The problems of an ageing population

Currently in the UK more and more of the population are living for longer. The percentage of older people in our population is growing and is predicted to continue growing further into the future. Therefore, older people are increasingly contributing to our society. At present our society is not able to accommodate enough for the elderly, so many new measures are being put in place to do this. Although, there are difficulties being faced due to our ageing population which will take time to overcome.

One of the biggest concerns with an aging population is the effect on healthcare. As we get older we become more susceptible to illnesses as some are associated with age. Statistics now show that the leading cause of death in the UK is due to age related illnesses such as Dementia and Alzheimer’s. Thus there is and will be more people needing medical attention. With this increased demand for medical help there needs to be a growth in healthcare services. At this time the growth doesn’t seem to be at a fast enough rate as waiting times for treatment are increasing, some of these even being life dependent. Moreover, elderly people are likely to face more than one illness at a given time, this is known as comorbidities. This leads onto the problem of polypharmacy, in which a person is on several medications. When various medications are combined there can be a risk that they can affect each other in unexpected ways and influence unwanted effects known as side effects. Consequently, medication needs to be carefully assessed before given to patients and advancements are needed for medicines that can be taken to treat various illnesses.

Another problem encountered with an ageing population is that a higher percent of the population will not be working. This could cause strain on the economy. Also there is likely to be an increased demand on certain services. This is highlighting if whether our current services are sustainable or changes need to be made to them. It is important that the quality of the life for the elderly does not deteriorate and so services are key to ensuring this doesn’t happen.

Despite the problems that are faced with an ageing populations there are many benefits. Such as the fact that more people are living for longer shows the progress of science and healthcare and suggest that in the future people can live for even longer than they currently are. Many people are working past the age of 65, some of which have a wealth of experience and knowledge. Not only that, but more information is able to be obtained on illnesses related to age, like Alzheimer’s and Dementia as more research is able to be conducted on the matter than before.

Hope you found this insightful. Thanks for reading
Written by Aarti Chopra

Universal Medicine

Sources:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/535187/gs-16-10-future-of-an-ageing-population.pdf

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