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Age Awareness Week

Age Awareness Week is based on International Day for Older People 1st October each year. It is intended that the week will include a recognition and celebration of the multiple identities of older people.  The week is an element of Age Concern Northern Ireland’s contribution to the integrated Changing Ageing Partnership programme and is organised specifically with Help the Aged in Northern Ireland but with the welcome contribution of Queen's University Belfast and the Workers' Educational Association. 

CAP's vision is that after five years Age Awareness Week will have become an established part of the Northern Irish calendar and that it is an established measurement tool for highlighting improvements to the quality of older people’s lives and pointing to new challenges to be surmounted.

Respect - The theme for Age Awareness Week 2007

Promoting a more cohesive society

Action will be taken to raise awareness among the general public of the importance of eradicating clichés, stereotypes and violence, and promoting good relations among all members of society.

Age Awareness Week 2007 will strive to promote and disseminate the values underlying equal treatment and the fight against discrimination.

The core segments of the theme of respect are:-

  • Public awareness raising
  • Eradicating clichés
  • Eradicating stereotypes
  • Eradicating violence
  • Promoting good relations
  • Promoting the values which underlie equal treatment and;
  • Promote the fight against discrimination

Respect research

To support the launch of Age Awareness Week 2007 and its theme of respect, the Changing Ageing Partnership commissioned independent research into respect and older people.  Millward Brown Ulster carried out an Omnibus survey in August which involved 1000 interviews with a representative sample of the adult population.

Key findings

  • Over two thirds (72%) felt society does not respect older people enough
  • 59% felt that older people are treated with less respect today compared to 10 years ago
  • Nearly two thirds (64%) of people agreed overall that older people are discriminated against as a result of their age
  • 97% felt that everyone has a responsibility to ensure older people are respected
  • 93% felt that more should be done to ensure older people are respected
  • 92% of people agreed that older people make a valuable contribution to our society
Age Awareness Week 2007 Events Guide
Three Posters with Personal Statements from Older People
Age Awareness Week 2007 information postcard
Generic Age Awareness Week 2007 Poster
Invitation card for the launch of Age Awareness Week 2007