Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Age old problem as more in Ulster living for longer
Charity calls for action over ‘health inequalities’
AS the number of people living to 100 increases, experts have warned our health is not improving at the same rate.
New figures from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency have revealed there could be as many as 278 centenarians in the country.
With an average life expectancy of 82 for women and 78 for men, we are living around 12 years longer than we did in 1960 – and 10 years older than the world average.
B u t He a d o f P o l i c y a n d Inf luencing at Age NI Paschal Mckeown said: “We know that although life expectancy is increasing, healthy life expectancy is not increasing at the same rate.
“We are particularly concerned for people living in areas of deprivation. It is vital we take steps to reduce health inequalities by prior- itising early i nter vention and preventative approaches which promote the independence of older people and help them stay well and feel good.”
There are around 36,500 people in Northern Ireland aged 85 and over representing 2% of th e population.
However, women on average will stay healthy until they are almost 62 and men to 59.
Huge discrepancies also exist between the life expectancies of those from rich and poor backgrounds.
Mr Mckeown added: : “Figures for the most deprived areas show women will live i n good health 14.6 years less than women in thee least deprived areas s and men will live in n good health 12.2 years rs less than men in the least deprived areas.”
This means the health of men and women born in the most deprived areas may decline when they are in their 40s.
Meanwhile, 81% of pensioners are living on amounts that place them between “severe poverty” and “low incomes”.
Age NI has appealed to the Department of Health to rethink cuts that will impact on older people more than any other group. Mr Mckeown said: “We need a gov government in place to d develop and implement a strategy to tackle and p prevent poverty in N Northern Ireland, i including the often hidden poverty experienced by older people.”