Ageing Population

Question 1

What is happening with the 85+ age group currently?

Answer 1

It is growing fastest which is then putting particular stress on health and social welfare systems

Question 2

What are the issues of an Ageing Population for health care?

Answer 2

The demand for health care increases because more illness occurs in old age.
The elderly visit their GP more often than younger or middle aged people

Question 3

What are the issues on Social Services?

Answer 3

Elderly people need other services such as nursing homes, day care centres and people to help them to care for themselves at home

Question 4

What do these special needs (Social Services) cause?

Answer 4

They put financial pressure on a country

Question 5

What are the issues in relation to ‘The Pensions Crisis’?

Answer 5

Life expectancy is higher in developed countries than in developing countries

Question 6

Why must taxes increase to pay the pensions bill?

Answer 6

Because as there are more elderly people so the proportion of people working is decreasing

Question 7

What are the positives of a ‘Ageing Population’?

Answer 7

• There are more opportunities.

- Younger retired people (later 60’s early 70’s) contribute a great deal to the economy as they are relatively wealthy

Question 8

What do younger retired people have?

Answer 8

Lots of leisure time which means they spend money on travel and recreation which provides jobs in the service sector