Thankyou Age Concern!!!!

MyRubyRed

Guys
Not sure this is the right place to post but I really want to say a massive thankyou to our local Age Concern team and in particular to a wonderful lady named Veronica who has effectively turned my 73 yr old mum's life around.

I would urge anyone of retirement age and seeking advice, to consult this organisation.

margaretclare

MyRubyRed wrote: »

Guys
Not sure this is the right place to post but I really want to say a massive thankyou to our local Age Concern team and in particular to a wonderful lady named Veronica who has effectively turned my 73 yr old mum's life around.

I would urge anyone of retirement age and seeking advice, to consult this organisation.

Are you able to tell us just how your Mum's life has been turned around?

Margaret

seven-day-weekend

Yes, I'm interested too!

balmaiden

Thank you for that MyRuby Red,

I worked for Age Concern fo many years and enjoyed it very much, Although you do not do the job for thanks, it is nice when their great work is appreciated.

JoyceB

I should also like to add my thanks to Age Concern. They have also helped my elderly parents on several occasions.

MyRubyRed

Hi All and especially Margaret.
Age Concern were able to talk to my mum in a way I could not! They gave her advice on her situation and her entitlements. They just simply were wonderful and I will never ever be able to say thankyou enough!!

margaretclare

MyRubyRed wrote: »

Hi All and especially Margaret.
Age Concern were able to talk to my mum in a way I could not! They gave her advice on her situation and her entitlements. They just simply were wonderful and I will never ever be able to say thankyou enough!!

I'm glad to hear it. Sometimes it takes someone who's a step removed from the person and the immediate situation, someone who's used to talking about the practical side of things in a way that can be clearly understood.

I recall that your Mum was terrified and worried about things that might never happen - is she feeling a bit happier now?

I often think, widowhood is something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy and you have to have been through it to appreciate what it feels like. Waking up in the night with no one there....Money worries are something you don't need on top of all the emotional fall-out of widowhood, and I should know about that. My widowhood coincided with redundancy - I don't even want to remember it.

Good wishes to you and your Mum.

Margaret

MyRubyRed

Hi Margaret
Mum is doing very well all considered! I was driving a couple of weeks ago with her in the back and someone slammed into back of us forcing me off the road onto pavement. Hence absence from site for a while. Mum got a couple of black eyes and a real fright which really had me worried but she's rallied really well. Re Age Concern - you are right, a removed person is sometimes the best to put all in perspective and they have. They have also explained that she is entitled to a lot more than she knew about . helped with forms and got the entitlements through in days rather than weeks.

PasturesNew

I just thought they picked up old dears and took them to centres for a cup of tea.

margaretclare

PasturesNew wrote: »

I just thought they picked up old dears and took them to centres for a cup of tea.

Thank you. Not all of us 'old dears' need picking up and taking to centres for a cup of tea.

MyRubyRed's mother was suddenly widowed. I've said before, widowhood is not something I wish on my worst enemy. You need to have been through it before you really understand. MRR's mother seemed to have latched on to something to worry about which perhaps she needn't have worried about - this is a form of 'displacement activity' in that the mind has to find something to concern itself with rather than face the more frightening reality of being alone, alone, alone, and your dearly-loved husband growing cold in his grave.

The AgeConcern lady, being a bit further removed than daughter, and being well-informed and experienced, managed to get through to Mum and reassure her, also to give useful practical help. This is of far more use than your patronising and demeaning words about 'taking old dears for cups of tea'.

Margaret (steam coming out of ears)

balmaiden

As I posted previously, I worked for Age Concern for many years. Yes one of the services provided by A/C (among many more wonderful sevices ) is indeed " to pick up old dears and take them to the centre for a cup of tea " but let me tell you that if you are housebound and live many miles from any family and you have not seen anybody for days, that trip to the centre is a life saver. Yes when you are fit and/ or young that may seem something that you feel you would would never have the need for, but, please never say never, we none of us know what awaits us in old age.

In the course of my work I met many many elderly people from all walks of life, some of them authors, artists, people who worked in the media etc etc and many "ordinary" people, like myself, by ordinary I mean not well known figures as of course, there is no such thing as an ordinary older person they all have wonderful rich stories to tell and advice to give. What all these wonderful people had in common was the fact that when they were young and fit they would have hated the idea of being reliant on age concern. But hey, guess what, they all loved it.

Can I suggest to anyone who doesnt know of the wonderful work that A/C does, pops along to your nearest branch to say hello. Most areas welcome volunteers and we all have something to offer, but by golly you would have an awful lot more to gain from a chat to any A/c clients!