Health and ageing resource: an internet resource
Published June 2003
Updated July 2006
The intention is to update this resource at regular intervals and to maintain the latest information of interest to older people, their carers and relatives, healthcare professionals and the public. If you are aware of any relevant and reliable web publications or sources of information which you think may be of assistance in enhancing this resource, please email info.science@bma.org.uk indicating its location.
Introduction
The UK has an ageing society with the number of people aged over 65 more than doubling since the early 1930s.[1] Today, it is estimated that a fifth of the population is over 60 and between 1995 and 2025, the number of people over the age of 80 is set to increase by almost half, with the number of people over 90 doubling.[1] Lower fertility rates and improvements in mortality rates for older people have both contributed to the ageing of the population. By 2014 it is expected that, for the first time, the number of people aged 65 and over will exceed those under the age of 16.[2]
This web resource has been designed and written as a ‘sign-posting website’ – a technical resource acting as a hub of information for the medical profession interested in health and ageing. Designed to be an introductory tool, this resource may also be used by members of the general public, providing the user with a list of relevant websites or appropriate papers, supplied by external sources and available online, exploring particular subjects relevant to the healthy and ageing of the individual.
Life expectancy is a widely used indicator of the nation’s health. Over the last century, the total number of years on average that an individual could expect to live, at birth, has risen from around 45 years for males and 49 years for females in 1901, to almost 77 and just over 81 years respectively in 2004. Older adults have experienced the most dramatic increase in life expectancy in recent years. By 2021, life expectancy at birth is projected to rise to 80 years for men and 84 years for women.[2] Life expectancies for the United Kingdom and its constituent countries are calculated annually using national life tables by the Office of National Statistics. (Prior to Feburary 2006 these were produced by the Government Actuary’s Department.)
Despite these increases in life expectancy, the number of people reporting both long-standing illness and restricted activity increases with age. In 2000, 2.5 million older people received sickness and disability benefits. In addition, people aged 65 and over are more likely to suffer fatal accidents. For example, this age group accounts for 35 per cent of accidental deaths among males, and 73 per cent of accidental deaths among women.[1]
- the NHS spent 43 per cent of its total budget on people over the age of 65 in 2003/04, around £16 billion
- in the same year social services spent 44 per cent their total budget on the over 65s, around £7 billion
- almost two thirds of general and acute hospital beds are used by people over 65.[3]
In a response to concerns over ageism in the NHS, BMA council chairman Dr Ian Bogle stated that:
'Sadly I think it is the case that older people sometimes do get poorer care or do not get considered for treatment which could help them. That is partly a problem of ageism in society and partly as result of huge pressure in the system.
Time to talk to patients carefully, to give proper nursing care and to treat each patient as an individual, is often squeezed out by the drive to treat more patients and discharge them as quickly as possible. But that does not excuse neglect or poor standards' (2001).
The aim of this resource is to provide information for healthcare professionals and the public on the subject of health and ageing. Each section includes summary text outlining the main themes and developments, accompanied by selected links to key documents, websites, and relevant organisations. These lists are not meant to be exhaustive, but are designed to signpost the user to applicable resources during their journey into the subject. If you are aware of any resources which may enhance this resource, please email: info.science@bma.org.uk.
Other resources and information:
The BMA Library has also produced a useful resources guide on the topic of health of the elderly.
Disclaimer
The naming of any organisation, service, or product, anywhere within this web resource does not imply BMA endorsement, nor does the omission of any such names indicate BMA disapproval. The BMA can make no warranty, express or implied, as to the accuracy of any information or advice provided by external sources for which links are provided here. The views of other organisations do not necessarily reflect those of the BMA.
References:
[1] The National Service Framework for older people
[2] Office of National Statistics (2006) Social Trends No. 36.
[3] Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection (2006) Living well in later life: A review of progress against the National Service Framework for Older People.