The analysis of statistics on older people north and south show that since the 1920s, the number of years a man can expect to live has risen by about 20 while women have extended their average life spans by about 24-25 years. However, the potential years spent in good health have not been so positive for our ageing population.

In the Republic of Ireland, the number of years a man can expect to live in poor health has risen from 9.5 in 1999 to 14.7 in 2007 and the average women’s likely period in bad health has risen from 11.3 years to 16.8 years.

Northern Ireland has shown a slight improvement in healthy life but lags behind the rest of the United Kingdom in the extent of ill health and disability.

The report, Illustrating Ageing in Ireland North and South, also shows that older workers in Northern Ireland have been more successful in weathering the recession so far than their counterparts in the Republic of Ireland. For example the number of people over the age of 60 still in work north of the border continued to rise through the first year of the downturn but the number in the Republic fell by 7,000.

Statistics in the report cover various aspects of life in the whole of Ireland such as population growth, poverty and care. For example, the number of people aged 65+ is projected to rise from 700,000 now to nearly 1,900,000 in 2041. The number of people over the age of 85 could increase five-fold to 355,000.

These figures emphasise the need for research to ensure both parts of the country can plan properly for the radical changes that the ageing population will bring. CARDI’s role in that process is to bring researchers, policy-makers and older people themselves together to discuss priorities for the future and ensure research plays its part in improving the lives of older people.

Illustrating Ageing in Ireland North and South is available by post from CARDI, Forestview, Purdys Lane, Belfast BT8 7ZX, tel 028 9069 0066 or by email from info@cardi.ie or from our website www.cardi.ie.