Health and wellbeing needs: Older people
Those at Risk
- Aging Population
- Older people in poverty
- The Institute of Fiscal Studies recently reported that the average income of pensioner households (£394 per week) exceeds that of the rest of the population (£385 per week). However, there are still a substantial number of older people in poverty.
- In October - December 2010, 2.7% of older people (over 65) worked full-time and 6.1% worked part-time, an increase from 1.2% and 3.4% in 2001. Improving recruitment, retention and enabling over 50s and early 60s to remain in the workforce after state-pension age to improve the financial health and social wellbeing of individuals into later life is important for our economy. Retiring at 55 instead of 65 could reduce an average earner's pension pot by a third - they would also have to spread this over a much longer retirement. (Government Policy. Older People. 2010-2015). As more older people live and work longer, further health inequalities emerge in that older people may be unable to do more physically demanding roles or need to upskill into different vocational areas such as digital skills.
- Volunteers: the House of Lords Select Committee on Public Service and Demographic Change found that 30% of people over 60 volunteer regularly through formal organisations, 65% of people over 65 regularly help older neighbours, and one in three working mothers rely on grandparents for childcare.
- Loneliness and social isolation
- Living arrangements will be much more varied with more people living on their own and increasing number of childless older people. More people having to go into private rented sector and therefore do not carry a large capital asset with them into later life. 51% of all people aged 75 and over live alone.
- Loneliness and social isolation can arise from a combination of personal risk factors (such as sensory loss, mobility loss, lower income etc) and factors in wider society (poor transport, lack of toilets, lack of seating, shortage of housing that meet older people's needs, fear of crime etc.). ONS have identified people 65 or over who are single, widowed, divorced or separated and thus at higher risk of isolation. Statistics show 6 - 13% of older people say they feel very or are always lonely; 17% of older people are in contact with family, friends and neighbours less than once a week and 11% are in contact less than once a month.
- Older people's families: families are worried about their ability to offer the care needed if their parents are admitted to hospital in future. Although many families have strong family support networks, over 30% do not. With existing cuts and restrictions on social care, Home from Hospital services are likely to be needed more than ever. (Help Them Home. Royal Voluntary Service. 2015)
- Carers: increasingly older people are becoming carers and they represent a sub-group of carers with special needs that are not necessarily met by present service provision (Age UK 2010). For instance, they are more likely to have health needs of their own such as long-term conditions; they may be caring for someone that shares a lifelong relationship such as parents or siblings with a disability; they may also be caring for a relative with dementia. It can be accurately assumed that this group is expanding though the size locally is not defined. Flu clinics in GP practices are being considered in some areas as offering opportunities to identify unknown carers, especially those who don't consider themselves carers who could ultimately be added to the Practice carer's register. The flu vaccine is routinely offered free of charge to anyone aged 65 or over South Tyneside enjoys good rates of take up. (Carers JSNAA cross reference)
