Silver Innings FC, Youth for Change for Elders Cause

Silver Innings FC (Football Club) is project of Silver Innings (SI), a social enterprise working with Senior Citizens since April 2008, it is supported by Silver Inning Foundation (SIF) , an NGO working with Senior Citizens.

 

Vision: Our vision is of an Generation Friendly world , where people of all ages live in harmony

Mission : To create awareness and sensitizes youth towards our Elders through sports for development concept

Objective:
To Promote Football

To Promote Sports for Development and provide Life Skills among children’s and youths

To create awareness about elder issues among children’s and youths in community, schools and colleges and thereby create a generation friendly society

To create Inter generational bonding 

The Team:

The Silver Innings pilot project was with Sponsorship of Team Alfresco FC in 2011 and 2012 “Foot D Ball to Stop Elder Abuse”, it recognizes the potential that football and other sports can unleash when systematically included in processes of social change. Football especially has the power to unite people and cultures all over the world. As a team sport it promotes fairness and tolerance, leapfrogs gender boundaries and fosters mutual understanding, thereby contributing to the positive development of personality and character.

With this successful Pilot project, Silver Innings launched its own Football Club in June 2013, ’Silver Innings FC’(SIFC) under leadership of Pritesh Singh, Team Coach – Manager. Pritesh Singh say’s “the whole idea is to engage youths, empowering them with skills to positively develop their personality and character, thus increasing opportunities to tackle their life and enhancing a strong civil society”.

Sailesh Mishra, Founder of Silver Innings, quotes “SIFC will utilize skill and wisdom of our Elder and use a holistic approach to promote ‘Sports for Development’ through Football”.

SIFC in 2013-14 played their first prestigious tournament MDFA III Division for 2013-14 and in their very first attempt were group Topper in Group E, with 16 points from 7 matches with 6 Win and 1 Draw.

As SIFC was group topper in III Division in 2013-14, they were promoted to Div II in 2014-15.

Our 2014-15 Team:

 

At time of going press, Update till date 13^th Nov 2014, following is MDFA Div II tournament standing of SIFC :  1 Loss ,1 Win, 2 Draw.

 

Background:
The process of urbanisation and globalization have led to demographic , socio-cultural and economical changes in India , disintegration of joint family system and increase in cost of living which is thereby resulting in decrease in opportunities for grandparents and grandchildren to interact and socialize , resulting in increase in intergenerational gap and disharmony.
To bridge this gap, Fusion and Synergy between Youth & Elders will help us to achieve our vision of creating elder friendly world where ageing becomes a positive and rewarding experience. This intergeneration activity with Sport For Development (S4D) concept through Football is tried for first ever time for promoting Elder Cause and to create awareness about Elder Abuse in civil society.


Need :
Sports programme promotes social inclusive and serve as effective tool for social mobilization. Access to and participation in sport is a human right and essential for individuals of all ages to lead healthy and fulfilling lives.

Sport and physical activity are essential for improving health and well being. Appropriate forms of sport and physical activity can play a significant role to prevent as well as help cure many of the world's leading noncommunicable diseases. Evidence shows that regular participation in physical activity programmes provides all people with a wide range of physical, social and mental health benefits. Such active participation also interacts positively with strategies to improve diet, discourage the use of tobacco, alcohol and drugs and enhance functional capacity. Consequently, physical activity is an effective method of disease prevention for the individual and, for nations, a cost-effective way to improve public health.

Sport, recreation and play are a fun way to learn values and lessons that will last a life time. They promote friendship and fair play. They teach team work, discipline, respect, and the coping skills necessary to ensure that children develop into caring individuals. They help prepare young people to meet the challenges they will face and to take leadership roles within their communities. Sport and recreation programs are creating environments that are safe and promote stable relationships between children and adults, and among children themselves. Sport as a development instrument becomes even more interesting if it is durably embedded in the local society.

Sport and play are important to UNICEF because they are vital elements in the health, happiness and well-being of children and young people. Research shows that participation by young people in structured recreation contributes to their physical and psychosocial development and can teach basic values and life skills - hard work, discipline, teamwork, fairness and respect for others - that shape individuals' behaviour and help them to pursue their goals and respond appropriately to events in their own lives and in those of others.

UNICEF's Sport for Development (S4D) work is grounded in its mission to ensure that every child has the right to recreation and play in a safe and healthy environment - a right founded in Article 31 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child - as well as the right to sport, which is specifically contained in other international treaties. It also recognizes sport-based initiatives as a programme strategy to achieve specific development objectives, including, most notably, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Football is one of the most patronized sports around the world. All around the globe, organisations driven by local social entrepreneurs, use the power of the beautiful game to positively transform their communities. Development through Football is becoming an important issue within the development cooperation and social work sectors. 

Fuelling positive social change through Football has become a fundamental pillar in and carries a significant responsibility for the society as a whole. Due to its values, popularity, universal nature and appeal, football -in all its forms- can be seen as the ideal instrument for achieving social and human development targets and tackling many of the major challenges faced by society today. Football has a positive effect on those who play it, both in terms of health (physical activity) and life skills (the values of team sport).

A perfect analogy to life ,The principles and values of street- or simply informal football played within Development through Football programmes include fair play, team spirit, tolerance, inclusion, and understanding, both of oneself but also of the others, regardless of their status as opponents or team mates.

The 2010 FIFA World Cup which was staged in Africa for the first time ever has strengthen the connection between football and social development even more and thus offer a great chance to showcase the full potential of football.

In India organsiation like Dream A Dream has training module “The Dream Way of Working with Children” highlights values like respect for children, progressive ways of getting children to follow instructions, and making learning for children fun, interesting and participatory.
Also Magic Bus India works for change through football ,finds the potential and abilities within each child, empowering them to build strong and aware communities free of religious and caste prejudice and gender divides. It believes in the child’s right to a positive future in which they make their own choices and take responsibility for change.

We call upon members of Civil Society , Youth Clubs , Sports Club , UN Agencies, Educational Institutions , Corporate , Media ,Senior Citizens Organization’s and Senior Citizens to come ahead and support our unique pilot project “Silver Innings FC ” by Participating , Organizing matches , Capacity building training , Train the Trainer , Media promotion and most important by Funding and Sponsoring.

Contact: silverinnings@gmail.com , Mobile: 91+ 9920852255

LIKE us at : https://www.facebook.com/SilverInningsFc/

Towards an Age-friendly World, WHO guidelines

A key strategy to facilitate the inclusion of older persons is to make our world more age-friendly. An age-friendly world enables people of all ages to actively participate in community activities and treats everyone with respect, regardless of their age. It is a place that makes it easy for older people to stay connected to people that are important to them. And it helps people stay healthy and active even at the oldest ages and provides appropriate support to those who can no longer look after themselves.

Many cities and communities are already taking active steps towards becoming more age-friendly. A new dedicated website, Age-friendly World, supports them in this endeavor by providing a one-stop-shop on age-friendly action at the local level: guides and tools, age-friendly practices and information on hundreds of city and community initiatives around the world. Browse the web site to learn more about what can be done to make your city or communities more age-friendly.


Check this exclusive Age-friendly website:  http://agefriendlyworld.org/en/


View the map of cities which have joined the Age-friendly network: 
https://extranet.who.int/sree/Reports?op=vs&path=/WHO_HQ_Reports/G21/PROD/EXT/GNAFCC%202 


Take this WHO Survey and Contribute your inputs:  http://apps.who.int/datacol/survey.asp?survey_id=600
 

Application form to join WHO Global Network of Age-Friendly cities: http://www.who.int/ageing/application_form/en/


Issued in public interest by #Silverinnings

“We were older then, we are younger now”

Dr John Beard, Director, Ageing and Life Course

When is someone old?

One question that I am often asked is “When is someone old?"

 
The more I work in the field of healthy ageing, the more difficulty I have providing an answer. There are, of course, definitions that are used for statistical purposes – the UN has historically adopted 60 years as a cut-off. But the link between chronological age and the health and functional status of an individual is tenuous at best. 

And many other factors may have just as significant an influence on an older person’s ability to do the things they value. For example, the attitude of business to employing older people is likely to have a very strong influence on whether they can continue to work. Similarly, the presence of disabled access public transport can help determine whether an older person gets where they want to go, regardless of any functional limitations they may have.

So this is not just a question for statisticians. I am 59 years old and have just welcomed a gorgeous son to my family. I seem to be in pretty good health. Next year my son will be 1 and I will be 60. Will I be old?
Increasing numbers of people the world over are likely to ask themselves the same thing. By 2050, the world’s population aged 60 years and older is expected to total 2 billion – up from 841 million today. Eighty per cent of these people will live in what are now low- or middle-income countries. 

Our goal should be for long life in good health

This is a huge success for public health. But our goal should be for people not just to live longer, but to have healthier, more fulfilling lives.
To achieve this, much will have to change. Unfortunately, the information we have on what might work and what doesn’t is very limited. For example, while we know people are living longer, we do not yet know whether they are living those additional years in good or poor health. It seems likely this will depend considerably on where you live. 

Dispelling outdated and “ageist” perspectives

We are not simply challenged by knowledge gaps. We are held back by myths that have emerged in an effort to fill these gaps. These often reinforce outdated and “ageist” perspectives on what getting older means for the individual and for society. 

One example is the myth that providing health services for an ageing population will necessarily be unaffordable. This does not fit with the evidence which shows that the last 18 months of life place most demand on health systems, regardless of how old you are. And, interestingly, the costs of health care in the last 18 months of life appear to drop significantly when someone reaches 80, when conventional health services are often replaced by different forms of long-term care. 

Furthermore, research suggests that while population ageing will certainly lead to an increase in expenditure on health care, the introduction of new technologies and treatments is likely to have a much bigger impact, as is the natural tendency for countries and individuals to spend more on health as they get richer. There are also many inefficiencies in most health systems that have an enormous influence on costs. 

It is now becoming clear that the way we design services makes a difference too. Hospitals designed to manage individual diseases separately have much poorer outcomes for older patients than those that provide holistic and coordinated care. This is because as we get older, the health conditions we experience change. Young people may have single, curable disorders, but older people are more likely to experience chronic conditions, and experience more than one of them at a time. 


Read in Detail: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/commentaries/ageing/en/

 

 

WHO: “Ageing well” must be a global priority

6 November 2014 ¦ GENEVA

A major new Series on health and ageing, published in "The Lancet", warns that unless health systems find effective strategies to address the problems faced by an ageing world population, the growing burden of chronic disease will greatly affect the quality of life of older people. As people across the world live longer, soaring levels of chronic illness and diminished wellbeing are poised to become a major global public health challenge.

Effective health interventions increasing life expectancy

Worldwide, life expectancy of older people continues to rise. By 2020, for the first time in history, the number of people aged 60 years and older will outnumber children younger than 5 years. By 2050, the world’s population aged 60 years and older is expected to total 2 billion, up from 841 million today. Eighty per cent of these older people will be living in low-income and middle-income countries.
The increase in longevity, especially in high-income countries (HICs), has been largely due to the decline in deaths from cardiovascular disease (stroke and ischaemic heart disease), mainly because of simple, cost-effective strategies to reduce tobacco use and high blood pressure, and improved coverage and effectiveness of health interventions.

Challenge of ageing healthily

However, although people are living longer, they are not necessarily healthier than before – nearly a quarter (23%) of the overall global burden of death and illness is in people aged over 60, and much of this burden is attributable to long-term illness caused by diseases such as cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, heart disease, musculoskeletal diseases (such as arthritis and osteoporosis), and mental and neurological disorders.
This long-term burden of illness and diminished wellbeing affects patients, their families, health systems, and economies, and is forecast to accelerate. For example, latest estimates indicate that the number of people with dementia is expected to rise from 44 million now, to 135 million by 2050.

Read in detail:  http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2014/lancet-ageing-series/en/

WHO media contacts

Christian Lindmeier
Communications Officer
Telephone: +41 22 791 1948
Mobile: +41 7 95 00 65 52
Email: lindmeierch@who.int

World Alzheimer’s Day: Patients, their families struggle due to lack of facilities

By Riddhi Doshi, Hindustan Times  New Delhi, September 21, 2014 

Every day, Maya Sahadevan has to beg and plead to get her mother into the bathroom for her morning bath. "When she does go in, she just sits there, staring at the ceiling, and often walks out without having had a bath," says Maya, 40, a private tutor in Mumbai.

It may not seem like much, but for Maya, the daily battle over the bath is a sign of further deterioration as her 69-year-old mother slips deeper into her dementia, her personality changing, her memories fading, and simple everyday tasks becoming insurmountable hurdles. 

Maya’s mother was diagnosed with dementia four years ago. "Our first clue that something was wrong was in 2012, when she started saying the same thing again and again," she says. Maya took her to a psychiatrist, where she was diagnosed with dementia. She now spends most of the day sleeping, or staring.

"We stay home with her all the time," says Maya. "It’s hard to juggle housework, my afternoon tutorial classes, and also try and care for her." Lately, the Sahadevans have been looking for help, but it’s been a frustrating search.

Dementia — an umbrella term for a wide range of degenerative mental conditions, the most commonly known being Alzheimer’s — causes long-term loss of the ability to think and reason. Patients need constant supervision, and specialised care. Even in megalopolises like Mumbai and Delhi, such care is almost impossible to find.

"Ideally, a person with dementia should have access to trained caregivers who understand the disease and its patients’ behaviour. This is hard to find in India," says Mona Mishra, a counsellor at dementia care home A1 Snehanjali

In Mumbai, for instance, there is just one day care centre for senior citizens with dementia, run by the Dignity Foundation. And there are just two residencies — A1 Snehanjali in Nallasopara, which can accommodate 13 people, and Dignity Lifestyle, which can accommodate 24. 

Delhi has one day-care centre and one home. "We currently just have four facilities across the country — two in Mumbai, one in Kochi and one in Bangalore. That is far too low," says Mona. "More needs to be done by NGOs and the government, to spread awareness about dementia and provide affordable care infrastructure."

There is little support for the families of those with dementia either.

Alzheimer's: Four signs to watch out for

"We need more awareness camps to help family members understand the disease and learn how to care for their loved ones. The importance of such awareness cannot be overemphasised," says Sailesh Mishra, founder and director of Silver Inning Foundation, an NGO that works with senior citizen and runs the A1 Snehanjali dementia residency home.

"This becomes especially important in a country like ours, where there are not nearly enough residencies and where the cost of those that do exist is also not affordable to all."

At Sea:
According to the Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders Society of India (ARDSI), nearly 3.7 million people in India suffer from dementia — a number that is set to double every 15 years.  "The disease is not curable, but certain lifestyle modifications like engaging in physical activities and cognitive tasks; eating right; socialising and managing stress can delay onset of the disease," says Dr Manjari Tripathi, president of the Delhi chapter of ARDSI.

Poor awareness and the stigma that still attaches to mental disease adds to the problem, says Alka Subramanyam, assistant professor of psychiatry at Mumbai’s government-run Nair hospital, which runs a memory clinic that offers testing and offers counselling to patients and their families. "We definitely need more care infrastructure. The lack of it accounts to a great loss, either direct or indirect, to caregivers."

With little to no infrastructure available, caregivers suffer almost as much as the patients, says Sailesh. "It is hard enough to cope with the fact that a loved one is no longer in control of themselves. It is even harder to then try and care for that person by yourself, while also juggling the demands of children and earning a livelihood."

Even those lucky enough to find full-time care must find a way to pay for it — an average of Rs. 45,000 a month. A residency charges Rs. 30,000 a month, excluding the cost of medicines. In the absence of a residency slot, a trained caregiver costs Rs. 800 to Rs. 1,000 per eight-hour shift.

"A few Facebook pages are trying to spreading awareness and share information and tips on dealing with dementia in loved ones," adds Mishra. "But it remains a lonely struggle."

The Sahadevans from Mumbai are currently in the midst of that lonely struggle. "We considered leaving my mother at a day care centre for seniors with dementia, but haven’t yet been able to find a slot in the city," says Maya. "We are so confused; we don’t know where to go or what to do and it’s not just taking a toll on us, but also on Ma."

(With inputs from Rhythma Kaul)

Courtesy:  http://www.hindustantimes.com/lifestyle/wellness/world-alzheimer-s-day-lack-of-help-care-in-india-for-patients/article1-1266659.aspx

World Alzheimer Report 2014

World Alzheimer Report 2014 Reveals Persuasive Evidence For Dementia Risk Reduction

Dementia risk for populations can be modified through tobacco control and better prevention, detection and control of hypertension and diabetes.

 

The World Alzheimer Report 2014 ‘Dementia and Risk Reduction: An analysis of protective and modifiable factors’, released today, calls for dementia to be integrated into both global and national public health programmes alongside other major non communicable diseases (NCDs).

Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI) commissioned a team of researchers, led by Professor Martin Prince from King’s College London, to produce the report. ADI is publishing this report, in conjunction with World Alzheimer's Day™ (21 September) and as a part of World Alzheimer’s Month, an international campaign to raise awareness and challenge stigma.

The report reveals that control of diabetes and high blood pressure as well as measures to encourage smoking cessation and to reduce cardiovascular risk, have the potential to reduce the risk of dementia even in late-life. The report found that diabetes can increase the risk of dementia by 50%. Obesity and lack of physical activity are important risk factors for diabetes and hypertension, and should, therefore, also be targeted.

While cardiovascular health is improving in many high income countries, many low and middle income countries show a recent pattern of increasing exposure to cardiovascular risk factors, with rising rates of diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

Smoking cessation is strongly linked in the report with a reduction in dementia risk. For example, studies of dementia incidence among people aged 65 years and over show that ex-smokers have a similar risk to those who have never smoked, while those who continue to smoke are at much higher risk.

Furthermore, the study revealed that those who have had better educational opportunities have a lower risk of dementia in late-life. Evidence suggests that education has no impact on the brain changes that lead to dementia, but reduces their impact on intellectual functioning.

The evidence in the report suggest that if we enter old age with better developed, healthier brains we are likely to live longer, happier and more independent lives, with a much reduced chance of developing dementia. Brain health promotion is important across the life span, but particularly in mid-life, as changes in the brain can begin decades before symptoms appear.

The study also urges NCD programs to be more inclusive of older people, with the message that it’s never too late to make a change, as the future course of the global dementia epidemic is likely to depend crucially upon the success or failure of efforts to improve global public health, across the population. Combining efforts to tackle the increasing global burden of NCDs will be strategically important, efficient and cost effective. Leading a healthier lifestyle is a positive step towards preventing a range of long-term diseases, including cancer, heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

However, survey data released by Bupa* has shown that many people are unclear about the causes and actions they can take to potentially reduce their risk of dementia. Just over a sixth (17%) of people realised that social interaction with friends and family could impact on the risk. Only a quarter (25%) identified being overweight as a possible factor, and only one in five (23%) said physical activity could affect the risk of developing dementia and losing their memories. The survey also revealed that over two thirds (68%) of people surveyed around the world are concerned about getting dementia in later life.

Professor Martin Prince, from King’s College London’s Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience and author of the report, commented: “There is already evidence from several studies that the incidence of dementia may be falling in high income countries, linked to improvements in education and cardiovascular health. We need to do all we can to accentuate these trends. With a global cost of over US$ 600 billion, the stakes could hardly be higher.”

Marc Wortmann, Executive Director, Alzheimer’s Disease International said: “From a public health perspective, it is important to note that most of the risk factors for dementia overlap with those for the other major non communicable diseases (NCDs). In high income countries, there is an increased focus on healthier lifestyles, but this is not always the case with lower and middle income countries. By 2050, we estimate that 71% of people living with dementia will live in these regions, so implementing effective public health campaigns may help to reduce the global risk.”

Professor Graham Stokes, Global Director of Dementia Care, Bupa, said: “While age and genetics are part of the disease’s risk factors, not smoking, eating more healthily, getting some exercise, and having a good education, coupled with challenging your brain to ensure it is kept active, can all play a part in minimising your chances of developing dementia. People who already have dementia, or signs of it, can also do these things, which may help to slow the progression of the disease.”

The full report can be found here: www.alz.co.uk/worldreport2014

About Alzheimer’s Disease International
ADI is the international federation of 84 Alzheimer associations around the world, in official relations with the World Health Organization. ADI's vision is an improved quality of life for people with dementia and their families throughout the world. ADI believes that the key to winning the fight against dementia lies in a unique combination of global solutions and local knowledge. As such, it works locally, by empowering Alzheimer associations to promote and offer care and support for people with dementia and their carers, while working globally to focus attention on dementia and campaign for policy change from governments. For more information, visit www.alz.co.uk


About King’s College London
King's College London is one of the top 20 universities in the world (2013/14 QS World University Rankings) and the fourth oldest in England. It is The Sunday Times 'Best University for Graduate Employment 2012/13'. King's has nearly 26,000 students (of whom more than 10,600 are graduate students) from some 140 countries worldwide, and more than 7,000 staff. The College is in the second phase of a £1 billion redevelopment programme which is transforming its estate.
King's has an outstanding reputation for providing world-class teaching and cutting-edge research. In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise for British universities, 23 departments were ranked in the top quartile of British universities; over half of our academic staff work in departments that are in the top 10 per cent in the UK in their field and can thus be classed as world leading. The College is in the top seven UK universities for research earnings and has an overall annual income of nearly £590 million. www.kcl.ac.uk


About Bupa
Bupa’s purpose is longer, healthier, happier lives.
As a leading international healthcare group, we offer health insurance and medical subscription products, run care homes, retirement villages, hospitals, primary care centres and dental clinics. We also provide workplace health services, home healthcare, health assessments and long-term condition management services.
We have over 22 million customers in 190 countries. With no shareholders, we invest our profits to provide more and better healthcare and fulfil our purpose.
We employ more than 70,000 people, principally in the UK, Australia, Spain, Poland, New Zealand and Chile, as well as Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, India, Thailand, and the USA.
Bupa is the largest international provider of specialist dementia care, caring for more than 24,000 residents with dementia. For more information, visit www.bupa.com

Courtesy: http://www.alz.co.uk/media/140917

Panel to Protect Elders in India

ANANYA SENGUPTA

New Delhi, Aug. 21: The government is planning to set up a commission for the country’s hundred million senior citizens who would finally have a forum they can call their own to voice complaints of abuse and negligence.

The draft National Commission for Senior Citizens Bill, 2014 — which the social justice ministry has sent to several NGOs — gives the proposed panel powers to “investigate” all matters relating to safeguards provided for senior citizens.

At present, matters concerning those who are 60 and above are addressed through the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007. Through this act, the elderly can seek maintenance under Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code and the National Policy for Older Persons, 1990.

What the draft bill proposes is an exclusive panel with powers of a civil court to look after the legal and societal rights of senior citizens.

The proposal for such an empowered panel has come four years after a committee appointed by the ministry in 2010 to review the 1990 policy recommended one where the elderly could file complaints.

“We had recommended such commissions should exist at the central as well as the state level. We have about 104 million elderly in the country and by 2050 the number will be 320 million,” said K.R. Gangadharan, global president of the International Federation on Ageing and a member of the 2010 committee.

The proposed bill — a copy is with The Telegraph — says the functions of the commission will include taking cognisance of matters related to “deprivation of senior citizens’ rights”. According to the draft, the commission will have all the powers of a civil court to access public records and “summon” witnesses from “any part of India and examining him on oath”.

Gangadharan said he understood the concerns of those who think the panel would be “another of the several toothless commissions we already have”.

“But something is better than nothing. The aspect of elderly abuse needs much more consultations. Unlike in the West, parents in India don’t want to bring charges against their children even when they are abused. The commission will address this problem,” he said, adding that activists would recommend a provision for “compensation”.

None of the commissions in the country, except the National Human Rights Commission, has the power to compensate victims.

According to the bill, the proposed commission would also have the powers to:

• Periodically inspect jails or remand homes where the aged might be kept as prisoners, or otherwise, to ensure there are no rights violations;

• Fund litigation involving issues affecting a large body of senior citizens; and

• Appoint committees to identify factors that affect the elderly.

Finally, this one is for those who think the elderly have outlived their utility: the panel will propose ways to increase the productivity of senior citizens.

Source: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1140822/jsp/nation/story_18747431.jsp#.U_bJT2IaySM