GOOD NEWS: Britons living longer and healthier – with fewer people suffering dementia

erall, the proportion our lives spent healthily in old age has increased

BRITONS are living longer, healthier lives with fewer people suffering dementia than 20 years ago, new research shows.

A 20-year investigation into the state of the nation has revealed marked reductions in levels of devastating cognitive impairment.

Overall, the proportion our lives spent healthily in old age has increased.

Between 1991 and 2011 women’s life expectancy at 65 increased by 3.6 years but analysis found the female body does not age as well as its mind.

The largest study of its kind revealed women lived approximately 2.5 months less with moderate or severe cognitive impairment and six months fewer with mild cognitive impairment.

But this is tempered by the fact from retirement age women spend around seven months more with moderate or severe disability and 2.5 years more with mild disability.

Men’s life expectancy increased by 4.5 years but they had only 1.3 years more with mild disability. There was no increase in the years spent with moderate or severe disability, or mild or worse cognitive impairment.

Although the study, published in The Lancet, presents a positive picture experts warned it could have major implications in the years ahead.

An older, healthier nation will be forced to work for longer, increasing pressure on an already overstretched NHS.

The big unanswered question is whether our extra years of life are healthy ones

Professor Carol Jagger

Professor Carol Jagger, from Newcastle University’s Institute for Ageing which carried out the study, said: “The big unanswered question is whether our extra years of life are healthy ones.
“This research reveals an improvement in mental health and the extra years we are living are free of cognitive impairment.”
The results came from analysis of the Cognitive Function and Ageing Study, carried out in England in 1991 and 2011, featuring 7,635 people aged 65 and over in Newcastle, Cambridge and Nottingham.
In most developed countries life expectancy is increasing at the rate of at least two years every decade and shows no sign of slowing down.

 



Between 1991 and 2011 women’s life expectancy at 65 increased by 3.6 years



Professor Carol Brayne, of the University of Cambridge, said: “The findings suggest a reduction of cognitive morbidity when comparing older people now to 20 years ago in England.

“This is very good news and consistent with our earlier reporting of a reduction in age-specific prevalence of dementia across two decades.”

The results comes just months after research from Age UK suggested people were living longer than ever before but not necessarily healthier lives. 

According to the charity an estimated six million people aged 60 and over live with two or more long term conditions. By 2020 the figure is expected to leap to more than 7 million.

 

Men’s life expectancy increased by 4.5 years but they had only 1.3 years more with mild disability

Currently a woman aged 65 can expect to live another 20.8 years, while a man can expect another 18.2 years. However they can only expect to spend approximately 11 of those in good health.

Age UK said as overall life expectancy has risen many more people are living into older age with multiple long-term conditions, frailty, dementia and social care needs. Around 40 per cent of all people aged 65 or over say a long term health problem limits day-to-day activities and quality of life.

Hilary Evans, chief executive of Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “Age is still the biggest risk factor for dementia and there are 850,000 people currently living with the condition in the UK.

"We need to see more investment in research into ways to prevent diseases like Alzheimer’s and ensure people can continue to enjoy good brain health as they get older.”

 

Currently a woman aged 65 can expect to live another 20.8 years

Leading Alzheimer’s researcher, Professor Christian Hölscher, said: “The findings that life expectancy has increased without an increase of time spent with cognitive impairment is good news.

“However, there is no reason for complacency, as the total number of people over 65 will increase over time, as will the number of people with dementia. In addition, it is a concern that women spend on average around twice as many years cognitively impaired as men do. The spectre of dementia is still there and needs urgent attention.”

Dr Ian Campbell, a family GP in Nottingham, said: “As we live longer the demands on the NHS are becoming greater. Although dementia and cognitive decline is much more prevalent overall it’s reassuring the age of onset appears to be slightly higher overall.

"It remains a major disappointment however that greater life expectancy and disability free living is unevenly spread between the wealthier and poorer in our society with those at the bottom of the pile becoming ill younger and dying earlier.”