Ageing population

2022 dependency ratio

3.5:1

2041 predicted dependency ratio

2.7:1

2020 pension age

65→66

2026 pension age

67

2037 pension age

68

2 impacts of ageing population on public services

1. Old people consume a large proportion of health and social care

2. Changes to policies and provision of housing/transport

% of households that are one person pensioner

15%

75+ year olds women:men

2:1

2017 — number of grandparents in 🇬🇧

14m

2017 — % of young adults that have 3+ generations in their family

80%

Predicted % of population that will become grandparents in their lifetime

75%

Predicted % of population that will be 65+ y/o in 2044

25%

1950 — % of grandparents that had 10+ grandchildren

20%

2017 — % of grandparents that had 10+ grandchildren

0.5%

2017 — mean number of grandchildren per grandparent

4.42

Buchannan — 3 reasons grandparents take on a greater role

1. Ageing pop — they’re living longer and are healthier

2. Children are expensive

3. More mothers are working and there are more separated/single/divorced parents

£ saved by grandparents / year and / family

• £15.7bn /year

• £1,700 /family

SHARE — number of European countries in which grandparents regularly care for grandchildren

10

SHARE — role of grandparents in W. v Asia, Africa and S.America

• W = one-off care

• Elsewhere = play an integral role

3 main conclusions of Buchanan and Rotkirch (2016)

1. Extensive grandparent involvement in family life (maternal more than paternal)

2. Grandparent involvement associated with better wellbeing of grandchildren

3. Young people said that grandparents were useful during divorce/family difficulties

Buchanan and Rotkirch (2016) — % of grandmas that saw their grandchildren at least several times a yeear

94%

Buchanan and Rotkirch (2016) — 3 negative aspects of grandparents

1. May have outdated parenting experience, like using alcohol to help babies sleep

2. Can become old and frail

3. Fraught inter-generational relationships

Buchanan and Griggs (2009) — 4 roles of grandads

1. Play games

2. Take to sports events

3. Act as mentors

4. Discuss future careers

Cultural variation — 🇨🇳 Confucian tradition

• Grandparents have more legal rights over grandchildren

SHARE — 4 benefits for grandparents

1. Happiness

2. Better mental health

3. Help with technology

4. Grandfathers may have missed out on rearing their own children due to working

SHARE — 1 negative impact for grandparents

• More than 30 hours of care a week was too much for grandfathers

Key — ‘oldest old’

85+ y/o

2005-30 predicted % rise in oldest old

151%

2005-30 predicted $ rise in 0-64 y/os

21%

2 causes of oldest old

1. Falling mortality rates

2. Baby boom generation now reaching retirement

2035 — % of 🇬🇧 population that will be oldest old

5%

2011 Census % of oldest old women widowed

77%

2011 Census % of oldest old men widowed

43%

2011 Census % of oldest old men married

48%

2011 Census % of oldest old women married

13%

9 problems faced by oldest old

1. Poor health

2. Functional disability

3. Lower income → risk of poverty

4. Living alone

5. Smaller family and friendship networks

6. Being in hospital/residential care

7. Isolation/social exclusion due to difficulty using public transport

8. Inability to use internet/other tech

9. Difficulty managing personal care/other daily activities

% of men who were 65 in 2011 that are predicted to live to at least 85

45%

% of women who were 65 in 2011 that are predicted to live to at least 85

58%

House of Lords (2013)

• Politicians have been slow to recognise extra pressure on health, social care and pension systems

ILC 🇬🇧 (2013) — % of oldest old with no friends

10%

ILC 🇬🇧 (2013) — % of oldest old who say they can rely on family

80%

5 impacts of rise in oldest old

1. Bed blocking

2. Stretching statutory health services and restraining other fields of public expenditure

3. Extra care and sheltered housing schemes don’t meet needs of rural oldest old

4. Triple lock on pensions

5. Raising retirement age

Crackheld (2010) — average annual cost of hospital and community health care for oldest old -x that of 65-74 y/o

3x

4 impacts of oldest old on their families

1. Informal care allows them to remain in their own homes

2. More and more 50 and 60 y/o looking after grandchildren and working so can’t look after their parents

3. Oldest old can’t always live with their children

4. Oldest old don’t always have family due to divorce, death and lack of children

4 advantages of ageing population

1. Boosting economy — ‘grey pound’

2. Social cohesion

3. Less crime

4. Family support

% of 65+ y/o that do volunteering or civil engagement to support informal social networks

58%

8 disadvantages of ageing populations

1. Dependence and pensions timebomb

2. Poverty and family hardship

3. Loss of skill and experience

4. More pensioner single person households

5. More ill health and disability

6. Family stress

7. More work for women

8. More housing shortages

% of population over 65

17%

% of 1bn drugs prescribed in 2013 given to 65+ y/o

60%

% of state welfare budget spent on pensioners

50%

2013 — number of pensioners living below poverty line

1.6m

Loss of skills and experience

• Takes a long time to replace

• Employers see youth as less reliable and committed to their work than older people

2 impacts of pensioner single person households

1. More dependence on children but many not have extended families

2. Puts pressure on LA

Ill health and disability

• Older people experience loneliness and isolation are more likely to have health problems

Family stress

• Overcrowding

• Emotional strain

Work for women

• Practical care for elderly falls to women

% of women aged 50-64 that regularly care for an ill, frail or disabled relative

25%

% of men aged 50-64 that regularly care for an ill, frail or disabled relative

17%

Housing shortages

• Old people occupy their houses for longer and cause young people to have difficulties in finding affordable homes

Cause of agesim

• ‘Structured dependency’

  • Elderly excluded from paid works are economically dependent on others and thus stigmtatised

Phillipson (1982) — Marxist view on aging

• Old no longer of use to capitalism are no longer productive

  • State therefore unwilling to support them so their care falls to relatives

Hunt (2005) — PoMo view on ageing

• Old people defined by their consumption not their production

  • We can choose a lifestyle/ID regardless of age

• Old now product for rejuvenation goods, e.g. botox and travelling for cosmetic surgery have become normalised

PoMo breaking down of ageism

• Centrality of media — portrays positive aspects of elderly lifestyles

• Emphasis on surface features — ‘customisation of your avatar’ aka anti-ageing products

Pilcher

• Inequalities like class and gender still important

  • Related to individual’s previous occupational position

Class and ageing

• M/C have better pensions and savings due to their higher salaries

  • Poor old people suffer from infirmity and find it more difficult to maintain a youthful self ID

Gender and ageing

• Women have smaller pensions due to lower earnings and career breaks

• Also suffer from sexist and ageist stereotyping ‘old hags’

Age Concern (2004) — % of people suffering age discrimination

29% (more than any other form)

Hirsch (2005) — 3 policy implications of ageing pop

1. Adding to pension from savings

2. Larger pension contributions from taxes

3. Housing policies to encourage old to downsize