International Older People's Day: New Ipsos Report

Should Cameron Be Worried About The Grey Gordons?

To celebrate International Older People's Day Ipsos has released a new analysis of our data on older people. Ipsos's data points to a diverse group whose contribution to society and potential productivity is often overlooked by Government and society.

Official figures show that people aged 65 and over currently account for a sixth of the UK population, but the baby boom generation are sweeping into their 60s and set to boost the population of pensioners to a quarter by 2031. The profile of the older population is rapidly changing as baby boomers age, and older people increasingly have more diverse views and behaviours than previous generations, reflecting wider changes in society.

"Sure and Steady" Brown gaining among the Grey Gordons -- should Cameron be worried?

• Ipsos's data shows that most older people are politically literate and socially engaged. The older age groups are far more likely to vote than younger people, indeed a quarter of the voters at the 2005 general election were aged 65+, and more than two in five were aged 55 or over.
• Furthermore, older voters are less volatile in their party support than the young and middle-aged, probably because their party loyalties are more deeply ingrained. This may mean that they are harder for the parties to win over, but also implies that once convinced they are more likely to stay convinced.
• Older people remain a bedrock of Conservative support and they are less satisfied with the Government than younger people (although since Brown took over as Labour leader, support for Labour among this group has increased by 5 percentage points in July and August).
• However, David Cameron will be worried about his personal ratings among older people. They are the most dissatisfied age group with his performance and, looking at the aggregate data for the first two months of Brown's premiership, his scores are falling faster among older people than voters as a whole. Furthermore, Brown's "sure and steady" persona seems to be playing well among older people. Although his overall ratings are still higher among the under 55s, Brown's satisfaction score among older people is much higher that Tony Blair's in the last months of his premiership.

A New Age Of Opportunity?

Older people have more to contribute to society than ever before -- they will live longer than previous generations, they are healthier and are growing in numbers and influence. The contribution of older people to society in terms of volunteering, citizenship and consumer spending is disproportionately high. Yet the time, skills and resources that older people have to offer society often appear to be undervalued and untapped. We argue that as the ageing population increases, so does the window of opportunity for them to become more active.

Jo Slaymaker of Ipsos said "As a society we need to radically change our ideas about what old age means. The old stereotypes are now simply outdated, and the politicians and companies that understand this best will benefit"

Older people are more satisfied with their standard of living than their younger counterparts (over 80% of 65+s, compared with 71% of the middle aged). Furthermore, many people reaching 'old age' are empty-nesters and have more time to relax and have fun than their younger relatives. They have plenty of leisure time and more disposable income than ever before.

Contrary to the stereotype of 'old age', retirees are likely to be active, with many enjoying overseas holidays (43% of 65-74s) and voluntary work (30% of 65-74s). Three-quarters of 65-74 year olds have paid off their mortgage and can rely on significant capital in homes. The 55-64 year old age group are also about as happy with their sex lives as younger people, so old age isn't all doom and gloom.

Participation in leisure activities is high for 50-69 year olds but activity falls steeply after 70. But inactivity is not just about poor health. The main reason that older people say they don't go out more is fear of crime (25% of 65-74s and 20% of 75+s). Public transport is also vital (only half of 75+s have access to a car) and even the little things help -- those aged over 70 are three times as likely to say that road and pavement repairs are important in making somewhere a good place to live than those aged under 45.

Old Age Is Not A Bed Of Roses For Everyone

Yet for many, 'old age' represents a period of low productivity, frailty, bad health and decline. In particular, health notably deteriorates in later life -- particularly for those aged 75+ (three-fifths report having a limiting long-standing illness or disability) -- and many face barriers to leading a social, healthy and active life in later years. 'Active aging', and social participation can protect older people against loneliness and isolation. It's interesting that whilst younger people think that being financially comfortable is key to having a happy old age, for older people, social interaction and independence are just as important. Up to a quarter of over 75s say they have gone a full day without anyone speaking to them.

Thoughtful communication about the kinds of activities and opportunities available for older people to get involved in, and importantly how to access them, is key to social inclusion and active aging. This will become increasingly vital for central and local Government to address as the population ages. A shrewd Government and society will ensure that what is currently a somewhat untapped resource is used more wisely and valued more highly. This means maximising accessibility to services, leisure activities, public transport and volunteering; providing joined-up services that focus on people's mental and physical well-being; and maximising opportunity for participation and inclusion.

• Older People: The New Age of Opportunity Ipsos Briefing Pack for International Older People's Day pdf, 243KB