Chairman: Dr Ian McNamara

A month has passed since the 2014 Annual Conference of the Highland Senior Citizens Network held on Wednesday 23rd April 2014 at the Lochardil House Hotel, Stratherrick Road, Inverness IV2 4LF. The Board of Trustees would be interested in your feedback from the event. Please feel free to make comments to enable us improve your experience at future conferences.

Name (optional)…………………………………. Contact details……………………………………......

YES / NO
Name provided / 21 / 1
Did you find booking a place easy? / 22
YES / NO
Did you find registration straightforward? / 22

One stated it was done for them.

Comments

  • The registration was easy. Finding the venue is always challenging to those of us ‘out of town’ people.
  • Welcoming reception members were all friendly and helpful.
  • My place was booked through HUG (Action for Mental Health)
  • Well arranged
  • Very straightforward
  • Warm welcome at reception
  • Registration was carried out in an efficient and friendly manner
  • Booking was simple, informal and friendly, as was the registration process

John Finnie’s Introductory talk

Comments

  • Can’t recall
  • Good overview – stayed non party political
  • Interesting albeit expressing political views
  • It is important that the network is shown to be a driving force on behalf of older people and links to policy makers and legislators are essential in this regard. John Finnie (and Tom Berney) helped greatly to build those links.
  • Interesting to see the MSP face to face. Usual political spiel but OK
  • Clear and well-defined
  • Interesting
  • Found it most interesting and informative.
  • Unfortunately I missed some of this due to road works on the A82
  • Very interesting and enlightening.
  • Good account re-Human Rights
  • Thought he was ill-prepared on his subject. Always having to refer to notes.
  • Excellent – John paints a picture that resonates strongly
  • I missed this as I had to wait at home for a joiner to give him access to my home.
  • Very informative X 2
  • Very personal, convincing approach.
  • Didn’t hear it as I was involved in Registration
  • Food for thought
  • Very good introductory talk – not too long and set up some of the issues for the day
  • A bit rambling. 6/10

Duncan Wilson (Head of Strategy and Legal, Scottish Human Rights Commission)’s talk - Scotland’s National Action Plan for Human Rights: Opportunities for Older People’s Human Rights

Comments

  • He covered a broad spectrum of information but made it interesting and understandable
  • Very good presentation
  • Very informative and interesting method to share ideas
  • Te recognition Human Rights is central to our progress as human beings across all society’s interest groups in today’s (and tomorrow’s) world. The Scottish Human Rights Commission play a vital role which was well illustrated by Duncan Wilson
  • Very interesting and informative
  • Good to have information of Scottish National Action Plan for Human Rights, particularly with regard to the elderly. Also good to have these Rights being put into the wider, international and historical context
  • I had no idea HR was so complicated.
  • This was a most relevant topic for the day and clearly interested all who were there.
  • Very interesting – were we to receive feedback from him? Would like to….
  • Unfortunately I had to leave at lunchtime as I open a bank for the Inverness Credit Union every Wednesday
  • This information was very useful and also eliminated some of the ‘myths’ about Human Rights
  • Good
  • Interesting
  • This is such an important subject and Duncan brought the real meaning of human rights home to us
  • Very informative
  • Balanced the first talk well by giving background, diminution of rights and action
  • Spoke well – very interesting
  • Interesting and informative presentation
  • Overall Duncan very good
  • Since the event have heard some talk of the UN Convention on Disability Rights – especially in relation to mental health. This was not covered as part of Duncan’s talk – but may be a useful topic for another year as it seems to be having some impact in Scotland but early days as yet.
  • Excellent. Informative. 9/10
  • Excellent but will be very interesting to see if recommendations put forward are implemented!

The Interactive Group Discussion on Human Rights

Comments

  • Group leaders did a good facilitation of the group and good feedback too.
  • Well organized – got plenty of discussion going – enjoyable
  • A good unique way of sharing ideas
  • Group discussions can be the highlight(or low light) of any event and there is never enough time to do justice to all the issues. The ‘wandering facilitators’ helped here by bringing different questions and views to the conference as a whole
  • A well organized way of running the session to collect different viewpoints
  • I enjoyed these group discussions, particularly when they were so well managed.
  • What a good idea as it meant discussion findings could be shared.
  • Very interesting. Good. Generally well facilitated
  • This part I really enjoyed. An opportunity to thrash out some matters of relevance to elderly people.
  • Good
  • Very interesting and worthwhile with a range of views, especially local bus routes etc.
  • I enjoyed sharing a table with lots of different people whom I do not meet elsewhere
  • Very useful with lots of ideas discussed.
  • Well organized, especially with the “move round” technique –and summarizing findings.
  • Personally (with two hearing aids) I could make little contribution because of background sound from other groups. But I appreciate the organisers’ problem in arranging simultaneous group discussion in one area.
  • Facilitators made it easy to put forward points of view. Interesting to hear other points of view at the table.
  • Lively discussion with good points raised.
  • Very good talk and enjoyed the World’s End café event that followed. I was on the Justice and Safety committee which was just up my street and was able to get a discussion going at all three tables and received some good comments.
  • I did not get to feed into the other two topic areas at their 6 tables but c’est la vie.
  • I enjoyed the receipt of Duncan’s speech and feedback from the tables as it was thought provoking. Anticipating that we are going to do something with this information at a later date – even an article for the newsletter or something. Very good talk and enjoyed the World’s End café event that followed. I was on the Justice and Safety committee which was just up my street and was able to get a discussion going at all three tables and received some good comments.
  • As a leader, folk were responsive and quick to have their say. Too much to write, needed some editing. 8/10
  • Amazed at common purpose brought out by all groups

After lunch

Lisa Law, Solicitor, Innes & Mackay, Inverness - Legal Matters for Older People

Comments

  • A timely reminder of information I had heard before, about which I had done nothing.
  • Excellent talk – made points about need for PoA (Power of Attorney)and Wills very clearly. Generated plenty of discussion and questions.
  • Outstanding – and such a serious warning about the perils of inactivity
  • Excellent session, very informative and relevant and relevant to the age group which HSCN represents.
  • Good, clear and succinct. The knowledge that I gained from the talkas prompted discussions with my family. Consequently am sending off for a copy of Age UK Lifebook which my sisters have used to good effect.
  • This was very illuminating and gave a great deal of interesting information and food for thought.
  • Looks as if it gave many people food for thought.
  • Absolutely excellent! Well presented, understandable.
  • I found this rather dry, also I know I got Power of Attorney much more simply and easier than that described.
  • Excellent and interesting
  • Exceedingly good. Obviously interested most of the audience.
  • I had already organized a Power of Attorney and Will so this was not new to me.
  • Unable to wait for the afternoon session
  • Although I have Power of Attorney and Will in place it was interesting to hear why you should have them and to be able to relate this information to my children.
  • Well presented with good examples provided
  • Excellent – she really knew her topic and took a range of questions from the floor. Felt that a “thorough” discussion of this topic occurred.
  • Very helpful. 7/10
  • This talk was very informative. I spoke of all advice given to lunch club members the following day

Have you taken any action following information gleaned from the Conference?

e.g. drawn up a Power of Attorney

  • I am trying to convince my husband of the need for this, in relation to both of us!!
  • Already have PoA & Will – If I hadn’t I would have been stirred into action
  • No but no need to pay a solicitor to action POA as CAB can assist
  • Yes
  • Drawn up a power of attorney: not yet for myself but am currently working on it for my parents-in-law.
  • As above – Age UK Lifebook
  • Already drawn up sometime ago.
  • Had already dealt with POA with post death of my husband.
  • Not yet but will do so in the next few months. Both Power of Attorney and update will.
  • I had this before that.
  • Already had POA
  • I have just been to the solicitor to commence the process of drawing up a PoA
  • Already organized POA
  • No, shortly before
  • Reminded friends and family why they should have Power of Attorney and a Will
  • Have a will but need to organize POA
  • Have since spoken to my Dad about a Power of Attorney as well as discussing the issue with my sisters – haven’t as yet done one, but have downloaded samples of Power of Attorney from the Office of Public Guardian website.
  • No
  • I already had this in place

Any further comments you wish to make about the Conference?

  • The HSCN board is going from strength to strength as a professional, concerned and active group, working on behalf of all of us, for which I say“Thank You”
  • Excellent venue and service from Hotel
  • Great opportunity to meet other people and network
  • I enjoyed it. Tom Berney’s contribution seems to have been missed from the questionnaire. The success of interest groups such as the network relies on ‘bridges’ with National Governments
  • A very good conference,, well organized and ran smoothly and to time. You manage the AGM very painlessly! Thank you for all the hard work which the elected members put in on our behalf
  • I though the day’s programme was very well planned. I am so glad I attended this conference. I just wished I had attended earlier ones. I enjoyed Tom Berney’s talk concerning SOPA – very informative.
  • Most informative, enjoyable and friendly. Speeches always good
  • I found it fascinating and would be happy to be more involved.
  • Enjoyable as last year. Good to network again.
  • The morning was excellent.
  • Good to meet old friends.
  • Unfortunately I had to leave before lunch so cannot comment about the afternoon session
  • There was a great deal of concern from the ‘Care’ sector but I have little concerns about this as yet. I hope that we will have ‘the right to die’ before I get to that stage.
  • Quite a tight squeeze for moving around – in hindsight it might have been better to have fewer tables and more chairs around each table. The staff at the Lochardil House Hotel were very helpful and made the event go smoothly.
  • An excellent opportunity to network and share ideas/thoughts.
  • Enjoyed lunch
  • Well planned!!
  • Enjoyed all of speakers and also meeting others with common purpose

Do you wish to comment on accessibility of the venue, sound system, toilet facilities etc.?

NO – 1

  • Great venue and lovely lunch. Congratulations to the organizers.
  • All satisfactory for me.
  • Venue is OK except the location is a bit hard to find as mentioned above. Sound system and toilets OK. I have attended an event at the Smithton Free Church (I think it was) and I think that venue would be better but that is just my opinion. I would be happy to continue attending Conferences at Lochardil House if that is what most people would prefer.
  • Everything was fine. The toilet facilities were clean. Thank you.
  • All excellent
  • Generally fine – sometimes slight difficulty with parking.
  • Generally good. Make sure every speaker has a microphone.
  • Very good.
  • The total of venue and arrangements were very good.
  • It was an excellent venue which I attend for other functions regularly.
  • The sound was excellent even although I have difficulties elsewhere. The room was a bit ‘stuffy’ by the end of the afternoon and I was beginning to have a headache as a result. Most hotels have this problem and if ventilation is switched on, it quickly becomes cold.
  • No, apart from the hearing problem ; and the sound system worked well for me.
  • No problems at all with venue, sound system and toilet facilities. Plenty of parking.
  • No problems here.
  • The conference room was very near the toilet facilities which was good. I was on a table at the window and it got a bit hot at one point, but otherwise not a problem.
  • All good
  • All satisfactory

Please return by email to: / or by post to: HSCN, Box 301, 24 Station Square, Inverness IV1 1LD by Friday 6th June 2014.

Highland Senior Citizens Network is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation No. SC034260

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