Opportunity Age – Opportunity and security throughout life
A social portrait of ageing in the UK
Introduction
What is it like to grow old in the UK in 2005 for people who are already in old age, and the generation about to follow them?
Drawing on a variety of research and statistics, this volume provides a snapshot of some of the key evidence on ageing today and - where information is available - explores future trends.
As well as signalling some of the challenges and opportunities an ageing society brings, this evidence challenges the stereotyping of older people as a homogeneous group, with uniform needs and aspirations.
Our intention is to enrich this analysis and review it regularly as part of our follow-up programme.
Who are you calling old? - defining old age
- In drawing a portrait of ageing in the UK, the first question is what do we mean by “old”?
- Perceptions of ageing and old age depend on where you stand. To a teenager, a person in his or her 30s is old. But many people even in their 70s and 80s do not regard themselves as old and reject being labelled according to their chronological age.
- Many people would agree, therefore, that old age is a state of mind rather than a fixed chronological point.
- Much of this portrait will depict the experience of people aged 60 and over, but it will also explore that of the next generation - people in their 50s - to see if and how this cohort's experiences differ from that of its predecessors.