Social Policy and Ageing Population

This assignment takes up the issue of ageing population being a burden on the economy. The demographic trends and their impact on healthcare costs, housing and immigration gets authentic in terms of the governmental intervention. The recommendation of training the junior workforce would be beneficial in terms of respecting the seniority and experience of the elderly workforce.

Running head: SOCIOLOGY
Social policy and ageing population
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

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Executive summary
Sociology is a diverse subject, aiming to ensure the wellbeing of the humankind. As a matter
of specification, the discipline comprises of the social work done for upgrading the standards
of living for the people. Here, the main focus is on community development, as they lack the
basic facilities needed for survival. This assignment takes up the issue of ageing population
being a burden on the economy. The demographic trends and their impact on healthcare
costs, housing and immigration gets authentic in terms of the governmental intervention.
Typical examples in this direction are healthcare reforms and policies. The recommendation
of training the junior workforce would be beneficial in terms of respecting the seniority and
experience of the elderly workforce.

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Table of contents
Social stigma around aging population......................................................................................3
Evaluation of approaches taken by successive government in making provision for the elderly
since 1979...................................................................................................................................5
Impact of ageing population on pensions, healthcare costs, housing and immigration.............7
Recommendations for improving elderly care in UK................................................................9
References................................................................................................................................10
Bibliography.............................................................................................................................12

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Social stigma around aging population
We are living in a youth-motivated culture while our population is getting older.
According to the statistics, the population of UK is getting older with 18% of the population
aged 65 and above and 2.5% of population aged 85 and above (Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov 2019).
Often the old and aging population are stigmatised in our society as frail and their disabilities
in the spheres of mobility and psychosomatic disabilities such as dementia and Parkinson’s
are often viewed negatively in a society which is youth-driven.
Moreover, society has a tendency to adopt various generalised thoughts, prejudiced
preconceived notions about a group or a community through portrayal of that respective
community in media, print media, newspapers, magazines and other sources. For instance,
research from The Royal Society of Public Health stated that a quarter of the upcoming
generation of UK assumes that depression and desolation is common in senior citizens,
whereas, 40% of the upcoming generation of UK also believes that there is no way to escape
from dementia or delirium once an individual ages (Ageuk.org.uk 2019).
A report from Institute of Medicine stated that there has been subsequently negative
attitude towards elderly patients in healthcare centres across Europe. Such obnoxious
attitudes towards the aging population of UK has denoted United Kingdom to be the worst
country for senior citizens and aging population.
Analysis of demographic trends concerning aging population.
Demographical data is important to analyse, interpret and formulate certain policies
for a particular sample of demography or the whole. Demography of United Kingdom is
dynamic and changes continuously (according to the socio-economical, socio-political,
geopolitical and other issues in a nation or the world) which subsequently affects the aging
population as well. According to the arguments of Davies and Challis (2018), it can be

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assumed that UK population is susceptible to growth, reaching almost 73 million by 2041.
Factors such as births outnumbering deaths, immigration over emigration and improved
medical and healthcare spheres can be traced as being responsible for the population growth.
However, it is evident that the population of UK is aging; in around the middle of 2017,
18.2% of population of UK were roughly aged 65 years compared to only 15.9% of the
population in 2007.
Nevertheless, data analysts have projected the aging population to grow to 20.7% in
the upcoming year 2027. It is assumed that the population of UK is living longer than before;
the newborns of 2015-17 are expected to live till 79 years (in case of males) or 82 years (in
case of females). Number of live births in UK is on the verge of decline which is also a
reason for demographic changes concerning aging population of UK. As per the revelations
of Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov (2019), demographic reports, it has been observed that the rate at which
the aging population is growing in United Kingdom is more than the population of working
age. Similarly, the increase in average life expectancy is not moving at par with the age at
which people retire or leave the workforce or labour force. The Old Age Dependency Ratio
(or OADR) of the population of United Kingdom has increased considerably as the increase
of the aging population and life expectancy of United Kingdom.
The Old Age Dependency Ratio can be termed as the number of people who are aged
(65 years or older) and deemed to get State Pension per every 1000 of the population
involved in working force or labour force (aged between 16 to 64 years). The OADR of
United Kingdom was 289 in 2017, while it is speculated that by 2041, the OADR of UK
would be projected to be 419. It is analysed that the aging population who has reached the
age of superannuation has been subject to socially constructed discrimination in terms of job
opportunities (Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov 2019). They are offered restricted job roles such as domestic
or sedentary jobs (probably assuming their difficulties in mobility) which has resulted in

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creation of poverty among the aged community of United Kingdom. People aged between 50
to 64 years with a long term health issue are less likely to work or engage themselves into a
job, as the latest statistical data says. As the statistics state, 44% of people who fall under age
between 50 to 64 years have been diagnosed, or possess, a health problem that is lasting, or
rather, would last more than a year. Over half of the mentioned population (58%) has been
known to be working in the previous months, compared to 81% of the people without any
health problem (Cecil et al. 2016).
Evaluation of approaches taken by successive government in making provision for the
elderly since 1979
The role “Conservatives” and Margaret Thatcher played since 1979 in making
provisions for the senior citizens of United Kingdom has been highly criticised and
questioned still today. Thatcher’s reforms of “community care” completely eliminated the
role of the state (or nation) in providing services to the senior citizens reduced the state’s
responsibility to minimum regarding responsibility for funding such services. The purpose of
such alienation was to create an active market which resulted in incurring more costs to the
aging population, thereby increasing inequalities in the society. The conservative government
under Margaret Thatcher disapproved the policies of Health Services Board that allowed paid
beds to be continuing their functioning and license systems for private hospitals. Private
sectors governed the “community care” departments of United Kingdom, therefore, making it
difficult for the senior citizens to afford healthcare services (Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov 2019).
With the advent of John Major as the representative of United Kingdom after the
conservatives and Margaret Thatcher, “citizen’s charter” was introduced to the people of
United Kingdom that outlined and clearly comprehended the rights of the patients. A
considerable amount of money had been spent for the benefit of the senior citizens and public

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which had aided in stop of long delays and suspension in emergency treatments, such as
cardiac treatment and nephrological treatment.
After the rule of Thatcher and Major, Tony Blair of the Labour party became the
Prime Minister of United Kingdom and he was known to bring a considerable change in
healthcare and social care sectors. Under Blair’s government the senior citizens who were
service holders were allowed to receive direct payments for the equivalent cash that were
offered to them to purchase their own personal assistants. Gupta and Rehman (2017) are of
the opinion that such provisions enabled the senior citizens of United Kingdom provisions to
maintain their health and well-being; however, such provision challenged the decision-
making power of the healthcare experts and caregivers.
Gordon Brown, throughout his tenure as the prime minister of United Kingdom,
introduced free care for the economically deprived sections of the senior citizens. The
respective measure has been considered to be giving medical, social and moral support to the
most vulnerable sections of the elderly population of United Kingdom. A programme named
“putting people first” personalised social care services in United kingdom that enabled the
senior citizens with housing, aid in usage of technology, extra care and prevention
(MacKinnon 2015). Few innovative technologies were utilised to connect healthcare call
centres with senior citizens in case of any individual care or assistance. Brown’s government
also introduced “Madrid International Plan of Action on ageing” that stated their
commitments on development, health and well-being and ensuring supportive environment of
the elderly population.
David Cameron in 2012 introduced integration between NHS medical and domestic
support with local councils that aims at assisting the disabled, terminally ill elderly patients or
patients suffering from long-term health conditions in receiving healthcare and social care

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supports at their residence. Along with this, mention can be made of the shift in policies for
the poor. Re-election in 1983 gave rise to hostility towards welfarism. This was during the
reign of Margaret Thatcher, who believed in the creation of civilized society by caring for the
sick and poor. Within this, special emphasis is on the voluntary organizations, for whom pro-
welfare policies were developed (Livingston et al. 2017). Apart from this, reference can be
cited of National Health Service Act (1946), which was implemented for taking care of the
sick and poor.
Social care funds originated in 1948, which were governed by the National Assistance
Act. The expenses were accounted under social security, with the aim to promote a mixed
economy, with focus on the provision of quality social care services. Since 1989, the policies
and institutions increased controls for the rotational shifts of the healthcare professionals.
Since the Second World War, the National Health Service social reforms were introduced,
which catered to the healthcare. These reforms made the healthcare institutions independent
of the services. The areas, which can be mapped in this aspect as England, Scotland, Wales
and Northern Ireland (Hayes, Prior and Campling 2017).
From the late 1970s, the intention was to provide homely care to the elderly. This
kind of thought is irrelevant in an ambience when policies were developed for providing
quality care to the elderly in the communities. Management of the care services indicated
development of policies for governing the operations. In spite of low admission into the
healthcare institutions, the services proved to be cost effective. The major drive behind this
were perfect alignment between the resources and the healthcare needs of the patients. The
local councils were entrusted with the responsibility to create action plans and frameworks.
Within this, Docherty et al. (2016) points out that packages were developed for providing all
the services under one roof.

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Impact of ageing population on pensions, healthcare costs, housing and immigration
Ageing populations are a burden on the economy. The demographic change in this
aspect consists of stagnancy in the life expectancy ratio and decline in the fertility. Here,
mention can be made of old age dependency, which aggravated the complexities in pensions.
The services, which were unfunded the ratio of the taxpayers and pensioners were improper.
In case of increased longevity impact and lower fertility accumulated a larger share of the
retirement. For the possession of the assets, the pensioners and the taxpayers were weighed in
terms of the total share in the GDP of the economy. In the 20th century, there was a dramatic
increase in the life expectancy ratio. It increased from 45 in 1902 to 75.7 in 2004
(Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov 2019).
Figure 1: Life expectancy of the elderly in UK
(Source: Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov 2019)
Ageing population means more number of diseases, which compels the government
agencies to plan for more pensions, medicines and healthcare services. This strains the
already prepared budget. This is a challenge for the western government, as they are
encountering debt issues and unfunded pension schemes. Aged population is also a burden
for the workplace. Poor mobility means lesser opportunity to work, indicating the extraction

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of unproductive work. Planning for the incentives, in case of the people retiring early, is one
of the other challenges. Marginal tax rates have to be imposed on the earnings in case of the
delayed retirements.
In case of immigration, the expats travelling with their elderly parents need to produce
medical records. These documents act assistance in terms of providing relevant care.
According to the rules, the person applying for the elderly dependent visa needs to have the
possession of required level of care in the native country (Hanley 2018). The criteria in this
direction is affordability and unavailability. Along with this, the elders are provided with the
opportunity to choose the type of houses, which they intend to live in. 24 hours supports are
provided, which reduced the concerns regarding fulfilment of the care and treatment. These
supports are skilled, qualified and verified from the government. Mass appeals are created for
collecting donations for upgrading the standards and quality of the infrastructure.
Recommendations for improving elderly care in UK
The workforce needs to be trained about catering to the specific needs, demands and
requirements of the elderly employees. Assistance from Commission on Hospital Care for
Frail Older People would be effective. Specifically, the employees needs to be trained about
being patient while dealing with the elderly. As per the arguments of Hussain et al. (2015),
surveying the elderly employees would be fruitful in terms of gaining an insight into the
needs. Conducting meetings with the higher authorities would result in the development of
plans for introducing upgraded facilities for the elderly workforce. Involving the elderly
workforce in the activities would help in gaining trust, dependence and loyalty. This would,
in turn, improve the stability in the professional relationships (Jones et al. 2016).

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References

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Ageuk.org.uk (2019). About us. Available at:
https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/care/housing-options/ [Accessed on 8th March
2019]
Cecil, E., Bottle, A., Cowling, T.E., Majeed, A., Wolfe, I. and Saxena, S., 2016. Primary care
access, emergency department visits, and unplanned short hospitalizations in the
UK. Pediatrics, 137(2), p.e20151492.
Davies, B. and Challis, D., 2018. Matching resources to needs in community care: An
evaluated demonstration of a long-term care model. Routledge.
Docherty, A.B., Anderson, N.H., Walsh, T.S. and Lone, N.I., 2016. Equity of access to
critical care among elderly patients in Scotland: a national cohort study. Critical care
medicine, 44(1), pp.3-13.
Gupta, A. and Rehman, A., 2017. Measurement scales used in elderly care. CRC Press.
Hanley, I., 2018. Reality orientation in the care of the elderly patient with dementia–three
case studies. In Psychological therapies for the elderly (pp. 65-79). Routledge.
Hayes, B.C., Prior, P. and Campling, J., 2017. Gender and health care in the UK: Exploring
the stereotypes. Macmillan International Higher Education.
Hussain, A., Wenbi, R., da Silva, A.L., Nadher, M. and Mudhish, M., 2015. Health and
emergency-care platform for the elderly and disabled people in the Smart City. Journal of
Systems and Software, 110, pp.253-263.
Jones, L., Candy, B., Davis, S., Elliott, M., Gola, A., Harrington, J., Kupeli, N., Lord, K.,
Moore, K., Scott, S. and Vickerstaff, V., 2016. Development of a model for integrated care at
the end of life in advanced dementia: a whole systems UK-wide approach. Palliative
medicine, 30(3), pp.279-295.

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Livingston, G., Sommerlad, A., Orgeta, V., Costafreda, S.G., Huntley, J., Ames, D., Ballard,
C., Banerjee, S., Burns, A., Cohen-Mansfield, J. and Cooper, C., 2017. Dementia prevention,
intervention, and care. The Lancet, 390(10113), pp.2673-2734.
MacKinnon, D., 2015. Devolution, state restructuring and policy divergence in the UK. The
Geographical Journal, 181(1), pp.47-56.
Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov (2019). About us. Available at:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2781842/ [Accessed on 8th March 2019]

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Bibliography
Church, M., 2018. Issues in psychological therapy with elderly people. In Psychological
therapies for the elderly (pp. 1-21). Routledge.
Elias, S.M.S., Neville, C. and Scott, T., 2015. The effectiveness of group reminiscence
therapy for loneliness, anxiety and depression in older adults in long-term care: A systematic
review. Geriatric Nursing, 36(5), pp.372-380.
Goodman, C., Dening, T., Gordon, A.L., Davies, S.L., Meyer, J., Martin, F.C., Gladman,
J.R., Bowman, C., Victor, C., Handley, M. and Gage, H., 2016. Effective health care for older
people living and dying in care homes: a realist review. BMC health services research, 16(1),
p.269.
McCann, L., Granter, E., Hassard, J. and Hyde, P., 2015. “You Can't Do Both—Something
Will Give”: Limitations of the Targets Culture in Managing UK Health Care
Workforces. Human resource management, 54(5), pp.773-791.