I settentrionali più anziani lottano con disuguaglianze “allarmanti” rispetto alle persone del Sud

Older people in the North of England are more likely to be poorer, less healthy, physically inactive, lonely and in poor housing – resulting in millions of pounds of avoidable NHS costs.

In a new report from the Northern Health Science Alliance entitled “Ageing in the North”, researchers – including experts from the University of Sheffield – have catalogued an “alarming” range of disadvantages faced by older people living in the North, in areas such as health, life expectancy, housing, nutrition, employment, and social isolation.

The authors stress that this inequality is mainly driven by economic and social factors, and is “totally reversible” – as long as policymakers are bold enough to act. For example, targeted investment has the potential to reduce or recover as much as £10.9 billion in lost productivity costs, £315 million in NHS costs from falls and hip fractures, and £588 million in NHS costs from treating conditions resulting from poor housing.

“Ageing in the North” is published by the Northern Health Science Alliance’s Ageing North network – including a multi-disciplinary team from the University of Sheffield, Durham University, Lancaster University, The University of Manchester and Newcastle University – and Health Equity North. The team features expertise from a wide range of disciplines, from biology to sociology.

The loneliness is what really dampens my mood. Everything else seems to be tied directly to economic conditions, but I think we take for granted the relationships we have with family and close friends. I think it’s hard to be a healthy individual, mentally, when you are truly lonely. And that goes for people of all ages.