Peter Landman on a forum for older people in Newham

A woman at an Age UK event holding her hand up — (Credit – Age UK East London)

The Older Persons Reference Group (OPRG) is a forum for elderly people set up by Age Uk East London and facilitated by coordinator Grace Patient, who organises the meetings for around 50 people at a time and produces a newsletter.

At the recent session there were stalls from the Newham Talking Newspaper, the Safer Public Transport Police, and Newham council’s Newham Money. There were also stalls with an academic flavour – a University of Oxford research study on the experiences of older people living in apartments, and two stalls on research projects into Hearing Loss, from Real the User Led Disability organisation and University College. All the three research groups invited further participation.

The main speaker was a doctor from the Royal London Hospital on Parkinsons disease who alerted people to symptoms beyond tremors, notably loss of the sense of smell, and severe constipation. Parkinsons with diabetes, she said, could bring on psychosis.

Her project has seen 320 patients and they are looking for volunteers without Parkinsons to join a control group.Also at the meeting a five-member OPRG Review Group was set up, but nominations are still open.

More information from grace.patient@ageukeastlondon.org.uk

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