To find this ad horribly patronising

[StandingLampTassles]

Don't know if anyone's heard this on the radio - it's about getting people to test the smoke alarms of elderly people they may know

It goes something like "Ethel's 76, she can knit for England and bakes the most amazing cakes (so not an old person stereotype at all then) but she's not so good at checking her smoke alarms, so I do it for her, while she fixes the icing on my cake...again (ha. ha)"

It smacks of some 26 year old copywriter trying to be all complimentary to older people, but has the complete opposite effect and it makes me mad. Why is it ok to patronise one group of people in this way? If it was, for example, women "Jenny's great at doing eyeliner flicks and making tagines for dinner parties, but she needs a bit of help checking the brakes on her car" we'd all be annoyed. I'm not saying it isn't a good idea to encourage people to help the elderly in this way, but less of the cakes and knitting, I think

jamie how exactly?

The war reference? Tongue in cheek, a bit of a joke on the part of those who really believe this is what old people always do

The point about elderly people being a bit shakier/memory loss - surely these are just accepted truths not stereotypes?

My 79 yo DM would prefer not to have smoke alarms, even though she recently left a pan on the hob, went out and came back to a house full of smoke. In fact I think she uses that as a reason why she shouldn't have them ("well what would anyone have done??"). But she does use computers & email...

Standing

Yes, the war thing. I just think that you either go chummy and jokey or you go baldy factual.

Someone of 76 wouldn't be able to remember the war anyway

... or not much, anyway

Argy have you pointed out its really to wake her up if a fire starts at night?

jamie you're probably right, factual then I think

The ad as it stands patronises people on all sides. I'm clearly the clueless cake baker 30-something who needs to consult an elderly woman about my dodgy sponge mix. She's delighted to help, of course, as long as I check out her smoke alarm while I'm at it.

never mind that I'd wipe the floor with most grannies on the cake making front

my mum is in her sixties and has never knitted a garment in her whole life.
and shes more likely to nag me about my smoke alarm!
she does love going to gigs and partaking in the odd giggie and glass of wine though.

What's all this about standing on chairs or ladders?

That's the only time he mop gets used in this house! Failing that a coat hanger if the ceiling is low enough.

At least the ad got your attention. Did your alarm have a working battery?

Not be daft, but you have heard all the other radio ads out there haven't you? They ain't designed to win Oscars, they're designed to get you either humming the tune or reacting - 34 replies & no idea how many lurkers, but they've already expanded the audience for their message away from Radio Listeners.

I've heard it & thought nothing of it, I certainly wouldn't want my 92 year old Grandad climbing on a chair to check his alarm when I can ask my 71 year old Mother to do it for him....

jamie don't you believe it! My mum is 74 and has endless repetitive many fascinating tales of her memories of end of war time/post war London. Some passed to her from older Aunts and Uncles, granted, but she has plenty of 'em