C3: Societal effects of an ageing population

Question 1

What causes an ageing population? (5)

Answer 1

1. better healthcare
2. better living conditions
3. better educated lifestyle choices
4. women stay in education longer
5. too expensive to have children.

Question 2

Reasons why the elderly need provision? (5)

Answer 2

1. loss of independence
2. increased risk of injury
3. loss of mobility
4. chronic conditions
5. to prevent slowing diseases/illness.

Question 3

What type of provision is available? And explain? (7)

Answer 3

1. Acute care = meet immediate needs (A&E)
2. Healthcare = medication, support, specialists etc
3. Social care = supporting independence, personal care etc
4. Community equipment = providing mobility aids etc
5. Psychological care = counsellors, mental health
6. Benefits/entitlement = adaptions to home/ financial support/ transport support
7. End-of-life care = pain relief, psychological support.

Question 4

Define primary and secondary services?

Answer 4

Primary = first port of call (GP)
Secondary = provides specialist care

Question 5

Give 3 examples for visiting each primary and secondary services?

Answer 5

Primary
- flu-jab
- prescriptions
- blood test

Secondary
- Cardiac conditions
- Cancer treatment
- Respiratory conditions

Question 6

3 Examples of outgoings for the elderly?

3 Examples of what financial support elderly people can receive?

Answer 6

outgoings
- house bills
- food bills
- car/transport bills

financial support
- free healthcare
- free dental care
- free eye care

Question 7

How do elderly people impact the economy? (4)

Answer 7

• more people rely on pension benefits (less money for investment)
• higher tax rates
• bed blocking
• government spending on health and social care
• Housing (fewer homes available for large families)

Question 8

What are the pressures on services caused by the elderly? (3)
What are the government responses? (3)

Answer 8

Pressure on services:
1. advances in medicine which have caused people to live longer.
2. families unable to care for older family members so care homes have to.
3. increase in elderly with chronic conditions (costly for services)

Responses:
1. raise retirement age (don’t have to care for them as long and more taxes)
2. encouragement on private pensions (less cost for gov)
3. increased taxes to pay for state pensions/welfare.

Question 9

3 causes of an ageing population?

Answer 9

1. women rather focus on their career/education than having children.
2. the UK has good healthcare (live longer).
3. people marry later so they may/may not have children later in life.

Question 10

2 problems of an ageing population?

Answer 10

1. increase cost in healthcare.
2. social tension between young and elderly.

Question 11

1 benefit of an ageing population?

Answer 11

some businesses can profit of the elderly (travel, holiday, leisure).

Question 12

How can we solve the problem of an ageing population? (3)

Answer 12

1. increase taxes
2. increase retirement age
3. making it easier for people to have children (benefits/30 free hours of childcare)