People in NI living longer, but a lot of work is needed to improve quality of life post-Covid

With life expectancy in Northern Ireland on the increase, it has been pointed out that living longer needs to be supplemented by activities that improve an older person’s quality of life.
Isolation has made life difficult for older peopleIsolation has made life difficult for older people
Isolation has made life difficult for older people

Life expectancy in Northern Ireland is currently 78.8 years for men and 82.6 years for women, according to a new report from the Department of Health up to 2019 – an increase of 0.4 years for males and 0.3 years for females on the previous year’s report.

Statistics showed that life expectancy was highest in the Lisburn and Castlereagh council area and lowest in Belfast.

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Decreased mortality rates among 60 to 89 year olds was the biggest contributory factor to increased life expectancy.

John McCandless from Engage With AgeJohn McCandless from Engage With Age
John McCandless from Engage With Age

John McCandless is a community development officer with Engage With Age in east Belfast.

He gave credit to the NHS for helping prolong people’s lives but added that it was important that long life was also complimented by community groups and charity organisations who work to give older people a better quality of life.

He said: “The purpose of the NHS is to save lives, that’s the first priority – no matter whether they’re rich or poor, if they’re part of a family or living on their own, or living on the street.

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“Quality of life comes after that. That’s why there’s all these groups working on programmes looking at things health and wellbeing, falls prevention, nutrition.”

He said: “Twenty or 30 years ago you’d maybe just have a church group working with older people. Nowadays you’ve got groups like ourselves and many others.

“It’s increasing the health and the wealth – I don’t mean pocketwise – but their experience and joy in getting together with other older people.”

He said the age range in older people’s groups was much wider than it had been previously: “It used to be if you were 70 or 80 you were old. Now you could have people aged 55 in the same group as 90 year olds.

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“At 55 you could be get paid off and have nothing to get up for. You might have people on their own because they’ve lost their partner or other issues. It’s easy to become bewildered at 55, 60.”

He added: “I’m 64. I respectfully accept that I am an older person. I’m not in old age, but I’m an older person.

“I’d say the older people I work with are happy with a positive outlook on life. Covid has knocked a bit of that hope.

“We’re doing what we can on Zoom and conference calls, but they can’t wait to see each other again over a Mr Kipling biscuit and a cup of tea.

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“I can see whenever we get to the end of this danger period there’s a lot of work to be done with older peoples’ group. It’ll be like starting over again.”

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