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The
perception of retirement as a time of inactivity and the countryside as
an area of retreat is challenged in a new book from Age Concern and the
Commission for Rural Communities.
Britain’s countryside has a growing number of older residents and
the balance between age groups is shifting faster than in urban
areas. This will have an impact on all aspects of life in the country
– economic activity, community, and services – but rather than create
villages of highly dependent residents, the book argues that the ageing
demographic could help build dynamic communities rather than be a
burden on society.
Older people are increasingly economically active in rural areas,
where part-time work gives them the opportunity to work more flexibly
as they approach or are in retirement, and the majority of over 65s in
rural areas continue to lead active social and domestic lives.
Far from being dependent, over 65s living in the countryside are
more likely to give help than receive it, by volunteering for community
organisations such as Age Concern that provide vital services. However,
there are older people who do need extra support. The type of family
and social networks a person has, whether they are still actively
working or volunteering, and their state of health are all better
indicators of what those needs are than a person’s age.
Where these factors are in play, older people will need to access
services that will support them so that they can continue to live
independently. Many older people rely on others for assistance with
day-to-day tasks bringing them vital social contact as well as support.
Those who have aged in their communities will find this easier as they
have a lifetime of social networks to support them, than those who live
in areas that have changed rapidly and therefore diffused their social
networks.
Dr Stuart Burgess, the Rural Advocate, said, "It is important that
those of us who care deeply for the future of rural England and for the
future welfare of its people, consider carefully the ageing of the
countryside. This book complements the work the Commission for Rural
Communities is doing to tackle rural disadvantage amongst older people
in rural areas."
Gordon Lishman, Director General, Age Concern said: “The dynamics of
the ageing countryside are complex and changing but, as this book
argues, they offer the opportunity for rural areas to act as both a
reference point and a testing ground for policy makers and analysts in
understanding the broader implications of demographic ageing and the
lessons it can offer an ageing nation. This new book will help inform
the 21st Century policy agenda for both rural areas and for our wider
society.”
www.ageconcern.org.uk
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