8. Older Persons Concerns 8 : OLDER RESIDENTS’ CONCERNSThis section responds to concerns expressed by older residentsThese are the concerns that this section of the community indicated as most needing action: (These are the views indicated by the majority of numerical responses received to the questionnaire) REVIEWING OPTIONS TO CREATE SELF-CONTAINED APARTMENTS FOR OLDER RESIDENTSDEVELOPING NEIGHBOURHOOD RESPONSE TEAMS TO HELP WITH CONCERNS: TRANSPORT: SHOPPINGThese were all the verbatim comments added to the questionnaire: (We would point out that these are individual comments and do not necessarily represent the views of the majority of respondents) Question 6: OLDER RESIDENTS’ CONCERNS (Ages shown in brackets indicate age of respondent) HIGHWAYS (Pedestrian Crossings) · A pedestrian crossing is needed opposite the Post Office. (76 – 85 yr.) · Please may we have a safer way to cross Station Road from Collets Orchard? (76-85 yr.) · A pedestrian crossing from the old Police House to The Green and another Crossing from The Crown to The Corner House (65 – 75 yr) · Can we have more pedestrian crossings in Otford? It has become so dangerous for older folk. (76-85 yr.) · Hard to cross Pilgrims Way East. (76-85yr) (Parking) · Stop commuters parking in Evelyn Road. It’s disgraceful. (76-85 yr.) · Stop vehicles driving over verges and grass banks. (76 – 85 yr.) (Help for the Disabled) · More parking available for disabled drivers in the village so they can get out. (76 – 85 yr.) · I would like more disabled parking spaces in Otford. I am a blue badge holder. (86+) · Lower the kerbs opposite One Stop for wheelchair users. (76 – 85 yrs.) · We must get the authorities to put low kerbs for wheelchair-bound people opposite One Stop. How often must we go on asking? · Pavement parking in PWW makes it dangerous on a mobility scooter as I have to go into the road to get round a vehicle sometimes. · We would like more seating and more disabled parking. (65-75 yr) (Traffic speeds) · The speed of the traffic both ways on the Sevenoaks Road makes it very dangerous to cross. 30mph signs are ignored and some sort of traffic calming is badly needed. (76-85 yr.) · Find a way to stop speeding cars on the Sevenoaks Road by Bubblestone Parade. Someone else is going to get killed. (76 – 85 yr.) · Find ways to get more control over traffic speeds in the village (76 – 85 yr.) · Slower traffic on Shoreham Road. (65-75 yr.) · Can't help feeling that the traffic/road issues may keep many from moving around the village feeling they are safe to do so. Q4 - much of this is speculative of course. (65-75 yr.) (Street lighting) · No street lighting means we cannot go out in the evenings. (76 – 85 yr) · Street lights are badly needed on roads with narrow or now pavement – and on footpaths. · Street lighting would make us feel a lot safer if we have to go out after dark (76-85 yr.) · A limited amount of street lighting would be very useful for older people to get around the village. (76 – 85 yr.) · I think street lighting would be quite nice. (76 – 85 yr.) (Pedestrian Safety) · Trim back hedges so that we can walk two-abreast. Some of us need a helping arm. (86+ yr.) · Hedges cut so that they do not overhang footpaths. (65-75 yr.) · More clearing of brambles and nettles from footpaths. It’s no fun when you are older. (76-85 yr.) · Safety in walking down Shoreham Road. (65-75 yr.) · Overgrown verges obscure view of traffic coming from Kemsing. (65-75yr.) · Repair the footpaths at Twitton Meadows. Also the footpath between (Great) Till Close and Telston Lane. (76 – 85 yr.) · We would like the paths to be done. (76-85 yr.) · More and better pavements in Station Road and Pilgrims Way East (65-75 yr.) HELP & ASSISTANCE · Could there be a pool of village volunteer helpers to be able to phone when we need them? (76 – 85 yr.) · Help with summoning medical care and social services when needed. (76-85 yr.) · I have a medallion alarm. It makes calls to 3 neighbours who have keys (76 – 85 yr.) · Useful to have someone we could call who could put us in touch with a person who might help us – like moving furniture or taking articles to the Charity Shop. (65 – 75 yr.) · All those living alone for whatever reason to have a some sort of communications network. · Also more seats in Recreation Ground for older people (76-85 yr.) · My wife helps an old lady who is immobile fairly regularly (one afternoon a week). (65-75 yr.) · Helping each other (75-85 yr.) · Local self-help groups. Yes please. (65-75yr.) · Dog bins along to Twitton Meadows. Also up Telston Lane lavender fields. (65-75 yr.) TRANSPORT · Could there be more busses, especially in the evenings and weekends? (76-85 yr) · A transport system we could use easily when all of us have to give up driving. – and we all do. (76 – 85 yr.) · I should like a longer time to shop in Sevenoaks. One hour is too short (visit bank; buy provisions; cards; visit the opticians, replace household linen or underwear, or replenish art materials) (76 – 85 yr.) · A better bus service into Sevenoaks, please. (76 – 85 yr.) · Improve the bus service especially at night from Sevenoaks Station. (65 – 75 yr.) · A bus service to attend Pembury Hospital. (76-85 yr.) · We need a better, fuller bus service for everyone. Many of us in Otford can no longer drive and we rely totally on the busses. The present service stops far too early. (76-85 yr.) · A better bus service stopping at more parts of the village. (65-75 yr.) · More frequent and reliable bus services.(65-75 yr.) · An Otford bus (minibus) round-route service which picks up from various roads to take older residents to the Doctors, Bank, Post Office etc. and to link with the local Hospital transport. (65 – 75 yr.) · Better bus links with Sevenoaks (65-75 yr.) · A once-weekly bus to such shopping centres as Bluewater. The present bus service goes on a very circuitous route, taking well over an hour to reach Bluewater. (65-75 yr.) · A bus service in the evenings and more bus shelters. (76-85 yr.) · Easier public transport enabling older people to go out in the evening. (76-85 yr) · More frequent buses. More room to park in the Recreation Ground. · More frequent small buses but this is probably not viable. (65 – 75 yr.) · Could the 431/432 bus route be re-directed down Twitton Lane (as formerly) so the senior citizens could use it? Some cannot walk as far as the stop at Wickham Field. (75-85 yr.) SHELTERED ACCOMMODATION · With so many houses being pulled down to build new ones, perhaps there will be one near the village that can provide Sheltered Accommodation. I believe there is funding available for such projects particularly linked to village projects like our Parish Plan. (65 – 75 yr.) · Plan to build some smaller units for older people to down-size in their later years without having to move away from the village and their friends. (76-85 yr.) · Sheltered accommodation is desperately needed in Otford. Too many good friends have had to leave due to the lack of this facility. (&6-85 yr.) · Sheltered Accommodation or smaller easy-to-manage homes are non existent. There are too many expensive executive-style homes and not enough concern for the needs of older residents who have lived here many years longer. (65 – 75 yr.) · We badly need housing in the village for elderly residents which is close to the services, shops and safe pavements. (65-75 yr.) · There is a big need for some form of sheltered accommodation in the village. (76-85 yr.) · I would have loved sheltered housing. I’m just worn out (95 yr.) · There should be access to a variety of "down-sizing" accommodation nearer to the shopping area. · Sheltered/warden accommodation sometimes requires a partner to be over 55. This is unnecessarily restrictive. · Sheltered accommodation for older residents who wish to remain independent (not in a care home) and stay in Otford. (76 – 85 yr.) · I love my flat but find the steps outside and the stairs difficult to cope with. The windows are too high. Where I sit I can only see a rooftop. (76-85 yr.) BEING PART OF THE COMMUNITY · Being able to get together – especially with others of a similar age – in some small way (76-85 yr.) · Sometimes it seems a pity that an older persons’ experience (not just memory) is not made more use of. (76 – 85 yr) · Older people’s ‘know-how’ could be made much better use of. (65 – 75 yr.) · Being able to be driven to a Garden or Zoo can make our lives so very exciting. (76 – 85 yr.) · It would be really helpful if we all had a list of the clubs that are available (and the fees). (76-85 yr.) · Sharing knowledge of themselves & surrounds (76-85 yr.) · The ‘Over 60’s Club’ folded because of lack of interest. May be now is the time to revive it? (65-75 yr.) · Have a stone cross in the ‘new’ cemetery to show that it is linked with the church. It would be a great comfort to many of us. · I think that old residents are well served at present based on my experience. I am able to attend the many clubs and groups available in the Otford area but have not yet found time to join any. (65 – 75 yr.) · More able-bodied people to help those not so fortunate, i.e. lifts in cars to clubs etc or offers to do odd jobs. (65-75 yr.) · Heightened awareness among village societies of the need for lifts to permit older and disabled members and would-be members to participate in meetings. (65-75 yr.) A DYNAMIC ECONOMY · Perhaps a list of mobile shops could be made available to help us. Getting to Sainsbury and Sevenoaks is difficult now we have no local shops. (76 – 85 yr) · Less noise from the pubs in the village (Music especially) (76-85 yr.) · As we no longer have local shops could there be a weekly market we could shop at? (86+ yr.) · We could do with more post-boxes. The one in our part of Otford was stolen and has never been replaced. Can you do anything? (86+ yr.) · A home-delivery service from local shops would be very helpful (76-85 yr.) · Protect our essential local facilities (Post Office, Pharmacy, Bank etc. (65-75 yr) · A basic wooden bench at the top of Palace Park (like they have in Oxenhill Meadow) would be a great asset to older residents. (76 – 85 yr.) · Better delivery services to homes for groceries, ready-meals, papers etc. (76-8 yr.) · Could there be a subsidised service to help us connect to the Internet and to convert our television to Digital? (76-85 yr.) · We need a mobile shop. It would save us so much difficulty with transport and carrying when we have to go shopping. (76-85 yr.) · More availability of cheaper odd-job men and gardeners as some of the latter charge £20.00 per hour. (76-85 yr.) · A general store selling foodstuffs and household items. An outlet for local produce. (66 – 75yr.) · Low cost collection of essential heavy food items from local stores for housebound people. SEVENOAKS HOSPITAL · Re-instatement of Surgery and medical care at Sevenoaks Hospital. (76-85 yr.) · An up-grade of Sevenoaks Hospital to provide the facilities which were promised. Years ago Friends of the Hospital paid for Operating facilities which were only used for a while. Where are they now? (76-85 yr.)
I have read several of the comments/suggestions above. Brighter Futures may be able to help with a few - driving, practical help etc. Sevenoaks Brighter Futures aims to support older people living in Sevenoaks, Edenbridge and surrounding areas in order that they can stay healthy, active and independent in their own homes. “It’s jolly nice being able to call on you for any transport problems we have, so please keep up the good work, we really appreciate it.” Client comment Older people receive help, delivered by volunteers through services such as: Driving to social and medical appointments, shops, day centres, hairdressers, lunch clubs etc Shopping with or for people Collecting Prescriptions Escorting to medical appointments Practical tasks such as: Help with letter writing or form filling Help with computers and technology Simple DIY tasks Brighter Futures also offers social trips and a weekly exercise class. Please contact 01732 469000 or driving@vawk.org.uk for more information and a membership form. Brighter Futures is a project of Voluntary Action Within Kent, Registered Charity number 1108388.
Sevenoaks District Seniors Action Forum is now up and running, offering over 50s a new and strong voice for their views and concerns about services, facilities and other issues. Please look at our page on this forum; also constitution, contact info and membership registration form (it's free) on the district council website at: www.sevenoaks.gov.uk/sdsaf . We would like to develop contact with all the parishes and towns in the District, and to involve many of the 40,000 over 50s who live in them. sdsaf@7oaks.net will also reach us.
