SINGLE PERSON HOUSEHOLDS AGED 66 YEARS AND OVER In Carlisle 14.58% or 7,388 households are made up of one person aged 66 or over compared with the England average of 12.81%.15 Thirteen wards in Carlisle have a higher proportion of one-person households aged 66 and over than the England average. The three wards with the highest proportion of households that are comprised of one-person aged 66 years or over living alone are Brampton (19.03%), Stanwix Urban (18.41%) and Morton (17.87%). CARERS Many organisations acknowledge that the growing demands for personal health and social care among older people are increasingly strained by a shrinking working-age population that is available to provide care. The ‘directly employed’ care home workforce has been in decline across Cumberland, where the number of directly employed care staff working in care homes has decreased by 17% since 2021.16 According to the 2021 Census, 9,200 residents of Carlisle (8.8%) reported providing unpaid care to individuals with long-term physical or mental health conditions, illnesses, or agerelated issues.17 LONELINESS AND ISOLATION Loneliness is a significant risk for older people, often linked not to age itself but to factors that limit opportunities for meaningful interactions. These factors include bereavement, living alone, dealing with disability or illness, or caring for a partner. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these issues, leading to heightened levels of loneliness among older adults. Many reported increased mental health issues including anxiety, depression, and fear about the future during this time.18 Partners across Carlisle acknowledge that persistent and prolonged loneliness has severe consequences for health and wellbeing and is associated with a higher likelihood of early death, poor physical health, and increased risk of mental health issues, including depression.19 Older people struggle, their family support is out of the area, and they are quite isolated. Their network is often outside the immediate area. There needs to be more opportunities to build networks for people. Loneliness will kill people. Health Sector Representative Our recent survey found that there was demand amongst residents to see an improvement in the opportunities available for older people with 9.3% of responses highlighting this issue.20 1The State of Ageing 2023-2024: Centre for Ageing Better, 2024, https://ageing-better.org.uk/resources/summary-report-state-ageing-2023 2https://www.activecumbria.org/behealthybeactive/live-longer-better/live-longer-better-cumbria/ 3https://www.activecumbria.org/behealthybeactive/travel-actively 4Carlisle Matters https://carlislematters.co.uk/ 5ICan Wellbeing Group CIO https://icanwellbeing.co.uk/ 6Brampton Bus Buddies https://50plusforum.bramptoncumbria.uk/archives/otherDocs/BusBuddies.pdf 7https://www.carlisleunited.co.uk/news/united-memories-dementia-cafe-information 8Age UK North Cumbria: https://www.ageuk.org.uk/carlisleandeden/ 9https://cforlp.org.uk/sense-of-purpose/ 10Healthy Ageing in Carlisle – A Baseline for Becoming Age Friendly: Cumbria County Council, 2022 11Proportional Change in Population shows how the age makeup of the population has changed over time. 12Population aged 65+: Census 2021, Local Insight, https://localinsight.org/ 13Population aged 65+: Census 2021, Local Insight, https://localinsight.org/ 14Healthy Ageing in Carlisle – A Baseline for Becoming Age Friendly: Cumbria County Council, 2022 15One person household: Aged 66 years and over Census 2021, Local Insight, https://localinsight.org/ 16https://legacy.cumberland.gov.uk/elibrary/Content/Internet/327/6548/45012152556.pdf 17Census 2021 asked residents aged 5 years and over “Do you look after, or give any help or support to, anyone because they have long-term physical or mental health conditions or illnesses, or problems related to old age?” People were asked to exclude anything they did as part of their paid employment. Topic Summary Briefing Health, Disability and Unpaid Care at Census Day 2021: Cumbria Intelligence Observatory, 2021, https://cumbria.gov.uk/elibrary/Content/Internet/536/671/4674/17217/17220/44957112549.pdf 18Age UK, Loneliness and Covid-19, December 2021, https://www.ageuk.org.uk/globalassets/age-uk/documents/reports-and-publications/consultation-responses-and-submissions/health-- wellbeing/loneliness-and-covid-19---december-2021.pdf HEALTH CONCERNS Ageing introduces health concerns for older people, including an increased prevalence of conditions such as cardiac, respiratory, and cancer-related illnesses. The most basic way of measuring community health is life expectancy, and life expectancy21 at birth for both men and women in Carlisle is lower than the England average.22 Having good physical and mental health are key to ageing well. In Carlisle in 2021, 32.5% of residents aged 65 and over reported having a limiting long-term illness, health problem or disability which limited their daily activities or the work they can do including problems due to old age,23 and 42.49% of residents aged 65 and over reported not having good health.24 It is concerning that so many older people in Carlisle are reporting that their lives are limited by health conditions and that they are not in good physical health. The increasing prevalence of dementia among older adults is a significant issue both nationally and locally, with many organisations concerned about increasing rates of dementia and the associated care requirements. In Cumbria, the recorded prevalence of dementia among those aged 65 and over was 4,613 people in 2020. By 202325, the estimated dementia diagnosis rate for this age group was 59.4%, compared to 63%26 for England. This situation is further compounded by a reduced availability of both residential and nursing care facilities for those aged 65 and over with dementia in Cumberland.27 PENSIONERS LIVING IN POVERTY Pensioners living in relative poverty are defined as being those receiving Pension Credit – a government benefit for those over state pension age with a low income.28 Seven wards in Carlisle have a higher percentage of pensioners claiming pension credit than the England average of 10.86%. These wards, all in Carlisle city, are: Currock 16.73%, Denton Holme 16.95%, Harraby North 16.38%, Castle 16.68%, Morton 14.11%. Upperby 11.38%, Botcherby 11.21%.29 Pensioners in Poverty (% of Pension Credit claimants, % of all pensioners) Aug 2024. 0.65% - 5.76% 5.76% - 8.42% 8.42% - 12.34% 12.34% - 19.28% 19.29% - 84.95% Carlisle: Opportunities & Challenges 2025 46 47
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