Press Releases

8 out of 10 say older people deserve stronger rights

19.8.10

19 August 2010

An ICM Poll of 1,500 people of all ages, commissioned by the Older People’s Commissioner for Wales, has shown overwhelming support from people of all ages for a set of rights specific to older people to ensure that they are treated with dignity and respect. 8 out of 10 (79%) of people would strongly support the introduction of a set of rights. Overall support is highest amongst those in their 70s and those aged 29 or under.

The Welsh Assembly and UK Governments could play a prominent role in ensuring that older people are supported by a United Nations Convention, which would be even more robust than the current set of UN Principles.

In addition, progress can be made by robustly implementing the age equality aspects of the Equality Act 2010 are implemented at the earliest opportunity. The Equality Act places on public bodies a duty to ban unfair age discrimination against adults. It also bans unfair age discrimination against adults when providing goods and services, including health and social care, for example, a hospital should give the same care and attention to older people with a medical condition as they do younger people with the same condition.

Ruth Marks, Older People’s Commissioner for Wales, commented “This survey shows that there is overwhelming support for a set of rights for older people and I strongly support the need to ensure that the human rights of older people are fully protected. I hear of many instances where older people feel they have been discriminated against because of their age.”

She continued “Age discrimination often goes unrecognised in our society because it has, in many instances, become normal to discriminate unfairly against older people. I am calling on the Government to ensure that older people are better protected from age discrimination. A formal set of rights would help individuals and organisations identify more clearly what age discrimination is and how it can be tackled.”