Older population to rise by half million in 25 years
New figures from the General Register Office for Scotland suggest that the number of people aged 75 and over will rise 82 per cent in the next 25 years.
There will be an additional half million people at and over State Pension Age, with more older people in every local authority area.
Age Scotland spokesperson Callum Chomczuk said: "We have known for some time that Scotland's population is getting larger and getting older.
"However these population projections are not something to be apprehensive about, but instead they are outcomes worth celebrating. We all want to live healthier and longer lives and the recent data shows that for most of us this will be an increasing likelihood.
"That it not to say there won't be challenges in meeting the health needs of an ageing population, especially at a time where there is fiscal contraction. However by reshaping the current care agenda to invest more in care at home we can delay and avoid the need for more costly intervention in the future and deliver better services for older people which achieve significant savings for the public purse."
These figures coincide with a warning from Audit Scotland that Councils and the NHS are failing to ensure vital care services can be delivered in the future. The public spending watchdog said Local Authorities and the Health Boards have been "slow" to develop strategic commissioning of health and social care services, with just 11 of the 32 local authority areas commissioning strategies covering all social care services.
Accounts Commission chair John Baillie said: "Social care in Scotland faces a number of challenges.
"As budgets come under growing pressure, there are signs that councils are concentrating resources on people who need intensive support.
"There is a risk that people who need a small amount of support may not get the help they need to live independently.
He added: "Their early problems may worsen more quickly without this help and this may lead to greater cost over the longer term."
Age Scotland is currently running a campaign for to ensure that proposed Scottish Government reforms of health and social care services deliver better, more joined up services that are informed by and meet the needs of older people. The Charity will be presenting over 1100 Heal the Break postcards from members of the public to the Scottish Government to Public Health Minister Michael Matheson MSP at the Scottish Parliament on Thursday 22nd March.
