Speaking out

organisation that stands up for older people .

WE ALL know how baffling it can be trying to deal with red tape. The electricity bill is wrong, but the only people you can get hold of are in a call centre and they couldn't care less. Your new washing machine breaks down, and when you try to get someone to look at it, you're told you didn't fill in the guarantee form in time - even though you know you did.

It's bad enough if you're reasonably young and healthy. Imagine what it's like if you're elderly, frail and living on your own.

Thankfully, now, there is someone to turn to for help. For the last year, Tony Brindle and his team at Older Citizens Advocacy, York (OCAY) have been standing up for those who have no one else to stand up for them.

They have helped and advised older people with everything from blocked drains to making wills, leaving hospital to dealing with social services, benefits claims to nuisance neighbours.

Acting as a loudspeaker for older people is how Tony likes to describe his job. "If an older person is wanting to make a complaint and that person is not being heard, we can turn on the amplifier," he says.

Advocacy, Tony says, isn't just something that happens in court. "Citizen advocacy simply means standing up for and sticking with a person or group and taking their side," the OCAY manager says. "OCAY offers trained and supervised volunteers who stand by older people, and see them through."

Based in an office in Townend Street, York, Tony, his two paid colleagues and 15 volunteers first began offering their advocacy service almost a year ago, on April 18 2002.

Funded by the Community Lottery Fund and Help the Aged, they dealt with more than 100 inquiries in their first nine months - and the number of people turning to them for help is steadily increasing.

Many of the complaints they have pursued have been on behalf of elderly people trying to deal with the NHS or social services. "It may be people who have been dumped from hospital and don't want to go where social services are saying they should go, or people living in their own home who don't want to go into 24-hour care but would prefer sheltered accommodation because they want their own flat and door key," he says. "We would help them put forward that argument."

Other cases they have helped with have included an elderly woman with noisy neighbours, a York man whose home help was cut from 22-hours-a-week to only six hours, and a woman who, on trying to cash in an insurance policy, was told she had sent it in a day too late. OCAY staff don't claim they have the answer to everything, Tony admits - but if they can't help themselves, they can generally find someone who can. And because their service is free, confidential and independent, you've got nothing to lose by trying them.

If you are an older person (60+) with a query or a concern contact OCAY at 52 Townend Street or on 01904 676200. OCAY also operates at the Haxby and Wiggington Youth & Community Centre (Tuesdays 11am - 1pm) and Chapelfields Community Centre (Fridays 12.30 - 2pm).

The organisation also wants to recruit more volunteers. There is no age limit as long as you're aged over 18. Most advocates are older people themselves, and commitment can be tailored to the amount of time available. The only qualifications needed are an interest in people and fair play, though you will need to undergo an interview and a police check.

Updated: 13:37 Thursday, April 10, 2003