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Purpose - Increasing longevity, while welcome, has far-reaching implications for the social contract between generations. These include eye-watering costs for health and social care, intense pressure on the old-age dependency ratio, changing power relations in politics and voting, and increasing pressure on in-work families. In a period of austerity, policy makers have chosen to protect older generations' benefits and paid for this by slashing benefits for the young, in spite of growing evidence that wealth distribution has changed with older generations becoming wealthier than once thought. The paper concludes that age alone can no longer be used as a proxy for need. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach - This discussion paper uses original quantitative research and analysis undertaken by the Intergenerational Foundation (IF) (www.if.org.uk) which includes Freedom of Information requests to government departments. It brings together the think tank's research into demographics, ageing, policy, government debt and liabilities, benefit reform and spending patters in order to investigate the changing distribution of wealth across the generations. Findings - It is clear that with changing distributions of wealth that age alone can no longer be used as a proxy for need. While older generations are becoming wealthier younger generations are becoming increasingly burdened by debt, with poorer prospects and being asked to maintain the current status quo. Originality/value - The paper contains original research conducted by the IF (www.if.org.uk) into spending patterns across the generations and annual public sector pensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many worldwide live in households with multiple generations of related adults. This paper shows that the number of UK multigenerational households has been increasing but UK multigenerational households have been little studied. The research found that the motivations for multigenerational living are diverse and reflect multiple intersecting structural pressures, including an ageing population, worsening housing affordability and later household formation amongst young people. These intersect with individual circumstances, such as divorce or illness, to make multigenerational living the most practical option for some families. However, forming a multigenerational household is also often an individual and family choice, based on the expectation of mutual benefits brought about by multigenerational living. The research suggests that the extent to which living in a multigenerational household is a positive experience is determined by an individual's degree of agency and choice in the arrangement, rather than an ability to cope with wider structural pressures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to learn lessons from North America on housing an ageing population, both in terms of supporting people to "age in place", and available options for those who need/wish to move. The project, funded by the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, comprised a six-week travel fellowship to USA and Canada to meet with housing professionals from the public and private sectors and find out about best practice initiatives and efficient models for housing older people.Design/methodology/approach – The paper is in two parts, of which this is the second. Part 2 focuses on the links between housing and health and, recognising significant differences between the countries, draws out lessons which may be applied as similar challenges of austerity, an ageing population and the increasing interest in personal budgets are faced.Findings – There is no one size fits all approach to addressing the housing needs of the older population; a continuum of options across tenures is required. There are opportunities for growth in the private and non-profit sectors in terms of the provision of services for the ageing population. Large scale social change comes from better cross-departmental coordination and cannot be achieved by the isolated intervention of a single organisation. Originality/value – This was a unique opportunity to learn lessons from North America on how to effectively meet the needs of the older population, now and in the future. The findings are based on the personal observations and conclusions of a housing practitioner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ageing population is presenting an economic challenge in the United Kingdom (UK). Electronic Assisted Living Technology (eALT) is purported to be one potential solution to this problem, as it offers an opportunity to help people remain independent and age in place. The provision of eALT within the UK has traditionally been dominated by statutory provision, leading to a lack of choice of commercial products and services for those whom it might benefit. With increased need for support for the ageing population, and rationalisation of statutory service provision, older people will increasingly be looking toward privately purchased eALT to support their health and independence. However, previous work has identified that there are numerous barriers to the development of a consumer eALT market. This paper describes a series of cocreation workshops which were held to explore solutions to these barriers with younger older people, aged 50-70 years old, which sought to explore the development of a consumer eALT market. A number of solutions were found for all stages of the eALT consumer journey, including how to help people recognise they have a need, how to find eALT information, how to help consumers make the decision to purchase, where to place eALT for consumer access and purchase, and how to encourage continued use of the product or service and repeat sales. The results of this study will be of interest to the UK, European and worldwide consumer eALT markets, to encourage older consumers to maintain their independence and lifestyle and offers insights for the eALT industry in how to reach these consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction to a paper published in this issue is presented, in which the editors mention services for older people, well-being in older people, and social care and housing for older people.

The article provides a novel look at the links between salutogenesis, health promotion, and urban design supported by the findings of recent research on local high streets and their benefits for the well-being of older people. Salutogenesis and the related explanatory concept of sense of coherence (SOC) have provided a theoretical framework for developing healthy settings interventions, shifting the focus from exploring barriers and deficits to assets and resources in promoting people's health and well-being. While these concepts have informed policies and programmes at the level of regions and cities, no attempt has been made to establish more direct links with the disciplines devoted to the organization and design of the built environment at the scale of public spaces and streets. This article advances the idea that the main categories of SOC—comprehensibility, manageability and meaningfulness—have found application in urban design theory. Linking these categories with urban design concepts in a comprehensive framework, it is possible to guide interventions aimed at strenghtening well-being resources available in the public realm. This is corroborated by the findings resulting from a study of the well-being experiences of older people (n = 84) across a range of local high streets in the city of Edinburgh (UK) applying an innovative multi-methods approach. The discussion establishes the links between well-being benefits, SOC constructs and urban design concepts, and underscores the potential of the proposed framework to guide a design-oriented salutogenic approach to the built environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this pilot study was to focus on the suitability of selected financial products for older people. Bank accounts and equity release products were selected for this study by an expert advisory panel. New marketing initiatives are being used to promote bank accounts, including forms of insurance, for the ‘50+’ market. Also, older people are now expected to provide for their retirement and it is anticipated that equity release will be one product which may be used to fund and maintain consumer lifestyles. In the first phase of the study, a questionnaire was distributed to 152 people aged over 50 years in Scotland. Eighty-three were completed, a response rate of 55%. The results informed the development of questions for the second phase which were discussed with 46 participants via the World Café in June 2008, enabling a deeper insight into their opinions. The research found that consumers had lost trust in financial product and service providers because of the perceived excessive profits of banks and lack of customer service. Further, many products and services were prohibited for or incurred extra costs to those aged over 60 or 65 years, leaving limited choices, and equity release products were seen as a last resort for those in financial difficulty. Although the profitability of banks has changed dramatically since the completion of data collection, the issues identified by older consumers in Scotland will be of international interest. The demographic changes resulting in an increasing proportion of elderly people in the population are reflected throughout the UK and many Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries. Similar financial products and services, which were the focus of this study, are promoted internationally, offering opportunities to replicate the research methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]