Older people are treated with less respect today compared to ten years ago. This is the startling finding from a piece of research commissioned by the Changing Ageing Partnership to launch Age Awareness Week this week (October 1-5).

To support its theme of respect, the Changing Ageing Partnership commissioned independent research (2) into respect and older people.

Anne O'Reilly, spokesperson for the Changing Ageing Partnership (CAP) and Age Awareness Week said, "The findings of the research are especially poignant in a week when we are highlighting the importance of respect for older people. Seventy-two per cent of those surveyed not only feel that society does not respect older people enough but 59% also feel that older people are treated with less respect today compared to ten years ago.

"In an ageing society this is a cause of great concern.

"On the positive side, 97% of those surveyed agreed, everyone has a responsibility to ensure older people in Northern Ireland are respected. That 'everyone' includes organisations and bodies, policy makers, the wider society and older people themselves.

"One of the key objectives of CAP is to provide older people with the framework, skills, knowledge and voice to campaign on their own behalf: to challenge the stereotypes that exist around being older and to achieve a better quality of life.

"As our research shows, people are in agreement that more should to be done to ensure older people are respected. The Changing Ageing Partnership is committed to empowering older people and supporting them to campaign on issues important to them. We hope local government, bodies and the wider society will take note of the activities taking place as part of Age Awareness Week and will step up to the challenge set out in order to ensure that older people have the respect they deserve and their rightful place in society."