Older People's Strategy - Newcastle City Council

3ForewordBernard Baruch, the American businessman and statesman,was reported to have said ‘I will never be an old man. To me,old age is always at least fifteen years older than I am.’ Many ofus feel that way, don’t we? We feel that we still have a lot to giveand a lot of living to do. It’s sometimes the opportunity that weneed, the chance to keep making a positive contribution.We also want the security of knowing that when we do needhelp, and if our family and carers cannot provide it, then it willbe there for us. Whether this help is from statutory or voluntaryagencies, we need them to be accessible, working together,being sensitive to our needs and supporting our independence.But the view of older people purely as recipients of care isn’tgood enough. It’s not just about managing older age, but alsoabout continuing vigour and maintaining health and lifestyle.So Everyone’s Tomorrow, Newcastle’s strategy for older peopleand an ageing population, is about all of these different aspectsof ensuring well-being, independence and help to make positivecontributions. It’s about helping achieve practical outcomes –the aims and outcomes set out in the Government’s Health andSocial Care White Paper and Treasury paper Opportunity Age.We didn’t try to reinvent the wheel. The whole plan was built onthe knowledge and expertise of the Quality of Life Partnershipand the Elders Council of Newcastle. They took the lead andhelped us to genuinely involve older people in a thoroughconsultation process. We thank those who have played suchan important part in drawing up our strategy and action plan.