Older people’s activism

1. Older people’s activism Susan Moffat Eurig Scandrett

2. Aims of research • In what ways does the experience of older people in the Older People’s Advocacy Movement compare with older people who have been active in other social movements? • What contribution to older people’s activism can be made by a dialogue between older activists in social movements and Older People’s Advocacy Movement activists?

3. Social movements • Communist movement • Peace movement • Women’s movement • Older people’s movement

4. Methods • Recruit activists • Prior discussion • Semi-structured interview - video • DVD back to activists – invite comment • Focus group

5. Results • Hard to find ‘new’ activists in OPAM • Time of starting activism has impact • Caring responsibilities more significant than age, especially for women • Poverty and lack of resources problem for many older activists • Contradictions and creative tensions

6. Contradictions and tensions

7. What are social movements? • Problem for a stable society • conservative • Corrective for a functioning society • pluralist • Creators of new culture • alternative • Salvation of an unjust society • revolutionary

8. Tentative conclusions • No pattern to whether older activists in social movements become active in older people’s issues • No evidence that OPAM is mobilising significant numbers of older people who have not been active before • Newly active OPAM activists do not appear to connect older people’s issues with wider political change, unlike other movements • Tendency for older activists to be encouraged into ‘volunteering’, rather than policy or social change • Opportunities for dialogue between OPAM and social movements around politicisation and issues facing older people