Students are assigned a group project on issues facing the elderly as part of their GCSE citizenship coursework. They will visit elderly people, explore issues like social isolation, and take them gifts. The project is worth 40% of their overall citizenship grade. Students are instructed to choose roles in their group, get permission for their plans, complete required tasks and documentation like meeting minutes and activity logs, and write letters and essays about the challenges elderly people face and potential solutions.

1. Mindmap all that comes into your head looking at the following images GCSE Coursework: Elderly

2. GCSE Coursework The Elderly Project LESSON 1

15. Individual Homework Find two news articles about the elderly 1. Put a copy of these into your folder 2. Summarise the articles in your own words. 3. How are old people represented in these articles? 4. Do you agree with these articles? Why, why not? Individual Homework Find two news articles about the elderly 1. Put a copy of these into your folder 2. Summarise the articles in your own words. 3. How are old people represented in these articles? 4. Do you agree with these articles? Why, why not? Individual Homework Find two news articles about the elderly 1. Put a copy of these into your folder 2. Summarise the articles in your own words. 3. How are old people represented in these articles? 4. Do you agree with these articles? Why, why not? Individual Homework Find two news articles about the elderly 1. Put a copy of these into your folder 2. Summarise the articles in your own words. 3. How are old people represented in these articles? 4. Do you agree with these articles? Why, why not? Individual Homework Find two news articles about the elderly 1. Put a copy of these into your folder 2. Summarise the articles in your own words. 3. How are old people represented in these articles? 4. Do you agree with these articles? Why, why not? Individual Homework Find two news articles about the elderly 1. Put a copy of these into your folder 2. Summarise the articles in your own words. 3. How are old people represented in these articles? 4. Do you agree with these articles? Why, why not?

16. GCSE Coursework The Elderly Project LESSON 2

21. To: Miss Flanagan From: [your names] Re: Our Active Citizenship Project Hypothesis : We think that there is a lot of ageism in the community, and that if the year 10s did their GCSE project in … Reasons: Why is this a good activity? Why should Miss Flanagan let you do it? Think about (a) benefit to society (b) benefit to the school (b) benefit to yourselves Method: - What are everyone’s individual responsibilities? Why did you choose them for that job? - What things will you need to gather together? Where will you get them from? - How will you know if you are successful? Can you measure something? Do a survey? Interview people? Therefore we would be grateful if you would let us do this activity. Signed… [your names and signatures] Project Proposal

22. Impact Analysis Blue skies: What can you do to help the elderly people. At this stage think without any limits. Write down all the things that could help elderly people (i.e. more financial help, more residential support, easy access to health services …) Now time to be more specific … what do you think you could do? and how will what you do help elderly people? - We will visit elderly people this will break down barriers between young people and elderly - We will write a letter to the Prime Minister to show … - We will take them a box full of goods…this will - I will talk to other elderly people to… - I will visit Age Concern so that …

23. GCSE Coursework The Elderly Project LESSON 3

26. ACTIVITY LOG TASK Who did it? Date Link to Citizenship 1. Choose my group members Whole group 17 th November 09 Working with others to create change on an issue we care about

27. Communication  Your Letter to the Prime Minister (with clear description of what you want him to do)  A Survey establishing others’ views on your topic  Your 500 word essay on your chosen topic (E.g. Gun crime: What is it? Who suffers? What is being done? How does it make you feel? Etc. you must use your own words and reference all your work)  Research: Articles from newspapers/internet etc. MAKE SURE you summarise what they are saying and how you intend to use it in your project  Research: Information on organisation/s which support elderly people (Using your own words)  A list of everything you produced (i.e. poster) and information on why you produced it, and how you used it.

29. Case Study: Mr Purvis Mr Purvis is 68. He lives in a small, dark flat near King’s Cross station in central London. It is damp, and a thin skin of mould lies on some of his furniture. He lives alone and sees few people. He has a rule that he never spends more than £5 a week on gas. In winter, the flat is cold, so he spends most of the day in bed. He is not complaining about that. He has the same rule for electricity: not more than £5 a week. From time to time he does have to sit in the dark, but he keeps costs down by using the microwave his daughter bought him instead of the oven. Mr Purvis has cut down on eating. Every week he buys 2 tins of pease pudding for 50p each and a large loaf of sliced bread. Every morning he toasts 2 slices of bread and spreads some pease pudding on them, not enough to cover the bread, but enough to get a taste of it. His state pension comes to £92 a week. After food, rent, gas and electricity, he has £19 a week to spend on enjoying himself. Case studies adapted from stories in the Guardian Newspaper Does Age Matter? Today's older people have lived through more change than any preceding generations. They have a huge amount of offer to society. They are the ones who developed today's computer technology and space travel and pushed the frontiers of science forward. Inter-group contact and positive relationships across the generations seem to be an important way of combating ageist stereotypes Prof Dominic Abrams, Kent University

30. Mr Purvis 1. What is the impression you get from the first article about Mr Purvis’ life? 2. How much food does he get? 3. What luxuries does he have? 4. Do you think that the current pension gives people enough to live on? Why/Why not? 5. Do you think Mr Purvis is capable of working longer? Would he like to? 6. Should he have to? Would he be in a better financial position if he could get a job? 7. Read the article and make 3 brainstorms: a. Physical Changes b. Emotional Changes c. Intellectual Changes

33. UK growing older Over the next thirty years the proportion of the population over the age of 65 will rise from 16% to 25%. The more people that are drawing a pension, the more demand there will be on government resources – taxpayers’ money. Who will pay the bill? Is it the job of the government or should individuals pick up the slack? Relying on the state pension Pensioners currently receive on average about half their income from the state pension and other benefits. The government has said it would like to see the proportion of retirement income coming from private pensions, savings and investments rise. But, at present, younger people are saving too little to make this a reality. Declining state pension In 1980 the Conservatives abolished the link between state pensions and earnings, and Labour has ruled out restoring it. As a result, the value of the basic state pension compared to average earnings is falling. Are the people who rely on the state pension condemned to live in relative poverty? Is compulsion the answer? Forcing people to save a proportion of their income has been suggested as a way of solving the UK’s pension crisis. Many people seem to favour this option, provided employers contribute as well. Alternatively, the government could increase the starting age for the state pension from 65 to 67 or even 70. The Pensions Crisis

35. GCSE Coursework The Elderly Project LESSON 4

36. Questionnaire Plan what you will get for your elderly present box Risk Assessment TODAY WE WILL COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING:

40. GCSE Coursework The Elderly Project LESSON 5

41. Letter to Prime Minister Plan what you will get for your elderly present box Pension Crisis TODAY WE WILL COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING:

43. The Pensions Crisis UK growing older Over the next thirty years the proportion of the population over the age of 65 will rise from 16% to 25%. The more people that are drawing a pension, the more demand there will be on government resources – taxpayers’ money. Who will pay the bill? Is it the job of the government or should individuals pick up the slack?

44. The Pensions Crisis Relying on the state pension Pensioners currently receive on average about half their income from the state pension and other benefits. The government has said it would like to see the proportion of retirement income coming from private pensions, savings and investments rise. But, at present, younger people are saving too little to make this a reality.

45. The Pensions Crisis Declining state pension In 1980 the Conservatives abolished the link between state pensions and earnings, and Labour has ruled out restoring it. As a result, the value of the basic state pension compared to average earnings is falling. Are the people who rely on the state pension condemned to live in relative poverty?

46. The Pensions Crisis Is compulsion the answer? Forcing people to save a proportion of their income has been suggested as a way of solving the UK’s pension crisis. Many people seem to favour this option, provided employers contribute as well. Alternatively, the government could increase the starting age for the state pension from 65 to 67 or even 70.