Grey Power: The Changing Face

Society has a preoccupation with youth. Perhaps understandably the young are treasured and nurtured as `our future', parents put the needs of their children before their own, voters and governments demand education, education, education - it is the age `to be' and `to look'.

But change is afoot. People are living longer and birth rates are declining, so much so that soon - within the next three/four decades - older people will outnumber the young for the first time. As has been widely predicted, the numerical superiority of older people may bring social issues such as the resourcing of pensions, housing and healthcare to the top of the agenda. But we shouldn't forget that larger numbers of older people are richer, healthier and more socially active than ever before. As well as having needs to be met, older people also have increasing power and influence to wield.

This paper explores the demographic and economic profile of older people - highlighting trends and some projections for the future. It looks at their lifestyles, opinion, attitudes and values, given that these may have more social, cultural, and political significance in the future.

This paper was written by Sir Robert Worcester and presented to the Help the Aged Seminar in London on 19 February 1999.