Research reveals older people have the “know how” - On UK Older People’s Day new research reveals a rich variety of knowledge, culture and practical know how being passed down through families. Family history, practical skills, stories and recipes top the list of hand-me-downs, with nearly three quarters (73%) of people saying this knowledge is more likely to be held by their grandparents’ generation rather than their own. There’s an appetite to keep this knowledge alive with over three quarters (77%) of us worrying that it may die out.
For fixing, making, providing or entertaining from scratch, our older friends and relatives can be a great source of practical wisdom. Whether it’s to help throw a children’s party, end our ready-meal dependency, tend an allotment or do basic DIY, over two thirds (68%) of people are keen to get their hands on this know how. Pensions Minister Mike O’Brien is calling on younger generations to strengthen their ties with the older people in their lives. “Swapping stories, skills and ideas across generations gives us an opportunity to discover what we all have in common and appreciate the role older people play in our lives and our communities,” he said.

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1 October 2008
© Department for Work And Pensions (National)