More Than 1/4 Of Over 50s Struggle With Changes In Later Life

The Centre for Ageing Better has found that more than a quarter (27%) of people aged over 50 say they have a hard time making it through stressful events that happen in later life. Many changes occur in later life, including retirement, moving home, bereavement, poor health, becoming a carer and entering care. In its major Later Life study, the Centre found that while some people manage these well, many feel lonely or socially isolated or experience a loss of meaning and purpose. It found that people’s attitudes and outlook were a major factor in whether they were able to manage these changes.

The Centre for Ageing Better has announced a new partnership with the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation’s Transitions in Later Life programme to develop and test ways to help people improve the way they manage major life changes, to help them experience longer and happier lives. The programme also aims to influence employers to understand the importance of providing pre-retirement support to their employees, which includes helping them to prepare emotionally for changes in later life. The partnership will explore strategies that can help people deal successfully with major life changes. It will test the effectiveness of well-known therapeutic approaches, such as mindfulness and cognitive behavioural therapy, with people preparing for retirement, as well as developing and trialing new methods of support. It will also work with employers and business groups to share and scale the ideas that work, to try and reach more people.

The Centre for Ageing Better commissioned Ipsos MORI to conduct a mixed methods research study designed to understand the barriers and enablers to a good later life.