3rd Age Trust -Push Back Ageism Campaign

Have you or any of your friends and family had to use a walking frame? If so you may have some observations to share about their design and use. How to do that is explained in the following article.

One of the aspects of the Trust’s Push Back Ageism Campaign, working in partnership with the Design Age Institute, is to challenge the designers of products and services which will make life easier for older adults to design products which are appealing and attractive to use, rather than just being based on need.

One initiative within the Design Age Institute is ‘This Age Thing’, which was set up to bring together a community of designers, businesses, service-providers, researchers, policy makers and older adults to celebrate ageing and amplify positive stories about getting older, but also to challenge designers. They are currently gathering information about the design of walking frames and being able to quote from peoples lived experience and real-life situations adds strength to the challenge. Also, as part of that, the Helen Hamlyn Trust has issued a challenge to young designers at the Royal College of Art to design a walking frame that will look good, but also be fit for purpose. Apparently, 87% of falls in the USA are caused by people falling over with their walking frames, which are very similar in design to those, available in the UK.

Do you have a story to tell about walking frames, either their use or their design? Would you be happy for us to use your story? We will, of course, ensure that you remain anonymous; we will never reveal your name or any contact details.

If you have a story that you would be willing to share, please send it to me by 20th August: sandi.rickerby@u3a.org.uk
Thank you.

Sandi Rickerby
Trustee for the North East
Chair of the Push Back Ageism Working Group

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