Age Concern

For over 60 years, Age Concern Scotland has worked throughout Scotland to help make the lives of older people more secure, comfortable, dignified and enjoyable. Our principal aims are to ensure that older people in Scotland have: 

• their rights upheld 
• their needs addressed 
• their voices heard 
• choice and control over all aspects of their lives.

We support a wide network of older people and older people's groups, which in turn provide local responsive services to older people in their own communities. In addition Age Concern Scotland offers a range of services directly itself which reflect its role as advocate, and the involvement of older people. We undertake to pilot innovative services and to work with members to develop locally-based services which draw on local needs, expertise, and volunteers as appropriate. 
 
We provide  information and publications to meet the needs of older people living in the community and to disseminate best practice for those working with older people, to publicise issues relevant to older people, and to inform them of their rights. This year, our information factsheets won the Plain English Award.

Age Concern Scotland also campaigns with older people for: 

• an adequate retirement income 
• affordable, accessible and available transport 
• improvement of older people's housing conditions 
• better health and care services for older people 
• an end to age discrimination 
• an end to abuse and mistreatment of older people

Age Concern Scotland is led by older people: we have a democratic governance structure, which includes an Assembly of 50, elected from the membership, who have responsibility for discussing and determining policy issues relating to older people, and guiding the work of Age Concern Scotland. 
 
At present, Age Concern Scotland has approximately 500 organisations, groups, and individuals in membership. These include local older people's groups, Age Concern and Old People's Welfare groups, as well as national voluntary and professional groups. Age Concern Scotland, although independently constituted, works in partnership with its sister organisations, Age Concern England, Age Concern Cymru, and Age Concern Northern Ireland.
 
Age Concern Scotland is an independent, recognised charity which depends on the generosity of companies, trusts and individuals to continue its work. Donations and legacies are always urgently needed. 

Age Concern's chairperson is Betty Bridgeford.  Our Chief Executive is David Manion.

For more information please look at our Annual Report 2004 (Pdf, 1.91Mb)

Learn More