02/10/2012
NI Population Ageing Quickly
Northern Ireland’s population is aging quickly; more so than the rest of the UK.
This was the news delivered to the Assembly by Health Minister Edwin Poots, who said that each person living in Northern Ireland must consider the challenges ahead for care and support.
Mr Poots’s comments came as he briefed MLAs on the discussion document 'Who Cares? The Future of Adult Care and Support in Northern Ireland'.
He told the Assembly: "Northern Ireland has the youngest population in the UK, but we are ageing more quickly. While our population as a whole is projected to increase by 8% by 2025, over the same period our over-65 population is projected to increase by 42%, and the over-85s by 83%.
"There will be a gradual increase in demand for support and it will be challenging. But it only becomes a significant problem if we do not to prepare for it. I am determined that will not happen."
He told MLAs there was a need to focus on two main areas: the type of care and support available to the public in the future, and where the balance of responsibility should lie.
The Minister highlighted the strengths of the current system, which supports 23,000 people who receive domiciliary care and 12,000 in residential and nursing homes.
"This document sets out a draft vision that recognises the role we can all play in looking after our own health and wellbeing, and seeks to empower us to do so", he said.
"We need a system that can prevent problems in the first place, and that can restore independence where a problem has occurred. We can build an affordable and sustainable system of care and support that delivers independence not dependence, empowerment not disablement."
(IT/GK)
This was the news delivered to the Assembly by Health Minister Edwin Poots, who said that each person living in Northern Ireland must consider the challenges ahead for care and support.
Mr Poots’s comments came as he briefed MLAs on the discussion document 'Who Cares? The Future of Adult Care and Support in Northern Ireland'.
He told the Assembly: "Northern Ireland has the youngest population in the UK, but we are ageing more quickly. While our population as a whole is projected to increase by 8% by 2025, over the same period our over-65 population is projected to increase by 42%, and the over-85s by 83%.
"There will be a gradual increase in demand for support and it will be challenging. But it only becomes a significant problem if we do not to prepare for it. I am determined that will not happen."
He told MLAs there was a need to focus on two main areas: the type of care and support available to the public in the future, and where the balance of responsibility should lie.
The Minister highlighted the strengths of the current system, which supports 23,000 people who receive domiciliary care and 12,000 in residential and nursing homes.
"This document sets out a draft vision that recognises the role we can all play in looking after our own health and wellbeing, and seeks to empower us to do so", he said.
"We need a system that can prevent problems in the first place, and that can restore independence where a problem has occurred. We can build an affordable and sustainable system of care and support that delivers independence not dependence, empowerment not disablement."
(IT/GK)
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