R
Ready for Ageing…
…is a report recently
published by the House of Lords Select Committee on Public Service and
Demographic Change. It applies to England specifically but the issues it covers
are relevant in the rest of the UK, and indeed, in any country in the developed
world.
The committee took a
holistic approach and the report highlights key issues and aims to encourage
public debate. It focussed on the implications of the ageing population for the
near future, specifically the decade from 2020-2030. It is expected that there
will be:
- 51% more people over 65 than in 2010
- 101% more people over 85 than in 2010
- more than 50% more living with 3 or more long term conditions
- over 80% more with dementia
- And- over 10 million people in Britain can currently expect to have inadequate retirement incomes.
What age will you be in that
decade?
The report emphasises that
longer lives can be a great
benefit, but that the Government and society are ‘woefully underprepared’. The
contribution of older people to society includes the voluntary services,
whether formal or informal, performed by older people who are also significant
providers of care for younger children and for other older people.
The report calls for changes
in society’s attitude and in Government policy to support and encourage this.
Among other things, it covers employment practices, pension regulations and NHS
& social care provision. It is recommended that to enable older people to
live independently and well, health and social services need to be transformed
and need to function 24/7.
The report states that:
“The
Government must set out the framework for radically transformed healthcare to
care for our ageing population before the general election in 2015. All
political parties should be expected to issue position papers on the future of
health and social care within 18 months, and address these issues explicitly in
their manifestos for the 2015 election.”
We can all do a certain amount
individually to Age Proof our lives, but arguably the big changes need to take
place at a policy level. If you are interested in Age Proofing your life,
perhaps this is something to ask your local MP about when they appear on your
doorstep looking for your vote…
To read the report, follow
this link:
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