Age UK is the new force combining Age Concern and Help the Aged. We will help people enjoy a better later life - here and in 40 other countries - by providing life-enhancing services and vital support. By joining forces, we will ensure that more of our funds go where they're needed.

Our vision is of a world in which older people flourish. We aim to improve later life for everyone through our information and advice, campaigns, products, training and research.

Age UK supports and assists a network of over 330 local Age UKs and Age Concerns, which between them cover every locality and district in England. The Age UK family also includes Age Scotland, Age Cymru and Age NI.

 

Helping to support older people

We run a number of services which support older people in their own homes.  Delivered in various locations across the UK, the HandyVan service aims to improve the quality of life and provide peace of mind to people in later life by making their homes more safe and secure.

Lynn Dorey, our HandyVan fitter for Lambeth, fitted a carbon monoxide detector for an older lady living alone in Streatham. Later the same week, Deborah Leonard at our HandyVan headquarters answered a call from the lady who said the alarm had gone off and wouldn't stop. Deborah found out that the alarm had started after a new gas heater was switched on. Deborah advised her to open all her doors and windows, immediately call Transco (the national gas emergency service on 0800 111 999) and leave the property. She was reluctant and thought the alarm must be faulty, but Deborah convinced her it was better to be careful. Transco condemned the new heater and advised her that if she had gone to bed with her windows closed, she would not have survived the night.

 

 

  Age UK overseas

Miss Mua, from Vietnam, is 64 years old. She looks after her six year old granddaughter. Her two sons are living with HIV. One of them - the father of her granddaughter - is in prison for drug smuggling. The other one is in a rehab centre for drug use.

Miss Mua is a member of the Empathy Club for people infected and affected by HIV which is supported by the Help Age International Sponsor a Grandparent scheme. The club was set up by the Vietnam Women's Union. Miss Mua says ‘I really wanted to join so I could share my experiences with others in similar circumstances, so I could support them and they could support me.'

She says, ‘The Empathy Club is invaluable. It provides a space for comfort, sharing and encouragement. Before I joined the club, people treated me very differently. Now my neighbours understand my circumstances, so I'm not worried anymore.'

 

For more information about Age UK or on how gifts in Wills can help us with our work, please contact:

Wills and Legacies, Age UK

207-221 Pentonville Road, London, N1 9UZ

Tel: 0207 239 1965

email:              legacies@ageuk.org.uk

website:         http://www.ageuk.org,uk

Age UK is a charitable company limited by guarantee and registered in England (registered charity number 1128267 and registered company number 6825798).  The registered address is 207-221 Pentonville Road, London N1 9UZ.

Age Concern England (registered charity number 261794) and Help the Aged (registered charity number 272786), and their trading and other associated companies merged on the 1st April 2009. Together they have formed the Age UK Group, dedicated to improving the lives of people in later life. The three national Age Concerns in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales have also merged with Help the Aged in these nations to form three registered charities: Age Scotland, Age NI and Age Cymru.