Old heads, young hearts

In 2003, the Scottish Arts Council (SAC) commissioned a study, one of the very first of its kind, to look at why older people participated in the arts, why some didn’t and what the benefits were. Since leading on this research, I have continued to keep a watching brief on the subject. But time marches on, and I remain curious as to what, if anything, has changed for the older generation: whether the findings are still relevant, whether activity for older people has increased and whether marketing has responded appropriately.

People are living longer, healthier lives now than at any other period of history. By 2020 there will be 19.8 million people in the UK aged 50 or over, and demographic information remains a compelling reason for our sector to engage the older generation, although it is only one side of the argument. This has clearly been embraced by advertisers, a phenomenon only just emerging as we completed the study. Twiggy at 60 is the vibrant, stylish and glamorous face of Marks and Spencer. Gap has been using older models for a number of years and older people are being used to market a wide range of things, not just stair lifts and products to lower your cholesterol. There has been a rash of TV programmes and stage shows that have celebrated older people, including New Tricks, Grumpy Old Men, Dirty Dusting and Hot Flush. But be warned before you make that call to your octogenarian celebrity patron. Research carried out by YouGov (2008) on behalf of Senioragency, the specialist 50-plus marketing firm, discovered that 46% of older consumers were actively turned-off by celebrities fronting ad campaigns, while only 11% thought more positively of the product. However, from 622 women polled, although 54% said they had no role model, those who did vote named Twiggy as their top role model. So, for the time being, M&S is on to a winner.[[Older people don’t want to spend all their time with other older people]]
Thoroughly modern
Another finding from the original research was that older people did not want to be stereotyped as ‘older’ people, nor did they see themselves as old. They have adopted new technology, listen to their iPods while digging the garden and use the Internet to raise awareness of age-related issues. This is a group that can be adventurous, and it would be short-sighted to think that older people only want reminiscence projects or things that encourage them to look back. “Challenge the stereotype and seize the day” is a phrase I repeated often, and it still holds true today. Nowhere is this better demonstrated than in Scotland, at East Lothian Active Arts, a participatory arts programme based at the Brunton Theatre, Musselburgh, which has proved that older people are up for anything. Last year they worked with Stills Photographic Gallery in Edinburgh to develop their practical digital photography skills, and then in May joined forces with another elders group (Better than Figs) to participate in Edinburgh’s hugely popular 48 Hours Film Project. This also offered the participants an opportunity to work in a mixed group of young and old people, all interested in making films. The challenge was to write, cast, film, edit and present a short film in just 48 hours. I followed their exploits on their daily blog (which they started several weeks in advance of the final 48 hours) and enjoyed a superb screening at Christmas. Now the group has the bug, and is signed up for this year’s 48 hour film-making marathon, along young and old, professional and non-professional film makers. This example also illustrates another finding from the previous research: older people are keen to engage in arts activity initially within an older person group, but, when given the opportunity, they thrive in projects with a mix of ages. This is an excellent example of how, with encouragement, guidance and new skills, a group can move confidently into working alongside others in an integrated way, and ultimately can make initial development work more sustainable. Old people don’t want to spend all their time with other old people.
On the other hand, there were less positive findings from the research that must be taken into consideration when developing a programme of activity, and these have been magnified in the past few months. Older people live in poorer housing than the population as a whole. They are more likely to experience poor health, and are the greatest consumers of health and community care services. They live on lower incomes, and the gap between the wealthiest and poorest pensioners is growing. Buildings, products and services are often designed for the young, able and economically active. These are all important considerations when thinking about how you would like to engage with older people, what you can offer them, and also what they may be able to offer to you. Asking first often helps, and you may well be surprised at the adventurous nature of their requests.
Growing up
To conclude, there continues to be a steady growth of activity for older people including festivals in Ireland (Bealtaine), York, London (Act Your Age), Manchester (Full of Life) and Bristol. Now there are numerous arts-based projects in care homes, an area that was seriously lacking during the course of the SAC study. Work with older people is flourishing, and there is more and more robust evidence to prove how beneficial this can be for health, happiness and overall well-being. The Centre for Creative Ageing in the USA is a useful resource with numerous studies proving such benefits. In addition, there is ‘age.culture.net’, a membership organisation that aims to recognise, support and enrich the cultural lives and learning of older people in Europe through advocacy, information, education, training and strategic partnerships. So, for the time being, my watching brief on the older generation is still relevant; things have changed for the better, and I can delight in ads with older people advertising adventure holidays in Chile, rather than stair lifts in Cheadle. Live long, be merry and remember you’ll be old some day, but won’t think it.