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Foreword
Scotland's population is ageing and this trend will continue over the next decades. The changing structure of our population has important economic, social and cultural implications for Scottish society. To further develop our understanding of these implications and to provide a benchmark from which to monitor the Strategy for a Scotland with an Ageing Population, it is important that we have a coherent and current picture of older people and their contribution to Scottish society, both now and in the future.
The following five chapters in this volume draw on a variety of quantitative and qualitative research and statistical data to bring together some of the key evidence on older people today. The body of evidence contained within this volume has been drawn upon extensively to inform the Strategy.
CHAPTER 1.0: THE DEMOGRAPHY OF SCOTLAND'S AGEING POPULATION.
This chapter discusses the key demographic trends in relation to Scotland's ageing population. First, it identifies the changing age structure of Scotland's population and current demographic trends by age. Second, it considers some of the causes of population ageing: fertility, life expectancy and mortality. Lastly, it identifies current demographic projections in the context of our ageing population.
CHAPTER 2.0: CONTRIBUTION AND OPPORTUNITY
This chapter evaluates the contribution that older people make to Scottish society, as carers, as volunteers, as learners, as workers and as consumers. It also identifies the opportunities that older people can partake in through increased digital inclusion and community participation.
CHAPTER 3.0: OLDER WORKING LIVES
This chapter analyses older people in the workplace. First, it identifies key demographic trends in the characteristics of the ageing workforce and patterns of older people's employment in Scotland. Second, it considers factors affecting different retirement pathways and transitions from paid employment. Lastly, it identifies patterns of working beyond the current State Pension Ages and our future working lives.
CHAPTER 4.0: PROMOTING AND MAINTAINING HEALTH AND WELL-BEING.
This chapter identifies the main aspects of promoting and maintaining health and well-being as people age. First, it identifies the main trends of health status in later life: perceptions of general health, long-standing illness and considers issues affecting health-related quality of life. Second, it looks at aspects of healthy ageing that promote health throughout the life course: mental health and ageing, smoking prevalence, physical activity and alcohol consumption. Lastly it identifies patterns of health and social care use amongst the older population.
CHAPTER 5.0: HOUSING, TRANSPORT AND PLANNING
This chapter identifies three key elements in relation to older people's physical and social environments. First, it considers housing issues including tenure and housing quality. Second, it looks at travel and transport use among older people including how frequently they travel, reasons for travelling and their preferred mode of transport. Lastly, this chapter examines how involved older people feel within their local neighbourhood and their use and perception of local services.
Scotland-specific evidence has been sought as far as possible. Where the evidence or research does not apply specifically to Scotland (mainly due to a lack of availability of Scottish evidence), this is highlighted in the relevant sections.
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