Posted on Tuesday 1st October 2024
A new report aims to highlight the challenge of caring for an ageing population over the next couple of decades.
The report, by Staffordshire’s Director of Public Health Dr Richard Harling, has been released to mark International Older People’s Day (1 October).
The report sets out how the population will change, what this might mean for society, and the potential impact on health and care services. The report notes that there is a risk of a significant shortage of health and care workers, requiring an estimated £600 million extra funding in health and care services and 20,000 additional staff by 2041.
The report calls for collective actions to increase healthy life expectancy, offer dignity for people towards the end of life, and consider the role of technology in health and care services.
Research also suggests that if older people have good social connections and an enhanced sense of purpose and self-esteem, they are more likely to stay healthier for longer.
Dr Richard Harling, Director for Health and Care at Staffordshire County Council said:
“Poor health and wellbeing in older age does not need to be inevitable - we can act now to help people to age well and future-proof health and care services.
“By supporting better housing, strong communities, and access to vital services to prevent health problems getting worse, people can live healthier for longer. We must also work together to improve our offer to staff in our sector too.”
Staffordshire County Council Cabinet Member for Health and Care Jeremy Pert said:
“The International Day of Older People reminds us that we all have a part to play in making our communities and neighbourhoods better places to age, and in celebrating and enabling the contributions of older adults and we can only address the challenges that the demographic timebomb presents by working across the public sector more effectively from building homes for life and healthier neighbourhoods through to making health and care a positive career choice for as many as possible.
“The publication of this report is therefore very timely, and makes for very sobering reading. It sets out the challenges we and our partners face in caring for an aging population, and the need to help them live in good health for as long as possible.”
Dr Harling has also called for Staffordshire’s public sector to review support for the elderly and frail.
He added:
“We need care that is proactive and compassionate, rather than focusing on medical treatment. Very few of us want to end our days in a hospital or a care home. We need doctors, nurses and social workers to help us explore the options, articulate our wishes, anticipate problems, maximize our quality of life and understand when it is time to ease our passing. This would offer greater dignity for people in their final years.”
“A range of partners in Staffordshire have already developed a Healthy Ageing Strategy, which sets out the small actions everyone can take to improve their future. Older adults are a valuable asset to communities through contributing to the local economy, taking community leadership roles, and donating their skills, experience and expertise in a variety of ways. Older people are active community members through volunteering, by caring for others or making and creating, and we can all help them to have full, active lives for so much longer.”
People can read the report and view our case studies online.
Find out more about International Older People’s Day at www.ageing-better.org.uk