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| Research and policy
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| Latest research and policy about ageing
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| This report explores the potential effect of changing state pension indexation on poverty, adequacy and state spending, and examines the future outlook for state pension policy. Read more |
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| Publication | Pensions Policy Institute | 20 March 2018 |
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| Institutional and socio-economic drivers of work-to-retirement trajectories in the Netherlands |
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| Riekhoff A-J, Ageing and Society, 38(3) March 2018 |
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| What are the main routes from work into retirement and what are the factors that cause older people to take those routes? This large scale Dutch study identifies seven distinct trajectories: 'early retirement', 'premature retirement', 'late retirement', 'disability', 'unemployment', 'inactivity' and 'drop-out'. It confirms that retirement is not just a matter of choice. Women, first generation immigrants, the lower educated and the self-employed are less likely to retire early and have a greater risk of ending up in the 'involuntary' trajectories of late retirement, disability, unemployment and inactivity. |
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| Read more > |
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| Pensions in the national accounts, a fuller picture of the UK's funded and unfunded pension obligations: 2010 to 2015 |
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| Office for National Statistics – 7 March 2018 |
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| This data briefing provides the latest estimates of the total entitlement of households in the UK and abroad to pensions provided by UK government, pension funds and insurance companies. |
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| Read more > |
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| Pensioners' incomes series: financial year 2016/17 |
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| Department for Work and Pensions – 22 March 2018 |
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| This dataset provides estimates and an interpretation of trends in the level and sources of pensioners’ incomes. |
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| Read more > |
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| Homes, neighbourhoods and communities |
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| The creation of age-friendly environments is especially important to frail older people |
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| Cramm J M, Van Dijk H M and Nieboer A P, Ageing and Society, 38(4) April 2018 |
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| ‘Ageing in place’, the ability to live in one’s own home and community safely, independently, and comfortably, irrespective of age, income or ability level, is increasingly being seen as important. This Dutch study clearly demonstrates that while a proportion of both frail and non-frail older people miss the neighbourhood characteristics, such as a clean and green neighbourhood, good public transport, and affordable and suitable housing for older people, associated with ageing in place, frail older people miss these more than older people who are not frail. |
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| Addressing loneliness and isolation in retirement housing |
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| Gray A and Worlledge G, Ageing and Society, 38(3) March 2018 |
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| Loneliness is common in English retirement housing, related to the prevalence of bereavement, living alone and declining health. What can providers of retirement housing do to help residents avoid loneliness? This study emphasises the importance of organised activities for older residents. A survey of retirement housing carried out as part of the study found that just over half (56%) of estates had a common room but almost all (97%) of those that did had a programme of regular activities. |
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| Are we ready for the boom? Housing older Londoners |
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| Future of London – 20 March 2018 |
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| By 2035, the number of over 60s in London alone is expected to rise by 48%, and the over 80s group is set to increase by 70%. This report highlights the three areas that have the potential to improve older people's standard of living: planning and policy, housing, and neighbourhoods. |
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| Housing and health: opportunities for sustainability and transformation partnerships |
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| The King's Fund – 22 March 2018 |
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| This report outlines the contribution that housing can make to health to those involved in strategic planning in the health care sector. It emphasises the role that housing can play in supporting discharge and the potential impact on health throughout the life-course. |
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| Read more > |
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| Financial sustainability of local authorities 2018 |
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| National Audit Office – 8 March 2018 |
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| This report finds that despite greater freedoms to increase council tax bills and one-off short-term funds from government, local authorities are struggling to juggle higher demands and cost pressures against significant central government funding cuts of nearly 50% since 2010-11. It warns that if local authorities with social care responsibilities keep using their reserves at current rates, 1 in 10 could have exhausted them within three years. |
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| Adult social care funding: a local or national responsibility? |
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| Institute for Fiscal Studies – 22 March 2018 |
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| This report argues that ongoing reforms to local government finance risk a growing funding gap for adult social care and conflict with efforts to provide consistent and high-quality care services across the country. |
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| Read more > |
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| Why is life expectancy in England and Wales 'stalling'? |
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| Hiam L, Harrison D et al, Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, February 2018 |
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| Life expectancy at birth, in England and Wales, for both men and women is continuing to improve but, since 2010 these rates of improvement have slowed significantly. On the positive side this could wipe £310bn from the pension deficits of UK companies with final salary schemes but it is not good news for older people themselves. This article argues that this slowing is not a temporary aberration, and that the UK Government’s austerity programme is the most likely immediate cause. An urgent independent investigation, equivalent to a Royal Commission, is proposed. |
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| The wisdom of older technology (non)users |
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| Knowles B and Hanson V L, Journal, Communications of the ACM, 61(3) March 2018 |
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| “Older adults consistently reject digital technology even when designed to be accessible and trustworthy.” Based on interviews with older people in Scotland, this article suggests that non-engagement with digital technology may be a rational decision, particularly for older people on low incomes, and that the government’s ‘digital by default’ strategy may result in an increased entry into care by older people unable to cope with digital technology. The use of technology is needs driven and not purely age related, so that “when there is something they want to do, nothing will get in the way of older people using technology.” |
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| Read more > |
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| Fit to speak – physical fitness is associated with reduced language decline in healthy ageing |
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| Segaert K, Lucas S J E, Burley C V (et al), January 2018 |
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| Does physical activity improve cognitive ability in older age? This study looks at the effect of physical activity on the occurrence of ‘senior moments’, temporary cognitive lapses when a word or name will not come to mind. ‘Tip-of-the-tongue’ moments are more likely in older age. Previous studies have shown that higher aerobic fitness is associated with greater grey matter volume in the frontal and hippocampal regions of the brain and this study confirms that the higher an older adult’s aerobic fitness level, the lower the chances of experiencing a ‘tip-of-the-tongue’ moment. |
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| Our invisible addicts |
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| Royal College of Psychiatrists – 7 March 2018 |
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| This report highlights the need for clinical services to focus more on the needs of older people as growing numbers of baby boomers seek help for substance misuse. It makes a series of recommendations including the need to enhance training at all levels – such as training more addictions psychiatrists and old age psychiatrists to manage the specific needs to older substance misusers. |
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| Read more > |
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| Struggling to cope with later life |
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| Age UK – 22 March 2018 |
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| This report finds that almost 1.5 million over 65s feel they don't have control of their lives, and almost a million say that life rarely or never has any meaning for them. It calls for action to support older people in recognising their self-worth, as well as calling on older people themselves to try to take steps to avoid getting into a self-destructive rut. |
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| Read more > |
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| An evaluation of the Standing Together project |
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| Mental Health Foundation – 19 March 2018 |
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| This report finds evidence to suggest that peer-support groups can help to increase social connectedness among older people, thus improving their quality of life. |
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| Read more > |
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The Centre for Ageing Better received £50 million from the Big Lottery Fund in January 2015 in the form of an endowment to
enable it to identify what works in the ageing sector by bridging
the gap between research, evidence and practice.
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