At Independent Age we aspire for the UK to be the best country in the world to grow older in. That’s why we started our 2030 Vision project. We spoke to over 4000 people and asked them to share with us what concerned them most about growing older and what they believed would make the UK a better country to grow older in.
Our aspirations for older people
-Older people can live free from discrimination and make an active contribution in later life.
-Older people can live comfortably with the money they need.
-Older people can stay connected to their families and the world around them.
-Older people can live healthily and get the health and care services they need.
Findings
- Not only is there a pressing need to prevent and challenge discrimination and ageism, but tackling the issue could help create a more productive economy. A key challenge is for all generations to feel enabled to contribute and feel included.
- Respondents said that advice and information on finance and savings needed to be simplified for older people so that people can have a better understanding of what their savings will realistically yield.
- Many older people see digital technology as a factor in loneliness and alienation, while public transport is the other side of the coin. It’s a resource that is almost a passport to citizenship, encouraging engagement through volunteering, contact with friends, shopping and physical exercise.
- Many older people are alarmed at the prospect of dependency and needing care, so some urgent work needs to be undertaken to address this fear.
We need to provide a compelling new vision for the kind of country the UK could become if only we harnessed older people’s potential and recognised the additional contribution many could make in their communities.