2013 is turning out to be another busy year! As well as running the Designing for the Future competition with the Faculty of Arts, University of Brighton, I have been invited to judge the RSA Student Design Awards and in particular the category, The Good Journey. The Good Journey brief, sponsored by NCR, challenges students to make
Fantastic to hear that Julie Robinson, founder of Move It or Lose It! exercise DVDs has won a National Diversity Award. The Awards celebrate the achievements of grass-root communities tackling the issues in today's society. Julie picked up the Entrepreneurial Award for Excellence in the Age category. Julie Robinson is a specialist teacher of exercise for
Three years into the latest chief executive's reign, Marks & Spencer has once again reported poor Christmas trading figures, reigniting the debate about the decline of this great British institution. Marks & Spencer, M&S, Marks, Marks & Sparks, St Michael's - call it what you will, this retailer has anchored our high streets for much of
A couple of weeks ago the RSPCA started a campaign to encourage more older people to consider getting a pet not only for companionship but because of the potential health benefits. Pets are often an excellent source of companionship. They can act as a support system for older people without any family or close
Last Thursday, I was invited to talk at the Aging 2.0 event at Google's super cool CampusLondon venue. Aging 2.0 is a global network of innovators working in the 50+ market who are intent on accelerating innovation to improve the quality of life for older adults around the world. This was a pivotal event for me
Really delighted that our student design competition, "Designing for the Future", featured last week on the blog of US company, Omhu, designers of very beautiful walking sticks. "November 16, 2012 Designing For The Future We’re always pleased to find like-minded people operating in the same spaces and spheres that Omhu moves in, and we just heard about
I was delighted to be quoted in the report on the future of care homes, Care Home, Sweet Home, published today by the think-tank on ageing, the International Longevity Centre-UK. "I think care homes in the future will be less about one physical building but more a network of care and support throughout the
Our student design competition, Designing for the Future, stepped up a gear this year with winners being offered a mentoring package in addition to a cash prize. “Designing for the Future” run by The Future Perfect Company in conjunction with the University of Brighton is now in its third year and encourages student designers
Demographic changes and pressure on public finances are leading to radical changes in the statutory provision of assistive technology and mobility and disability equipment. Simple aids for daily living – such as walking sticks, mobility aids – are now increasingly appearing in a variety of existing and new channels. You only need to look in
To what extent do people with dementia, even advanced dementia, have the right to have control and choice over their own lives? This is the question raised by an experimental care facility in the Netherlands. In Hogeweg, everyone lives in the moment. As The Times reported on Saturday, the streets and squares of this experimental Dutch
