Christian Council on ageing

for older people and their life of faith and hope.

   

A VOICE FOR OLDER PEOPLE AND THEIR LIFE OF FAITH AND HOPE

 

  • Home
  • About us
    • More about us
    • Who’s Who?
    • Video
  • Being Older
    • Some facts
    • Health & Social Care
    • The Churches’ pastoral care
    • Spirituality
  • Resources
    • Bookshop
    • Publications
    • Culture Club
    • Conference Call
    • Older Prisoners
    • Prayers and Reflections
    • Helpful contacts
    • Ministry and Training
    • Ageing Issues Study Network
  • NEWS
  • Contact us
    • Support our work
  • Membership
    • Our magazine
    • About our Members
    • Join or Renew Membership
  • Speaking Out
  • Newsletter

The price of freedom

7th August 2021 By GerryBurke

What the papers said in the week ending 10 July 2021

The price of freedom?

Although it is clear that we must find a way to live with Covid-19 and its variants, there is anxiety that proposals to ease rules on July 19th are too extreme and ‘one-sized’. People who are vulnerable, including old people, fear their health and survival is threatened:

  • PM to confirm 19 July end to Covid rules despite scientists’ warnings | Boris Johnson | The Guardian
  • ‘Masking for trouble’: what the papers say about Johnson lifting Covid restrictions | Coronavirus | The Guardian
  • Ditching Covid restrictions now goes against all evidence | Letters | The Guardian
  • England’s ‘freedom day’ to be day of fear for elderly people, charities warn | Health | The Guardian
  • For many of us, ‘freedom day’ will be no such thing | Letters | The Guardian

The Covid Crisis’ consequences include

  • Differentially more deaths amongst poor people: Covid death risk ‘almost four times higher’ for poorest in England | Coronavirus | The Guardian
  • Few deaths amongst children and teenagers: First year of pandemic claimed lives of 25 young people in England | Coronavirus | The Guardian
  • Cancelled operations as staff and other resources are diverted and exhausted: NHS hospitals forced to cancel operations again by unfolding third wave | Coronavirus | The Guardian
  • Empty shelves as there are not enough drivers to transport goods: Sainsbury’s warns of shortages due to Covid and recruitment issues | J Sainsbury | The Guardian
  • More food is taken ‘on-the-go’ Meals by wheels: UK drive-through booms as brands invest in new sites | Food & drink industry | The Guardian
  • An Olympic Games where there will be no spectators in attendance for most events: Spectators banned from most Olympic events as Covid emergency declared | Tokyo Olympic Games 2020 | The Guardian

Fears for services and vulnerable people:

Proposals for major change in health and social care do not seem to be designed to be friendly to those most in need: Johnson to announce controversial plans for greater NHS control | NHS | The Guardian

There has been a draconian cut in Mental Health provision against a background of greater need: Number of NHS mental health beds down by 25% since 2010, analysis shows | Mental health | The Guardian

  • Mental health services are at crisis point | Letters | The Guardian

Supplements to Universal Credit are to be stopped: Universal credit £20 top-up will end this autumn, MPs are told | Universal credit | The Guardian

The Triple Lock which has seen conditions for older people improve over the past ten years looks likely to be lost: Rishi Sunak hints at suspension to pension triple lock | Pensions | The Guardian

  • (Introduced in 2011 by the coalition government, the triple lock guarantees that the basic state pension will rise by a minimum of either 2.5%, the rate of inflation or average earnings growth, whichever is largest).

There has been talk of the need for ‘levelling up’ so that the poorest can have health and social characteristics closer to those of the wealthiest. All these measures will widen the gaps.

Religion:

Pope Francis has an age-related pathology but is receiving treatment: Pope Francis ‘reacted well’ to intestinal surgery | Pope Francis | The Guardian

Revelations of deaths of children taken to residential schools in Canada have shocked the world and are finding responses in outrage in Canada: Burned churches stir deep Indigenous ambivalence over faith of forefathers | Canada | The Guardian

The Church of England feels it cannot afford to implement the recommendations of its own report on social justice: C of E rejects call to appoint racial justice officers in every diocese | Anglicanism | The Guardian

  • FromLamentToAction-report.pdf (churchofengland.org)
  • From Lament to Action: key recommendations (churchtimes.co.uk)

Extremes of temperature:

Too hot or too cold – and survival is not possible – for humans and other creatures: World ‘must step up preparations for extreme heat’ | Climate change | The Guardian

  • Extreme temperatures kill 5 million people a year with heat-related deaths rising, study finds | Extreme weather | The Guardian
  • ‘Heat dome’ probably killed 1bn marine animals on Canada coast, experts say | Canada | The Guardian

Some things don’t change:

Coronation Street rolls out red carpet for Queen to mark 60 years | The Queen | The Guardian

Depression in old people:

Adrian Chiles writes that he is amazed that not all old people are depressed: in fact our resilience is remarkable. Old people have, on average stood up better to the additional stresses of these recent months, but it is important to recognise that sometimes even old people do become depressed. We can be helped with treatment:

  • Let’s recognise that older people get depressed, too – and get them the help they need | Adrian Chiles | The Guardian
  • Older people need help to tackle depression | Letters | The Guardian

 

David Jolley

Filed Under: NEWS

Adjust your text size:

Zoom in Regular Zoom out

Speaking Out

There are some things which just have to be said.  We have to speak out because at the heart of the Christian message is our belief that God is not silent.  God has spoken through creation itself and the evolving universe; through the human story; through the dwelling of Jesus Christ in time; through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the Church and in each believer; through the inspiration of the scriptures; and through the wisdom and the teaching of the Church through the ages.

We use words all the time.  Words of welcome.  Words of wisdom.  Words of warmth.  Words of warning.  Words of wistfulness.  Our words are wasted if words are just words.   In the beginning was the Word.  And the Word was with God.  And the Word was God.  Through him all things came to be, not one thing had its being but through him.   The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. The Word made things happen.

As Christians, as followers of the Word, we do something about what we have heard.  Our own best words are our actions.

Please tell us what you would like us to Speak Out about by contacting:  info@ccoa.org.uk

 

Basket

News

In the News May 2025

In the News April 2025

Statement from Christians on Ageing about the death of Pope Francis

In the News March 2025

AGM and Spring Conference

In the News December 2024

Conference Call: 22nd January 2025

November 2024 In the News

Culture Club – February

October 2024 In the News

More Posts from this Category

Reflect and Pray

Lead me from death to life, from falsehood to truth.  Lead me from despair to hope, from fear to trust.  Lead me from hope to love, from war to peace.  Let peace fill my heart, our world, our universe.

The noon prayer for peace

Prayers and Reflections

Postal Address

Ms Barbara Stephens
Honorary Secretary
Christians on Ageing
The Depozitory
23 Nelson Street
Ryde
Isle of Wight PO33 2EZ

 

© Christians on Ageing
Registered Charity Number: 289463

Become a Member

Christians on Ageing relies on the income from the subscriptions of its members, sales of publications and donations. If you wish to support our work please consider becoming a member.

 

Copyright © 2025 Christian Council on Ageing · Managed WordPress hosting kindly provided by 34SP.com · Log in