Increase in centenarians & fall in life expectancy highlights further support needed for older population
The national charity for older people has welcomed news that the estimated number of people aged 100 or older has passed the 1,000 mark in Scotland for the first time, but has expressed concerns over the steady decline in the country’s overall life expectancy.
Latest data from National Records of Scotland revealed today that as at June 2021 there were 1,040 people who had celebrated their 100th birthday, an increase of 16%.
However, life expectancy at birth in Scotland fell in the latest year, with the average life expectancy for males being 76.6 years and 80.8 years for females. The gap between life expectancy in the most and least deprived areas of the country has also widened, reaching 13.7 years' difference for males and 10.5 years for females.
Age Scotland’s Chief Executive, Brian Sloan, said:
“It is heartening to learn that the number of people in Scotland reaching their centenary is continuing to increase, demonstrating the power of advances in medicine and the increasing effectiveness of preventative treatments in helping people live longer and healthier lives.
“However, the ongoing fall in life expectancy is cause for concern. There’s no doubt that the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns have had a significant impact on life expectancy in Scotland, with older people most at risk and worst affected by the virus.
“The gulf between the richest and poorest areas of our country, which has widened slightly, remains unacceptably high, highlighting the devastating link between income levels and overall life expectancy.
“We want Scotland to be the best place in the world to grow older but, given that we have a rapidly ageing population but the lowest life expectancy of all UK countries, there is still a long way to go.
“Reducing health inequalities and poverty and further investment in our nation’s health and social care is vital to making Scotland a better, healthier place for everyone, regardless of where they live.”
