All Our Futures: Planning for a Scotland with an Ageing Population’ was published in March 2007 by the Scottish Executive (and subsequently adopted by the Scottish Government) and deals with issues around the demographic ageing of the population in Scotland. ‘All Our Futures’ sets a vision for the future Scotland which values and benefits from the talent and experience of older people. The strategy was based on extensive research and consultation throughout Scotland. This evidence was augmented by the report of the Scottish Parliament Futures Forum ‘Growing Older and Wiser Together: A Futures View on Positive Ageing' (2).
Recommendations within All Our Futures have been implemented and include:
Formation of the Scottish Centre for Intergenerational Practice (3)
Formation of the National Forum on Ageing (NFA) (4)
An Anti Ageism Campaign (See the person, not the age) (5)
Seven regional Stakeholder Events
Review of Free Personal and Nursing Care by Lord Sutherland (6)
Older People’s Assembly
Additionally, a number of other initiatives have been undertaken or are being continued by the Scottish Government. For example: the introduction of a ‘no retirement age’ policy for Scottish Government employees; continued support of concessionary bus travel – the free bus pass; continued support for the Warm Deal and Central Heating Programmes.
The structure of representation and consultation with older people and the Scottish Government is, on one hand well established and on the other, still evolving. In 2002 the Older People’s Consultative Forum was established; a group consisting of older people’s organisations whose role is to assist in developing and monitoring the strategy. The Forum also provides a ‘sounding board’ for ‘policy thinking in specific areas’ affecting older people. All Our Futures recommended monitoring and implementing the ageing strategies across Scottish society. The National Forum on Ageing met for the first time early in 2009 with the remit to implement ‘All Our Futures’.