VETERANS have been sharing their views as part of a new project highlighting the value of veterans and older people.
Veterans’ Voice aims to give residents in Royal Star and Garter’s Homes, and the people who use its services a platform to have their say and ensure they are not hidden because of their disability or dementia.
It also aims to recognise and celebrate the process of ageing by sharing their knowledge and supporting their beliefs and wishes for the country’s future
The charity has helped veterans find their voice, tackle loneliness, and support them to foster friendships and companionship through its Day Care and Lunch Clubs.
Their free nationwide Telephone Friendship Service also addresses issues of isolation, with trained volunteers calling veterans and their partners who live in their own homes anywhere in the country.
As part of Veterans’ Voice, Royal Star and Garter residents have expressed their concerns and hopes for the future.
RAF veteran Michael said: “I’d like to see a world where everyone is treated fairly. It’s wrong to pre-judge anyone.
“We must respect other people’s views. I think that is a problem, especially right now. I think politics today is too divisive.”
Yvonne, whose husband served in the RAF, added: “I think there’s lots that needs to be changed because the world is in a mess.”
Residents also feel more should be done to help and support Armed Forces personnel when they leave the military.
Michael called for better welfare, and for them to be treated with more respect, he said: “I think that’s the least we can do, when you consider the sacrifices they have made for us.”
The charity has also supported veterans to be heard and appreciated through its other services.
Navy veteran John uses their Telephone Friendship Service fortnightly.
He said: “It’s nice to talk to someone who isn’t family, someone from the outside, to explain things to, and who relieves my concerns.
“I feel the burden and pressure that I carry relieved.
“We all get lonely. There might be a time when I haven’t spoken to my children for a while, but I know that someone will call me and ask how I’m doing, which makes it a lot better.”
Royal Star and Garter is one of the charities supporting the Veteran Friendly Framework (VFF), which aims to improve the care and support given to veterans in all care homes in England.
Caley Eldred, the director of supporter engagement at Royal Star and Garter, said: “We want to communicate the value of our older people, their views and their experiences.
“People living in adult social care are often overlooked and sidelined.
“Their views are relevant – they care about people having a safe place to live, they are passionate about the world being a peaceful one and they uphold the values of respect and equality.
“They are also positive about life in a care home and want to help us show that it can still be fun!
“We share the common desire to increase respect for each other in the local communities where we operate, and we hope Veterans’ Voice will contribute to this.”
