Grey Matters in 2006

ERoSH has officially launched its plan to host a national sheltered and retirement housing awareness day on Friday 21 July 2006.

Grey Matters Day will celebrate the wisdom and knowledge of older people everywhere, the contribution older people have made and continue to make to our society and the contribution that sheltered and retirement housing makes to the health and well-being of thousands of tenants and residents across the UK.

The Day is targeted at the thousands of sheltered and retirement housing estates and schemes, and older people in their local communities throughout the UK, with the aim of encouraging them to engage in activities that help keep their grey cells healthy and active. This activity may seem trivial, but in fact, the phrase 'use it or lose it' applies to the brain. Recent research has suggested that life-long mental exercise and learning have been linked with delaying the onset of dementia. (Mayo Clinic):

1. Dementia currently affects over 750,000 people in the UK, affecting one person in 20 aged over 65 years and one person in five aged over 80 (Alzheimer’s Society).
2. The likelihood of having cognitive impairment increases with age, while the likelihood of having some cognitive impairment decreases with increasing level of education (National statistics department).

Keeping an active brain in later life is therefore as essential as keeping mobile, eating healthily and exercising, as recommended by The Mental Health Foundation, which says that people should help to keep their mind active by doing crosswords or puzzles.

Michele Hollywood, ERoSH's marketing chair, commented: "As we age, there is the expectation that we lose some or all of our mental capacity and that we will experience many 'senior moments'. This is wrong. Going grey does not mean going senile.

"Keeping your brain active as you get older is important and can be done by simply doing a daily puzzle or board game. Retirement housing is a preventative service, and so we are encouraging our members and their tenants and residents to take their mental health seriously.

"People's hair may have turned grey, but think of the 'grey' vote or the 'grey purse'; these are powerful and should not be underestimated."

A Grey Matters Day toolkit, containing ideas to help participants plan and prepare the day, is available from the Campaign News pages within the members' area of this website. Ideas include:

• Who wants to be a Millionaire? Mastermind. Countdown. Just A Minute. Grey Matters Day participants can organise their favourite television or radio quiz and help to raise money for charity.
• Get Sodoku sussed and challenge your neighbours to a duel or outsmart your street in chess or draughts.
• Sheltered housing providers can be the first on the buzzer and organise a inter-generational University (or school) Challenge.
• Alternatively, as research has shown, reminiscing and 'down memory lane' type projects can help to improve mental and emotional wellbeing.

NAPA (the National Association for Providers of Activities for Older People) has welcomed the focus of Grey Matters Day on encouraging older people to enjoy being mentally active. Sally Knocker, NAPA's Director of Communications, said: "There is a great deal of satisfaction for all of us when we find ourselves being engaged in something that really gets our brain cells working. Sheltered housing offers great opportunities for older people to link up with others, either within the scheme or in the wider community, to continue old interests or try out something new."

Other activities in 2006
Grey Matters Day is part of a broader ERoSH campaign called 'Re-shaping attitudes, lives and services'. The campaign idea and aims has led ERoSH to lend its support to three other high profile awareness days, which aim to improve the quality of life of older people everywhere, not just those living in sheltered and retirement housing. ERoSH supports:

• Re-shaping attitudes - World Elder Abuse Awareness Day – 15 June 2006, in association with Action on Elder Abuse (AEA)
• Re-shaping lives - Silver Surfers’ Week – 22-26 May 2006, in association with Digital Unite
• Re-shaping services - National Falls Awareness Day – 27 June 2006, in association with Help the Aged 

ERoSH's support comprises of promoting the awareness days to its membership so that thousands more people can register their support and get involved by organising events. ERoSH will also participate in national events and conferences, such as 'Behind Closed Doors', which addresses the issue of elder abuse from the sheltered housing perspective (May 17, Leeds and May 24, London, in partnership with AEA and CSHS).

A traditional part of ERoSH's annual campaign is its competition. In late April, ERoSH will announce details of the 2006 awards for the sector, 'Sheltered housing: a sure start to later life', organised in partnership with CSHS.