We don’t want to hear that we’re vulnerable, we’ve lived through the
hardships and occasional eases of adult life for well over thirty years now.
Why are we suddenly ‘at risk individuals’? Living life day to day is for many,
the only way to get through the overwhelming torrent of uncertainty. It’s only
when we reflect on our adult lives as a whole that we begin to notice creeping
trends. Aches and pains are beginning to appear, we’re not quite as mobile as
we once were, we tire more easily – but we’re still working just as hard and
for just as long. The stress and ambiguity of pensions only leaves us with more
anxiety. Are we putting enough in? Will it last? How long until I can retire?
For many, working into their sixties simply isn’t feasible – only this
week there has been fierce opposition from armed police officers to a new rule
that would mean they would be forced to work to the age of
sixty-five. Understandably, this is a job where physical fitness
is of utmost importance. Working to sixty-five and over is simply unsafe. At
this point we’re not even factoring mental stress and its effect on physical well being into the equation. Doctor Osmanovic-Thunström’s
study on perceived stress levels over the age of 65 highlighted
that ‘health-related stress is highly prevalent in older adults and seems to
play an important role in the association between levels of perceived stress
and age in older adults.’.
The media throws us this way and that leaving us none the wiser as to
the overall picture. With genuine economic uncertainty on the horizon as we
edge closer to leaving the European Union, it’s only going to get more
ambiguous - especially when it comes to the threat of financial uncertainty.
We’re all resigning to the likelihood that the age of retirement is going up,
we’re going to be working longer and harder, desperately trying to fund a
pension that will ultimately take us through until the end of our lives.
A recent study conducted by the SEER program in
the US found a direct correlation between socioeconomic factors and the
survival of patients with multiple myeloma. Unsurprisingly, it
would appear that the poorer in society have a lesser chance of surviving
diseases too, in this case, blood cancer. Of course, the addition of other
factors like lack of exercise, poor diet, mental health issues and overworking
– which also correlate with class, have a significant effect on the survival
rate across all diseases.
One in six workers in the UK have cared for an elderly relative, and
have worked irregular hours or taken time off to do so. That’s 17% of the
population. 30% of the UK’s workforce are over the age of 50 to begin with.
Support for the elderly affects everyone across the nation, why aren’t we doing
all within our power to care for them?
Fifty-six percent of the original 17% have even asked employers for
support and guidance in their role as carer. If as a nation, we only care about
money – then why aren’t we understanding that the knock on costs of taking time
off for that person and the business to cover their absence is enormous.
The lack of support we provide to those over
fifty forces many to turn to other forms of coping, including increased alcohol
usage. In fact, 30% of 65-74 year old males drink more than the
recommended 21 units of alcohol per week, complimented by the heaviest female drinking age group of 55-64 year
olds, of which 22% regularly exceed their weekly recommendation of 14 units.
The result is that more people are being admitted to hospital because of
alcohol related mental health and behaviour than liver disease.
We don’t need mollycoddling. We need
universalised, state run support and structure for those in society that are inclined
to be more vulnerable. You might argue that the NHS and other government
schemes are sufficient enough, but they’re not, especially when compared to the
incredible work that charities like AgeUK and Fote do for the elderly. The
harsh reality is that 9,000 people died last winter from cold homes, because
people were too poor to heat them. Statistics such as this can be seen across
national reports.
The UK ranks at position 27 for health, in a report on the best
countries to grow old... Is it any surprise
that so many were misled into believing that 350 million pounds a week could be
spent into improving the NHS, in the EU referendum? We recognise our
shortcomings and the people are desperately trying to resolve them.
It’s just such a shame that we can't all be on
the same page.
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