‘Challenge’ of ageing residents

Lincolnshire has the ‘dual challenge’ of an ageing population in a rural and coast geography.

Nearly a quarter of the county’s population is over-65 and that figure is set to rise to more than 40 per cent by 2043.
The effects of having an older population are widespread, but ensuring people stay healthier for longer is a key element, says a report going before the County Council’s Executive on Tuesday.
The Director of Public Health’s annual report focuses on the ageing population and the problems people face in the county as they get older.
“We will shed light on the current situation in Lincolnshire and address the pressing health and, equally important, social issues which affect our ageing population,” said Derek Ward, director of public health for the county.
Members of the executive are recommended to approve the report and publish it on the council’s website.
The report says that while Lincolnshire has 23 per cent of people over 65, nationally the average is 18 per cent.
Some 90 per cent of the over-65s in the county are ‘economically inactive,’ the report says.
“A high number of older people, particularly in our rural and coastal communities, face personal and present social care challenges, both for professional services and unpaid carers,” said the county’s director of adult social services, Glen Garrod.
More than a quarter of the over-65s have a long-term condition or illness and Lincolnshre faces a ‘significant challenge for healthcare services,” the report says.
Providing key services to an older population is made more difficult in the more rural areas with less than half of people aged 85 or over having access to private transport to reach hospital care or specialist services.
“Challenges such as low pay and unsociable hours affect recruitment and retention is social care and an ageing population with complex needs adds to GPs’ workloads already affected by NHS backlogs,” the report says.
The lack of digital connectivity of older people also highlights inequality and isolation. For people on limited incomes, the cost of a mobile phone or broadband is prohibitive.