Since our last ezine, the findings of some interesting research projects have been published by the Office for National Statistics on measuring national wellbeing, statistics from JRF on age becoming as important as social class in determining poverty and the NHF claiming GPs are unsure on how to commission support services.
Measuring National Well-being – Health, 2013
In June 2013, the Office for National Statistics (ONS), as part of its Measuring National Well-Being Programme released an article which analyses by age and other variables two of the current measures of national well-being: ‘satisfaction with health’ and ‘evidence of mental ill-health (GHQ)’ and their relationship to wellbeing.
The key findings in relation to age were:
In the UK in 2010–11 for those aged 16 and over:
- Satisfaction with health reduced to 53% of those aged 80 and over.
- Around a fifth (19%) of individuals had some indication of anxiety or depression with a higher proportion of women than men and a higher proportion of those aged between 40 and 59 or aged 80 and over.
- Around three in ten (28%) reported restrictions in moderate daily activities: the percentage reporting restrictions increased considerably with age from 13% of those aged 16 to 24 to 77% of those aged 80 and over.
For the full article see: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/wellbeing/measuring-national-well-being/health–2013/art-health—2013.html#tab-Introduction
Is Age Becoming as Important as Social Class in Determining Poverty?
This Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JFR) report highlights the gap between young and old. Average pensioner incomes have been rising and faster than all other age groups in the last 30 years and the over-60s are the only age group to have become better off since 2007/08.
However, argues Claire Turner, Head of Team (Ageing Society), this age group has started from a pretty low base and pension income in the UK is still lower than in a number of developed countries. In addition not all those who are in or approaching retirement are ‘rich baby boomers’.
Read more here: http://www.jrf.org.uk/blog/2013/06/age-social-class-poverty
New Commission launched on the future of health and social care
The King’s Fund has launched a new Commission to consider whether the post-war settlement, which established separate systems for health and social care, remains fit for purpose.
Read more here: http://www.kingsfund.org.uk/press/press-releases/new-commission-launched-future-health-and-social-care
NHF report claims that GPs unsure how to commission support services
The National Housing Federation (NHF) claims that more than eight out of ten GPs are unsure how to commission essential support services that can keep older and vulnerable people out of hospital.
Read more: http://www.housing.org.uk/media/press-releases/gps-unsure-how-to-commission-vital-support-services
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