LOCAL CAMPAIGNS

Walton House - This home is due for closure against the wishes of the residents. This raises a serious issue of how older people can be cared for in local authority care homes without having power over their own wellbeing taken away from them. 

NATIONAL CAMPAIGNS

NO PAY DAY - To highlight the need for mandatory gender pay audits in the private sector to close the 17% pay gap between men and women. I made a speech at Conference on this issue.  Nearly 30 years after the Equal Pay Act and we still haven't achieved this basic equality.

LAP DANCING -  To change the licensing law on lap dancing clubs to make it easier for local people to object if they want. Such clubs do not require a Sex Encounter Establishment license at present.

WHAT DO I DO?

I am a Dementia Care trainer working in care homes in the area to change the culture of care.

I spend a lot of time with friends and relatives of older people and have made this my main political interest.

 IF I WERE IN PARLIAMENT ...

I would work to improve the lives of older people in three ways:

Money - I would work to create an improved social contract to support people who need care in their old age which makes it clear what contributions we all need to make during our lives, and which does not penalise life long savers.

Equality - We should all want to root out ageism in our society and to encourage people of all ages to adopt an attitude of warmth and respect towards older people. This is what I believe is at the heart of the restoring dignity in older age. No older person should be discriminated against or "invisible" in their community.

Power -  We need to make sure that as we each get older,  other people, well-meaning quite often, don't take power away from us. We should be able to make our own decisions, control our own destinies, continue to learn, to work, to live as fully as possible as we age.

If you have a story or an idea to contribute to my thinking on this subject, please write or ring me. If you or someone you know needs help or infomation, get in touch.

Catharine Arakelian

Gandhi

First they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they fight you. Then you win.