Life stages: Old age
Introduction
The health and well being concerns of people at age 75 or over are about the quality of life, avoiding ill health and recovering quickly from periods of illness and maintaining physical and mental ability. Increases in deaths from respiratory and circulatory diseases are responsible for most of the excess winter mortality. Hip fracture is the most common injury related to falls in older people.
Some of the elderly will experience long term and debilitating physical and/or mental health conditions and need some support while continuing to live independently. End of life is a phase when people may have a couple of years of poor health and repeated admissions to hospital. Therefore focus on the quality and dignity of life and support needs to be maintained.
