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Research

Older Londoners

health , older people , public services , social care

Overview

This project aims to develop a more detailed picture of older people living in London and to identify the specific needs of those aged over 75 and to increase understanding around effective service provision for this group.

Responding to the needs of this growing section of the population is becoming increasingly important but despite this only a third of councils have been found to be prepared for an ageing population (Audit Commission 2009). Lack of detailed information about older people has led to a lack of understanding around the range of needs older people have.

Responses to the ageing population have often treated older people as a single group, without acknowledging the range of sub groups and diverse needs existing within this group. Research has shown that the ‘oldest old’ are at greater risk of experiencing social isolation, dementia and depression which makes them a particularly vulnerable group.

Growing old in London provides a series of unique challenges. A recent poll commissioned by IPPR found that older people living in London were less likely to have regular social contact than those in other areas of the country. Mental ill-health is also more prevalent in the capital. And the physical infrastructure of the city, from housing and transport to public spaces, provides a particular challenge for those older people who are less mobile. There is therefore a significant challenge for services within London to recognise and adapt to the needs of the oldest residents.

Project detail

The project has two key elements:

Firstly, bringing together a range of statistics on older Londoners to provide a detailed profile of the population and project future changes. Data will also be collected on areas such as health, disability, life expectancy, economic position and housing type and tenure to produce an interactive website which is due to be online in Autumn 2011.

Secondly, producing practice reviews to gain a more in depth insight into the practical aspects of service provision to older Londoners, focusing on three key areas – home-based care, dementia and social isolation. As part of this we have completed a series interviews with service users and providers as well as a comprehensive review of secondary data, literature and cases of good practice.

This project is generously funded by the City Bridge Trust and it is intended to provide a better evidence base for policymakers and people who commission services.

Outputs

In addition to four published outputs (see Publications below), an interactive website – www.olderlondoners.org – has been produced to provide borough-by-borough information on the demographics and service needs of London's older population.