A new book examined loneliness and social isolation as experienced by older people. It considered the incidence and effects of isolation and loneliness, identifying the factors which led to such experiences and considering potential interventions. It said that these feelings were experienced at all stages of the life-course, and were not unique to the social world of older people.
Source: Christina Victor, Sasha Scambler and John Bond, The Social World of Older People: Understanding loneliness and social isolation in later life, Open University Press (01280 823388)
Links: Summary
Date: 2008-Dec
An article said that the number of people above state pension age in 2007 exceeded those aged under 16 for the first time ever, and older people made up the fastest-growing group in the population. In 2007, 9.8 million people were aged over 65: but by 2032 this figure was projected to rise to 16.1 million – equivalent to almost 1 in 4 of the population.
Source: Karen Dunnell, 'Ageing and mortality in the UK', Population Trends 134, Winter 2008, Office for National Statistics, Palgrave Macmillan (01256 329242)
Links: Article | ONS press release | Alzheimers Society press release | BBC report
Date: 2008-Dec
The older people's watchdog for Wales published its first annual report. Future areas of work would include advocacy and advice services, elder abuse, health provision, the funding of social care, and domestic energy costs.
Source: Coming of Age, Older People's Commission for Wales (08442 640 670)
Links: Report | BBC report
Date: 2008-Oct
A report called for a new approach to improve connexions and build mutual understanding between the generations. Families were more dispersed than ever before, and lived in more linear generational divisions. The increasing distance between young and older people risked creating a new wave of social problems unless urgent action were taken to reduce intergenerational prejudice and discrimination.
Source: For All Ages: Bringing different generations closer together, 4Children (020 7512 2100) and Counsel and Care
Links: Report | 4Children press release | Community Care report
Date: 2008-Sep
A new book examined the changing nature of later life by looking at the engagement of older people with consumer society in Britain since the 1960s. It considered the rise of the 'individualized consumer citizen' and what this meant for health and social policies.
Source: Ian Rees Jones et al., Ageing in a Consumer Society: From passive to active consumption in Britain, Policy Press, available from Marston Book Services (01235 465500)
Links: Summary
Date: 2008-Sep
The prisons inspectorate said that local authorities in England and Wales were failing to meet their responsibilities towards older prisoners, including provision of equipment such as wheelchairs. Funding of social care in prison was a 'big problem', and many councils were 'reluctant' to provide help.
Source: Older Prisoners in England and Wales: A follow-up to the 2004 thematic review, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons for England and Wales (020 7035 2103)
Links: Report | Nacro press release | Liberal Democrats press release | Community Care report | BBC report
Date: 2008-Aug
The government published a policy statement on the prosecution of crimes against older people.
Source: Prosecuting Crimes Against Older People, Crown Prosecution Service (020 7796 8000)
Links: Statement | CPS press release
Date: 2008-Jul
Results were published from a longitudinal study of the economic, social, psychological, and health elements of the ageing process in England. The poorest older people were more than twice as likely to die at any given age than the richest. Employment rates for people in their fifties and sixties had been rising in recent years.
Source: James Banks, Elizabeth Breeze, Carli Lessof and James Nazroo (eds.), Living in the 21st Century: Older people in England – The 2006 English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (Wave 3), Institute for Fiscal Studies (020 7291 4800)
Links: Report | IFS press release | Age Concern press release | Liberal Democrats press release
Date: 2008-Jul
Campaigners said that older people were being deprived of the chance to play an active part in society because they could not access new skills through adult education. Two-thirds of older people (64 per cent) were put off attending adult education courses because of the threat of crime when they went out; while 4 out of 10 struggled due to lack of transport, high course fees, and inadequate information about available courses.
Source: Learning for Living: Helping to prevent social exclusion among older people, Help the Aged (020 7278 1114)
Links: Help the Aged press release
Date: 2008-Jul
A briefing paper examined the experiences and needs of older people in prison. Prisoners aged over 60 were the fastest growing age group in prison, largely due to sentences becoming harsher and longer.
Source: Doing Time: The experiences and needs of older people in prison, Prison Reform Trust (020 7251 5070)
Links: Briefing | PRT press release | Community Care report
Date: 2008-Jul
An article examined trends in the population of the oldest old (over 90), and demographic causes of the rapid increase in centenarians.
Source: Ercilia Dini and Shayla Goldring, 'Estimating the changing population of the "oldest old"', Population Trends 132, Summer 2008, Office for National Statistics, Palgrave Macmillan (01256 329242)
Links: Article | ONS press release
Date: 2008-Jun
A new book examined the lives of older women from ethnic minorities. Key themes included: family and networks; health and well-being; religion, faith, and spirituality; income, pensions, and housing; the meaning of identity and life course events; and death and dying.
Source: Haleh Afshar, Myfanwy Franks, Mary Maynard and Sharon Wray, Women in Later Life: Exploring race and ethnicity, Open University Press (01280 823388)
Links: Summary
Date: 2008-Jun
A report said that 1 in 4 older people had became so worried about the future that they were making themselves ill. The key issues faced by vulnerable older people were: ageism; neglect; poverty; isolation; and future deprivation.
Source: Spotlight Report 2008, Help the Aged (020 7278 1114)
Links: Help the Aged press release | Guardian report | Telegraph report
Date: 2008-May
A report said that many of the policies which could be used to tackle climate change – such as personal carbon accounts and better public transport to cut car use – could bring real benefits to older people.
Source: Towards Common Ground, Help the Aged (020 7278 1114)
Links: Report | Help the Aged press release
Date: 2008-Mar
A report said that over 1 million older people – including 1 in 5 people aged over 80 – suffered from severe social exclusion. 56 per cent of severely excluded people aged over 50 were in poor health, and 40 per cent were lonely.
Source: Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind: Social exclusion behind closed doors, Age Concern England (020 8765 7200)
Links: Report | Age Concern press release | Telegraph report | BBC report | New Start report
Date: 2008-Feb
Campaigners published an annual assessment of public policy in relation to older people. They called on the government to review spending on social care annually, and to provide emergency top-up funding where necessary. Local councils faced a £1 billion shortfall within three years as a result of the rising cost of caring for an ageing population.
Source: The Age Agenda 2008: Public policy and older people, Age Concern England (020 8765 7200)
Links: Report | Age Concern press release | Telegraph report | BBC report | Community Care report
Date: 2008-Feb
