Dear LPG, 

I thought I would write this short message to remind geographically local readers of something they might have forgotten or even be learning about for the first time.

I want to mention for LPG’s more local visitors that, in Lewisham, we have a Positive Ageing Council, which has existed since 2011. The organisation works with the council and provides a way for Lewisham’s older people to make their views more recognised and known by the people who can make constructive change. 

They offer a magazine three times a year that keeps the elders of this borough up to date with issues that directly affect them, and they also hold regular public meetings where they invite representatives of organisations that showcase the services and topics that directly affect our section of the community. This is one significant way of receiving answers to those questions that it is so often hard to get by writing (because it is often not clear exactly who you need to get in touch with), phoning (because of the waiting times and the fact that being referred to one agency or department after another is often the result) or emailing (where, even if you can, it can take so long to get a reply from an address that you don’t recognise). 

I admit to not having attended a meeting for a long time, but I attended on March 30th this year, and there was much to learn. We heard about how to prevent trips and falls, the best way of accessing medicines and getting repeat prescriptions and had a bit of help when it comes to trying out the NHS App on smartphones. They hold their meetings at the Civic Suite, Catford, and the next meeting is scheduled for July 20th at 11 a.m. It might be worth visiting if you have not been for a while. 

Being there presents a real opportunity to meet and question the speakers while highlighting aspects of policy that they might never have thought about without hearing our perspective. 

EN, Lewisham.

EN shares the link to their website…

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