Life expectancy

Responding to recent media reports that girls born in the UK today have a one-in-three chance of reaching the age of 100, and boys have a one-in-four-chance of reaching 100, Age Cymru’s Head of Policy and Public Affairs Graeme Francis says:

“Age and ageing should be welcomed and celebrated and these figures confirm what we already know, and that is that we are all living longer.

“Age Cymru aspires to a future where older people are able to lead lives that are fulfilling in ways that were not often possible for previous generations of older people.

“However with significant numbers of older people currently suffering ill-health and poverty, this positive older age is being denied to many and this will continue to be the case in future unless we change the way we do things.

“The opportunities and challenges posed by our ageing population require a planned response from government.

“Unless we confront today’s attitudes to age and ageing we all risk marginalisation and disrespect as we grow older and without action to raise pensioner incomes, we will permanently consign a fifth of the population to poverty.”