20/03/2026
๐ฌ โPeople [older adults] feel like oxygen thieves...โ
Let that sit for a moment.
At our North Herts Older Adult Forum this week, this is what we heard. In addition to a bus driver telling passengers:
โthere are too many of you bloody old ones.โ
This isnโt just poor behaviour. It directly shapes lives and whether people feel confident to leave the house, stay connected, and live well.
What kind of society are we creating as we age?
In the same session what really stood out:
๐ฅ Residents suggested name badges to help each other connect, especially for new members or those with memory or concentration challenges. A small change felt huge to them in building confidence to talk, remember names, and feel part of something. By the end, they were organising sing songs ๐ถ
โน๏ธ They recognised a gap in offline transport information and are now using the tech skills within the group to fill it, creating a resident-led leaflet to support each other to get out and about ๐๐ผ
Connection. Contribution. Community.
Older adults need to be heard, valued, and included - that's where the magic happens โจ
๐ And when that happens, they donโt just share problems, they create solutions.
Hertfordshire