would agree that we're spoilt for choice! I saw Penelope Keith the other night on TV taking the viewer around a particular village, and she made me feel really positive and lifted my spirits. She would certainly be my second choice, if I was allowed one?!!!!!

Nobody ever really means to be condescending it just happens. Yes there are wonderful older people and I would say they do pretty well at holding their own in all walks of life. So why does someone feel the need to single them out for Media awards? There was time when people complained you didn't see enough older people in the media. I think that time has passed. Penelope Keith, Joanna Lumley, Griff Rhys Jones have all done excellent travel programmes add Tony Robinson for his walking programme. There are so many- let's focus on how good they are and stop making a big thing of their age!

It could be deemed to be 'blo---y' condescending to accuse others of being 'blo---y' condecending.

What a contentious comment over such a trivial thread.

You can' win lately Lara .

What a pity! This thread has now come to a grinding halt for the usual reasons! Can't we ignore hissy comments and have some more names etc and why - please!

I nominate Category 3 Caron Cares www.caroncares.co.uk

For some years now Caron has been 'hands-on' caring and also putting expert advice and information on her internet site (as above).

Nothing is ever too much trouble for Caron when it comes to caring for the elderly.

I wish her the very best of luck in her category.

Nomination for Category 2 - Caron Sprake

As a self-employed home-help for the elderly, Caron Sprake sees on a daily basis the challenges that the elderly face with reduced mobility, pain, impaired sight and hearing loss, with loneliness being an additional problem for many.

It is Caron's passion to help older people live happy and fulfilled lives. Health and social care services are already under pressure and this is only likely to increase as a result of our ageing population and longer life expectancy.

Being self-employed as a home-help allows Caron more freedom than being part of an agency and she absolutely loves her work. She says it is more like having an extended family than working. She has worked in a caring role for most of her adult life and she believes that it is her vocation.

Caron administers her own web site about caring for the elderly - www.caroncares.co.uk

Actually I gave 8 names if you count so don't think I can be accused of bringing the thread to a 'grinding halt.' (Not that it was ever going at a rapid speed anyway). If you want me to list them again they are
Ian Mckellan, Derek Jacobi or Frances de la Tour for Viscious
Ian Mckellen for Mr Holmes
Jonathan Pryce for Wolsey in Wolf Hall
Penelope Keith , Gryff Rhys Jones or Joanna Lumley for their travel programmes
Tony Robinson for his Walking through History
Oh and I've thought of anoyther one
Michael Portillo for his Railway Programme
I also named Germaine Greer and Joan Bakewell as two people who are great spokespeople. My argument is that there are now too many to cjoose just one person
and older people are well represented in the Media

If Caron Sprake has been operating for 'some years' then she doesn't fit the critiera for Everyday Ageism Hero.

"The award is open to campaigns that have run in any medium but they must have first appeared between the dates of Friday 15 August 2014 and Friday 14 August 2015." (From the full GN Rules)

Same with 'Vicious'.

Different category-new series
open to any fictional character in a book, film, TV or radio drama who has appeared in a new work (story line/episodes/film/new series) in the UK between the dates of Friday 15 August 2014 and Friday 14 August 2015.

Where is Esther Rantzen in all this for category 3? Throughout her life she has brought laughter as well as effective practical and accessible support to those who need it. Following That's Life, Meet a Mum and Child Line she has set up Silver Line for the elders amongst us who find themselves alone. She has also brought back her cheeky street interviewing style in the past few months to The One Show - hopefully as far back as August last year.........

The BBC's John Humphries is an inspiration. Not for any specific championing of older people's issues but because, as an older person himself, he stands up to bullying politicians without losing his cool, asks the right questions and makes everything he discusses interesting. He's also very versatile, moving from Radio Four's breakfast time news to Mastermind and other programmes with ease.

I nominate Category 3 Caron Cares www.caroncares.co.uk

Caron has a very informative site which is kept up to date with useful, honest and invaluable blogs. Caron comes from a hands on caring role and understands the real pressures that both carers and the elderly face on a day to day basis.

I wish her all the very best in this category and have my fingers and toes crossed for her.

Older person in the media ?

Janet Street Porter needs an honorable mention. Love the way she tells it like it is, always seems cheerful, and actually seems to get things done. She's the sort of person you'd like to have a drink with too and there's not many of 'em I'd say that about !

My vote goes to Sheila Hancock.She has just made a stand against the raising of car insurance for older people.

Too hard to choose, Joanna Lumley for the Gurkha campaign, Vanessa Redgrave for the Howard League; both of them plus Jane Lapotaire for ignoring their age and just carrying on working!

John Simpson for still getting out there and telling us what's going on in strife-riven parts of the world.

I nominate Niamh McGarryGribbin. She has been campaigning tirelessly for a few years for better care of the elderly in Care Homes. She has put together a training package to be given to staff in nursing homes to improve the care of the residents. She has almost 13 thousand members on her Facebook CareHomes Should Care page where she makes a point of highlighting incidents of poor care, neglect and abuse. She has appeared on television on a few occasions trying to put this issue into the spotlight and makes herself available to anyone whose family members need support in dealing with carehomes whose care is failing their vulnerable loved ones. Niamh deserves some recognition for her tireless efforts

I would like to nominate my 96 year old (nearly 97!) Dad, Robbie Clark, under Category 3 - Best Older Person's Champion in the Media.

Robbie's case this year has captured the hearts of the British Public and his personal struggle has been a symbol and a ray of hope for other elderly people who are facing the same issue - namely their personal desire and individual decision to live the rest of their days in the comfort of their own home, and not being forced against their will into Residential Care as a result of Local Government policies and lack of support.

Robbie is a Second World War hero, having survived the dramatic 'Death March' between January to April 1945, walking, with a German rifle pointed at his back, over a 1000 miles without a food supply during the coldest of winters in Poland. Many thousands of British and Allied prisoners died on the March. Robbie survived through his personal will power and determination - he did not want to 'die on foreign soil'.

This part of Robbie's story was featured in a BBC News report in January this year -http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-30926964

Now, Robbie has been facing his latest battle - his battle to stay in his home for the rest of his life. Robbie has unfortunately plenty of care and nursing needs now, and has to have 24/7 care. Robbie simply has chosen to have this care in his own home and for the past three years, he has employed dedicated live in carers who provide the best care for him. Robbie has now used all his life savings to pay for the cost of this care, without any financial support from his local Council, Brent Council. Brent Council will only offer funding for his 24/7 care if Robbie goes into Residential or Nursing Care - this is their preferred option as it offers better 'value for money'.

The case was featured in the Daily Express in January and as result a national petition was started - 'Save Robbie Clark from Eviction' - , which eventually reached 187000 signatures in April. The petition was also highlighting the predicament of other elderly and vulnerable people who wish to be cared for at home.

The national media picked this up and Robbie was able to passionately represent his wishes and individual choice - he was featured in all the national newspapers and national as well as local TV reports - here is an example from RT News UK report - youtu.be/2UUCvG4Iu-Y

All this happened over a space of a few days and Robbie took this challenge of being an Older Persons Champion in the Media with determination and gusto - just like the way he survived his Prisoner of War experiences.

This publicity led to a national debate on social media and on radio stations 'phone ins' about elderly care issues and funding at the time of the run up to the General Election.

As a postscript to this story, the British Public have stepped in and supported Robbie with funding through Help For Heroes and Honour Our Forces - this is providing temporary financial relief for Robbie to continue to have the best care at home while the debate with Brent Council progresses.

Robbie has been humbled by this support from the public and is appreciative and very grateful.

Please vote for Robbie - your vote will also help to highlight the practical and day to day issues that elderly people do and will face when it comes to their care towards the end of their life.

Thank you!!

I definitely vote for Robbie.

Robbie has our vote a true hero and a lovely lovely man

Brilliant

According to this Mr Clarke has been offered round the clock care with the proviso that the money is repaid to the council after he passes on. This seems reasonable to me.

The offer of what is called a Deferred Payment - repaying the Council for the cost Robbie's care after he dies - does not apply in Robbie's case as he wishes to live at home and not in residential care - this is just a way the Council have attempted to deflect the publicity. The Council do not and will not provide any funding towards Robbie's live in care - please check the Care Act 2014 for legal explanation of deferred payments.

Although I fully respect Robbie's history and bravery during the war I am unable to support his desire to remain in his own home. We all will at some time face decisions about where we will live. My mother is 93 and didn't fight in the war although she did undergo some of the fiercest civilian air raids. She gave up her house several years ago and moved into a small sheltered housing flat where she lives a fairly independent, if restricted, life thanks to family support. Staying in a house isn't always practical and if everyone insists they must be allowed to do this and be funded to do so the costs will be astronomical. I also wonder why someone willing to move into a care home should be expected to sell their home to fund their care but Robbie should be allowed to remain in his home, presumably keep the value of it to pass on to his family, and have his care paid for. It would presumably be possible for him to raise money through an equity scheme to pay for his care so he could remain in his house.