Borders set for elderly boom

Published 23 Oct 2009 13:27 0 Comments

THE elderly population of the Borders is set to increase 40% by 2021.

It is feared that this rise could lead to social and health care services in the region becoming overwhelmed.

This increase in older people also highlights issues relating to fuel poverty plus housing repair and maintenance.

Twinned with this the Scottish Borders area is expected to have a 15.6% increase in overall population by 2031, the 6th highest increase for all Scottish local authorities.

Much of the strain will be placed on health and care services as a result of the Borders' ageing population.

Figures supplied by Alzheimer Scotland show that the number of people in the Borders presenting with dementia in the current year is 1,738, compared to 1,538 in 2006.

By 2021 the number is expected to reach 2,419, a rise of 57% - nationally the figure is only set to increase by 38%.

In a report to this month's Scottish Borders Council, a joint strategy to deal with this surge was submitted.

This document will now go out to public consultation for a period of three months.

Local councillor Catriona Bhatia said: "We have already pre-empted this considerable rise in our elderly population with the Transforming Older People's Services review.

"We shall adapt existing services for new purposes, while continuing some traditional services.

"An increased rise in the number of elderly needed be viewed as a negative for the region.

"What we will actually have is an increased pool of volunteers with reserves of wisdom and life experience to be utilised."

Fellow local councillor and SBC's Older People's Champion, Willie Archibald said: "There are inescapabale demographics of change affecting the Borders.

"This phenomena is affecting all of Scotland but is more acute in the Borders.

"We're victims of our own success, in that older people view the area as a fine one to retire in, while young people view it as one to raise a family.

"We're not unprepared for this increase and the required support will be in place."

Tweet

This article appeared in Peeblesshire News 23 Oct 09

Post a comment

Your Comment:

Registered users log in here

Username or email

Password

If you are registered with us, you can login here. If you are not registered, do so now.
Once logged in you wont have to complete word verification each time you post.

Prefer not to register?

Screen Name *required

Email (not displayed) *required

Usernames must be 4 - 20 characters. Registration only takes a few minutes. Registered users can also take part in competitions and other features of the site.

Word Verification:
Enter the text as shown.

Return to the main index, get more from this section or browse our News archives.

Follow @peeblesnews