According to research released April 2012 by WRVS, the leading charity for older people, 91% of over 65s think they could answer questions younger people struggle with and more than three quarters (78%) of people say the country would be in a better state if older people were listened to more often.
But with almost a third (32%) of 16-24 year-olds saying they don’t have regular contact with anyone aged 65 or over, and more than a quarter (28%) of those aged 25-34, WRVS is concerned that opportunities to share wisdom across the generations are diminishing just when they are needed most.
In response, the charity has worked with older people to create WRVS Nationwise – a new campaign launching today to share experience and help bridge the gap.
The campaign also aims to challenge the current view of many over 65s that as they get older, people are less likely to listen to them (31%) or respect their opinion (27%).
In many cases the contrary is true. Almost two thirds (63%) of 16-24 year-olds and over half (58%) of 25-34 year-olds say they would welcome advice from older people on how to live within their means. And half of all those aged 16-34 think they would be able to get ideas on dealing with difficult situations in life.
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