Older Adult: Life Expectancy, Age-Friendly Communities Analysis

This report examines the life expectancy of older adults, focusing on comparisons between New Zealand and Japan. It begins by defining life expectancy and outlining factors that influence it, such as demographics and healthcare. The report highlights the significant differences in life expectancy between the two nations, attributing these disparities to variations in ethnicity, geographical factors, healthcare systems, and government policies. It further explores the challenges faced by older adults, including health issues and social isolation, and discusses the concept of "age-friendly" communities as a strategy to improve their well-being. The report analyzes the Healthy Aging Strategy and the WHO Global Strategy on Aging and Health, highlighting their objectives and approaches to enhancing the quality of life for older populations. It recommends promoting healthier lifestyles, enhancing physical and social security, and increasing investment in healthcare facilities to improve life expectancy. The report emphasizes the importance of age-friendly environments in addressing the challenges faced by older adults and ensuring their continued participation in community life. The report concludes by emphasizing the need for accessible, inclusive, and supportive communities to promote healthy aging and improve the overall well-being of older adults.

Running head: OLDER ADULT
Older Adult
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Part 1
Part 1.1
The term life expectancy can be defined as the statistical measure of the average time an
individual is expected to live. Life expectancy of an individual depends on several factors that
includes the year of birth, demographical factors, gender, the healthcare facilities of the nation
and others. The life expectancy statistics helps an individual to understand the mortality as well
as the survival rate of that nation. The average life expectancy of New Zealand is 81.61 years.
According to the data presented by the World Health Organization (WHO) in the year 2017, the
male life expectancy at New Zealand is 80.5 years and that of the female is 82.2 years which
gives the nation a World Life Expectancy Ranking of 15. When it Comes to Japan, , according to
the data presented by WHO in 2018, the male life expectancy of the nation is 81.1and that of the
female is 87.1 which makes the average life expectancy o the nation 84.2 years (Livingstone et
al., 2017). Due to high life expectancy, Japan has been ranked as number 1 in the World life
Expectancy ranking. From the above mentioned data it can be clearly understood that the life
expectancy of Japan is much higher compared to that of New Zealand.
Several similarities as well as dissimilarities can be pointed out if the life expectancy of
New Zealand and Japan is compared. For instance, it can be clearly understood from the above
mentioned data that the life expectancy of the male gender in both the nation is lower than that o
the female. Inn both the countries the death of men in coronary artery disease (CAD) is three
times higher compared to women. Not only this, the male suicide rate of both the countries a
outnumbered the female suicide rate in every age group. While these are some similarities in life
expectancy between both the nation, there prevails several dissimilates between New Zealand

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and Japan when it comes to ethnicity variation, geographical variation and variations in rate at
which they are increasing, decreasing or plateauing. When it comes to the ethnicity of the New
Zealander, it can be divided into two parts that is, the major ethnic group that is the Europeans
and the minor ethnic groups that is Maori and Asians. While the major ethnic group consists of
74 percent of the total population the rest is comprised of the minor ethnic group.
According to researchers, considering the fact that the individuals who belongs to the
minor ethnic group in New Zealand lacks appropriate healthcare facilities along with other
discrimination, the life expectancy rate of the mentioned group is a major reason behind the low
life expectancy rate of the nation (Kontis et al. 2017). When it comes Japan, t is said that Ethnic
Japanese make up 98.5% of the total population and that the rest are Korean, Chinese and
others. The Japanese pays 69.7 percent more taxes compared to NZ and have 41..4 percent fewer
children. Not only has this, a Japanese invested 44.35 percent more than a New Zealander for
healthcare. However, when it comes to HIV, the both are equality likely to get the disease. When
it comes to the geographical variation, the population of New Zealand is nearly two times
compared to that of Japan. The literate of Japan is also higher than NZ. High population and
lower healthcare opportunities in New Zealand compared to that of Japan can be considered as a
major reason behind the low life expectancy of the New Zealand. As per the data obtained, the
life expectancy rate of both the nations is increasing.
Part 1.2
From the above discussion it can be clearly understood that there prevails several differences
in ethnicity, practices, government and healthcare system of the two nations, that is resulting in
the difference in life expectancy between them. One of the chief reasons of lower life

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expectancy is the increasing number of older adults in New Zealand. In the last 48 years, the
number of older adults has got increased by 151 percent. This rate is increasing much faster than
rest of the population. For instance, the number of children under 15 years and the working
population has evidenced an increment in growing rate by 12 and 23 percent by the previous year
, whereas the rate of growth of the aging population was 53 percent (Mathers et al., 2015). Thus
it can be clearly understood that in order to enhance the life expectancy of the overall nation, it is
crucial to enhance the life expectancy of the order adults. Considering the fact that the life
expectancy of the older adults in Japan is highest across the world, in order to enhance the same
of New Zealand, the following three recommendations should be followed by the government of
the nation.
1. Considering the fact that one of the chief reasons behind death of the older adults in New
Zealand includes heart diseases, cancer and stroke, leading a healthier life style can be
considered as a major factor that posses the potential to enhance the life expectancy of
the older adults. In Japan, grains make up to 40.7 percent of the diet compared to 13.3
percent in New Zealand. The traditional Japanese diet is made up of fish, rice, pickles ,
vegetables and miso soups served in small healthy portions, regular consumption of these
diets prevent accumulation of fat in the body which is considered to be the chief reason
behind heart disease and stroke (Collins, Tutone & Walker, 2017). Hence it is
recommended that the government of NZ should promote healthy lifestyle through
campaigns since in Japan it has resulted in measurable improvements
2. Another major issue faced by the older adults in New Zealand is lack official and
physical security. The abuse rate of older adult in high. This fact is imposing impact on
both the mental as well as physical wellbeing of the same. In Japan, the governments

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along with several Japanese companies have invested on housing where elderly people
can live safely and conveniently. NZ can follow this recommendation in order to enhance
the life expectancy of the older people.
3. Thirdly, the Japan government invests a huge amount of the annual budget on healthcare
facilities of the older adults. Majority of the medicines and treatments are either free or
bear minimal cost in the nation. This measure can be adopted by NZ since it is one of the
major reasons behind increased life expectancy o older people in Japan (Zealand, 2015).
Part 2
Part 2.1
Older individuals face several challenges due to the sensory as well as other changes that
age brings to them. In order to eradicate the issue, the concept of “age-Friendly” has being
designed. In an age friendly community, all the services, policies and structures are associated
with the physical s well as social environment that are designed to support as well as enable
older individuals to age grace fully. Public as well as commercial services and settings are made
accessible in order to accommodate the varying levels of ability (Abbott et al., 2017). The chief
aim of an age friendly community is to provide effective care to the older population by
recognizing the great diversity between them, promote their contribution as well a inclusion in
all areas of community life and respect their lifestyle choices and decision.
When it comes to both the healthy aging strategy as well as the global Strategy and
Action Plan on Aging and health, both the plans has been designed in order to enhance the
healthcare condition of the older service users as well as to reduce social issues like abuse of
older adults. The aim of the healthy aging strategy is to develop a health system that works for

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each and every older new Zealander. Among the five strategic objectives of the mentioned
healthcare plan, developing age-friendly environments is a major one. Similarly, one of the five
strategical objectives of the WHO Global strategy and action plan on ageing and health includes
developing age-friendly environments. In both the strategies, the concept of age friendly
environment is to develop communities that commits to physically accessible as well as inclusive
social leaving environment which promote healthy as well as active aging and good quality life
(Chatterji et al., 2015). In both the cases, Age-friendly communities provide new opportunities
for developing knowledge and skills for healthy ageing, and for the health sector to partner with
older people in developing health and resilience.
When it comes to the dissimilarities between the two mentioned strategies that is, the
Healthy Aging Strategy as well as the Global Strategy and Action Plan on Aging and Health, it
can be said that the approaches and implementation of both the strategies are slightly different
(Beard et al., 2016). For instance, in the former strategy, the age friendly concept is entirely
based on the issues faced by the people of NZ along with social abuse and discrimination. The
age-friendly communities are made health conscious and accessible. However, when it comes to
the approach of WHO it has concentrated more on the broader aspect that is combating ageism,
enabling autonomy and supporting Healthy Aging Polices at all level.
Part 2.1
According to researchers, health can be considered as the fundamental of living well, age
well and continue to participate in family celebration as well as I the community life (Prince et
al., 2015). Older individual have made a significant contribution to the society, socially,
intellectually as well as economically through out there live. Hence the purpose of the aging-

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friendly approach is to ensure that they can continue to be active, engaged as well as enjoy their
life in the future. Considering the fact that a good number of elderly people across are world are
discriminated by the family members and face social isolation, the age friendly community
approach has been developed in order to prevent it. Not only this, the mentioned approach also
posses the capacity to reduce the impact of health issues as well as well as social abuse face by
the older adults (Hyer et al., 2017).
With aging majority of the people suffer from los of strengths a well as mobility that is
not inevitable. According to WHO, more than half of the health conditions the older individuals
experience posses the potential to be avoidable through lifestyle changes. It has been found that
there prevails a positive linkage between the healthy lifestyle and physical and mental
determinants of health of older adults. Considering the fact that the age friendly communities
provides the older population with a life style that is active and healthy, this approach posses the
potential to solve the issue of decreasing life expectancy of nations like New Zealand. Secondly,
the age friendly communities foster heath as well as well-being and the participation of
individuals as they age. These communities are accessible, inclusive, equitable and supportive.
Not only these communities also promote health and prevent or delay the onset of disease and
functional decline. They provide people-centered services and support to enable recovery or to
compensate for the loss of function so that people can continue to do the things that are
important to them (Fisher et al., 2017).
Thus it can be clearly understood that without the age friendly environments, the health
for everyone approach cannot be successful. Each and every individual should posses thee
opportunity to achieve the highest possible level of health as well as wellbeing regardless of age,
culture, ethnic background and gender. Considering the fact that several older individuals across

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the world experience negative attitude as well as discrimination based on their age, these
community prevent this mishappnings by acknowledging diversity, fighting ageism and ensuring
that every individual posses the opportunity to fully participate. Creating affordable and barrier
free housing, accessible transportation that are specially designed in order to make the older
adult stay independent an participate in the community life, the age friendly approach can surely
enhance the life expectancy of older people across the world.

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