Many older people are being left without essential services because of cost cutting and the march of modern technology. It is now expected that most banking transactions can occur via the internet or telephone.

Jan Pentecost, President of the Grey Power Federation, said “we have lobbied relevant agencies since 2016 to ensure, to the best of our ability, that older people are not disadvantaged by bank closures and the transfer of banking business to digital technology because numerous older people do not or cannot use the internet.

Some live in rural areas with only intermittent or no internet coverage, hearing and sight difficulties mean that telephone discussions with banking staff is challenging, access to banking facilities far removed from their home is difficult because many can no longer drive and all this requires the growing dependence of the elderly to allow others to manage their finances, potentially leading to elder abuse.

Grey Power is watching the capacity of the banking hub trial with great interest. Let’s hope it will alleviate our concerns. After all, older people matter too.”

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