ageing

Research shows that older people want and value low-level support - 'that bit of help' - but the benefits of investing in this are realised over many years, making it harder to prove impact and protect funding in the face of severe pressure on spending.

Over the last decade, Britain’s public services have faced a number of challenges related to a changing population profile, growing demands from more assertive users, and the need for a more sustainable model of delivery. The UK’s huge fiscal deficit will now add the most pressing and complicated challenge of all: cutting expenditure on public services while maintaining quality and user satisfaction.

This report contains the views and concerns of people with HIV aged 50 and over, living into an old age that many of them never expected to see. The social care needs of this rapidly growing group have not previously been addressed in the UK. The 50 Plus research project asked 410 of them – 1 in 25 of all those currently being seen for care – for their views on their current and future lives. The report also analysed the resulting data to compare three of the largest subgroups: gay/bisexual men, black African women and white heterosexuals.

Mind is a leading mental health charity in England and Wales and has produced information on many areas of mental health. This factsheet is for older people, but it is also relevant to their carers, relatives and friends. It explores how older people can maintain good mental health, and gives information on mental distress with an emphasis on the issues that may affect older people. Throughout this factsheet ‘older people’ refers to those aged 65 and over, although many of the issues covered, such as retirement, may be relevant to people under 65.

Four Radio 4 programmes in a series about the health and wellbeing of the seven ages of humanity. These four programmes explore life experiences and issues for people in their eighties.

Report examining the drinking patterns of the "baby boomer" generation (those born between 1945 and 1965) and assessing the health implications of higher than recommended drinking in old age. Its main conclusion is that age-based sensible drinking limits should be introduced.

Report looking at who the members of the baby boomer generation are, what is known about their values and attitudes and how the challenges for them of economic and community participation, self-fulfilment, quality of life and family and intergenerational obligation might be met through a more positive and proactive approach to the issues and the potential for innovation.

Document laying out the Scottish Executive's strategy for responding to and planning for an ageing population in Scotland. The strategy covers topics such as the role of public services, increased opportunities for older people, better intergenerational relationships, improving health and providing lifelong learning opportunities.

This learning object is about ways in which people's experience of ageing and mental health are shaped by society's attitudes to older people and later life. You will consider the way age-related images and ideas, displayed in the media and in everyday language, shape our perceptions; but also what we know about older people's own attitudes and aspirations. This object also contains a self-assessment section where you can test how far you have assimilated the key messages from this learning object.