To think that Age UK should not be moving their goalposts.

[Touchwood2654]

So our local Age UK now supports anyone over 16. Talk about diluting services. What is the point of them if they are not supporting just those over 55?

We are a rapidly aging population and the elderly are often overlooked when services are planned.
Surely Age UK's meagre resources will now be stretched very thinly?
AIBU to think this is a wrong move?

I'd, obviously incorrectly, always assumed Age UK was a charity to support those at least over retirement age!!

55 isn't aged and 16 is practically a child.

Maybe it's for anyone who identifies as aged? 😂

That's ridiculous.

Presumably support for younger people is in the form of those who need advice and support on caring for older relatives, though.

I think it’s outrageous they’re not supporting those under 16 then, if they’re including absolutely everyone else. Why exclude the very young? Ageism 😄

Does someone have a link to this policy change?

I've had a look at our local one and it definitely still seems to be offering similar support

The center is a community hub thing so it allows younger people to join cancer care stuff by mcmillian

They could also go to things like their advice for carer benefits etc

I suspect they are trying to plug a gap where there is often a big absence in services for people who need support prematurely for things like frailty. My mum has had arthritis since a young ish age thus was frail and would have benefitted from a lot of the transport, seated exercise classes, carer support, equipment loan type stuff that in our age where restricted to older adults. She also had a stroke and it was a struggle to find stroke related community stuff for her age group at the time. Its the same with dementia care, despite their being many types of dementia impacting people younger than 65 or similar cognitive things eg stroke related issues where you can fall in a big gap between services

Its why you regularly find carehomes with loads of older people then some random younger eople shoehorned in because theres less specific services tailored to care homes for young people with brain injuries for example.

I haven't seen any sort of statement though so I'm not sure

Define ‘support’ - if you mean training as volunteers, support for young carerers, work experience in their shops then what’s the issue?

Do you have a link Op ?

What kind of support?

Maybe in your area they offer support for some things that aren’t covered by anyone else so they get funding for it.

Maybe 16 year olds need support for caring for elderly relatives

Need more information

It sounds like they have won a local contract to support 16+. If it keeps their services viable I don't have a problem with this.

This is just the Islington branch?

That’s madness OP. They need to get a grip.

Is it support for carers or family of aged people?

This. Many young people care for older people. They need every bit of support they can get.

This is a very good point, I hadn't thought of that.

I’m sure it’s just to encompass young carers of older people.

Yes - or their funding applications have expanded to include charities such as CIN - they aren’t withdrawing services to older people, just expanding services to younger ones

How are hey supporting them? Can you post info? Mind boggling.

Lots of younger folk need support themselves in order to support older folk.

I’ll post a link since the OP hasn’t

www.ageuk.org.uk/islington/

Oh yeah! The OP was right!

I agree OP, Age UK should stick to 55 and over.

It seems from their website that they provide support to carers and point people in the direction of other service providers.

What are their services actually? They just seem to direct clients to services which are available, not actually provide any. Widening their age range will just give them more access to government money to pay their directors etc. I snigger to myself when their emotive adverts try to prise money from me on social media, I am 75 and on a very low income, but can't see anything actually useful on their website, along with other 'charities' for the elderly and people with arthritis. I could easily become a bitter old woman reading the crap they come out with!

I tried to scroll and accidentally clicked YABU but YANBU definitely.

Sounds like they offer support for carers looking after elderly relatives but they need to make it clear that you have to be 16+ to call the call centre. Unless there is some massive drip feed coming, this is an overreaction to a complete nonissue.