Older people: key points

  • Scotland’s population, like that of the UK, is ageing.
  • The prevalence and incidence of most health conditions rises with increasing age (e.g. cancer, coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes).
  • Causes of death change with increasing age. Cancer, cardiovascular disease and respiratory disease cause a higher proportion of mortality in older people than in younger people.
  • Pensioner poverty, a key determinant of ill-health and life expectancy, has been stable in recent years.
  • Healthcare associated infections are a particular health risk for older people since they have higher hospital admission rates.
  • The COVID pandemic has had a mixed impact on older people. They have experienced more mortality and morbidity that younger people, and a greater proportion of older people had to shield during lockdown. However, older people tended to be less affected financially by economic fallout of the pandemic.

Section updates:

  • This last major update of this section was completed in November 2021.
  • The next major update is due to be carried out by end June 2024.