Iain Cassidy (Open Age)'s presentation at Future of Ageing 2023.

2. About Open Age
• Free to join member led charity with 4000+ active members in NW London
• Members stay healthier, happier and having fun
for longer
• We run high-quality, low-cost group activities
delivered by suitably qualified tutors
• We deliver classes form our own three centers
and community venues
• Each week we run over 200 classes reaching
1000+ members
• Create the condition where new connections can
be made and new ones formed
‘I enjoy the community spirit; feel less lonely and isolated, as I live alone.
It’s a very important part of my week.’ Open Age Member

3. Open Age During Lockdown
“I’ve just sent a text message
to my daughter in-law to let
her know I’ve just done a live
Pilates session on Zoom. My
sons are forever telling me I
don’t know what I’m doing on
the computer. But I did it!”
‘It feels like there is a
real range of support
now – my friend does
the 1-on-1 but I
prefer the classes. It’s
good to have choice”
“Amazing class thank you so
much, it felt almost like being
in the studio with everybody,
for me was loud and clear a
very successful trial”

4. What older people told us about online services
“For me, it’s the social aspect that's really important. The friends
I’ve made, people I see each week at different classes. I think that’s
a huge, huge element of it.”
“I think you should learn how to do it now, in case you ever
get to the stage where you are housebound, and can’t ever
go out, and that was really your only lifeline!”
“You still get to know people […]. But you notice when someone’s had their
hair cut – ‘Oh, [Leila], you’ve had your hair cut,’ or - You don’t normally have a
dog.’ ‘Yeah, I’m looking after my daughter’s dogs.’ Even though it’s through
digital, you see a lot more than just them participating”
“It’s really valuable… especially if you do live on your own. I am on my own
quite a lot of the time. It’s vital. It really has been a lifeline and still is”.
“Before was a necessity, because I didn’t have an alternative.
Now, yeah, it is a question of convenience.”