Inventing our future Collective action for a sustainable economy

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Strategic Priority 6: To support people in the East of England in ‘active
ageing’ and adding life to years
7.23 Between 1981 and 2003, the proportion of people aged 75 or over rose from 5.9% to 8% of the
total in the East of England; this trend is projected to continue into the 2020s. Moreover, between
2008 and 2013, the number of people aged 65 and over is projected to overtake the number aged
16 and under in the Region. Within this overall context, the sixth Strategic Priority – identified in order
to deliver the Vision of Healthy Futures – is concerned with ‘active ageing’, focusing especially on
the issues facing the Region’s older people.
Active ageing
7.24 ‘Active ageing’ is defined by the World Health Organisation as ‘the process of optimising opportunities
for health, participation and security in order to enhance quality of life as people age’. The concept
embraces continuing participation in social, economic, cultural, spiritual and civic affairs, as well as
the ability to be physically active and participate in the labour force. 130
7.25 Active ageing is a process, not a milestone. Hence in terms of Healthy Futures, several Strategic
Priorities have important contributions to make. There are close links with the three Strategic
Priorities included within Theme A – Health in Sustainable Communities:
• The design of settlements (Strategic Priority 1) must have regard to the process of ageing
in terms of individuals and the population as a whole
• The health and well-being of people of all ages is closely linked to all aspects of social capital
(and inter-generational elements are important) (Strategic Priority 2)
• Access is a key consideration with regard to people’s ability to ‘Choose Health’ (Strategic Priority 3)
and population ageing ought to be considered in this context.
7.26 There are strong links to Strategic Priority 5, particularly in terms of life-work transitions. And health
outcomes throughout the life course are influenced by events in childhood; Strategic Priority 4 is
therefore also relevant.
Specific issues facing older people
7.27 Within this broad context, we must also focus on the more specific issues facing older people within
the East of England, and their implications for health and well-being.
7.28 The discussion under Strategic Priority 5 highlighted the complex transition from work to retirement,
and flagged the implications in terms of people’s health. Against this backdrop, many older people
engage in volunteering, thereby contributing greatly to the Region’s life; nationally, the economic
value of formal volunteering has been estimated to be £40bn per annum while the estimated value
of volunteering for health and social services is around £7bn. 131 Particularly for the ‘young old’, the
process of volunteering is also extremely important in terms of generating social capital and avoiding
isolation and exclusion (see Strategic Priority 2).
130 Active Ageing: A Policy Framework World Health Organisation (2002).
131 Taken from a factsheet to support delivery of the preventive aspects of the National Service Framework for Older People, produced by the HDA
(available at www.futureeast.org.uk)