Age time bomb for healthcare; REPORT: One in four households now aged over 65 - and figure rising.

Byline: By Warren Manger 

RISING numbers of pensioners have left Warwickshire health chiefs facing a time bomb of age-related illnesses, a new report warns.

The county is now home to 87,000 pensioners, including 30,000 who live alone, placing a growing strain on health resources.

It means one in every four households is over the age of 65 - and that figure is increasing.

By 2025 there will be more than 10,000 dementia sufferers over the age of 80 in Warwickshire.

Warwickshire's aging population is one of the future challenges and current weaknesses flagged up by a new county health plan, the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA). "The greatest need in years to come will be as a result of the increasing older people in population in Warwickshire," the report says.

"Services that are already to some extent rationed and charged for will be in more demand than ever."

Other areas of concern identified by the report include targeting health inequalities across the county, a possible shortfall in resources for carers, and the higher than average number of people who die in hospital rather than in a hospice or at home.

Many of these issues are expected to become more of a problem as the average age in Warwickshire keeps rising.

The JSNA was drawn up by NHS Warwickshire and Warwickshire County Council to help tackle the problems.

Helen King, director of public health for NHS Warwickshire, said the NHS had always had to work with limited resources and plans were being put in place to cope with challenges of an aging population.

"It is important that we are adding life to years as well as years to life," she said.

"The voluntary sector can play a huge role - it is far better in touch with local ideas. There are some extremely active older peoples groups which work with our colleagues in social care."

NHS Warwickshire is currently working on a range of healthy living campaigns aimed at keeping residents healthy for longer so they need less care in their old age. These include sports clubs to get kids active so they will remain active as they grow up, healthy walks and pram pushes and swimming sessions.

"Most health improvement actually takes place outside the NHS," said Ms King.

CAPTION(S):

EMERGENCY... Rising numbers of elderly people will pose new problems for health services in Warwickshire, a new county report has warned