What is an ageing population and what issues does this pose for healthcare services?
- CamWAMS Team
- May 24, 2022
- 2 min read
This interview question is testing: knowledge of public health, interest in medicine and your ability to think critically.
Here are some things we could discuss:
- Understanding of an ageing population and UK demography
- Why do we have an ‘ageing population’
- Health & social issues that are associated with an ageing population
- How NHS services may be impacted by an ageing population
- How could we improve QOL and health for the future
I will briefly touch on some of the key themes.
There are currently 67,081,000 people in the UK, with 18.5% being aged 65 years or older. It is estimated 25% of the population will be over 65 by 2050. But why is this statistic so important? Life expectancy in the UK has increased significantly, likely due to improved access to healthcare, earlier diagnoses and more effective treatments (amongst other non-medical factors). It may be helpful for you to understand the demographics of the population local to the University that you are applying to, this will impress interviewers and also give you a more focussed and tailored discussion.
Many elderly people are living with multiple chronic medical conditions as well as complex social care needs that results in a significant burden on the healthcare system. In addition we have to contend with the issues of polypharmacy as well as the economic cost of caring for patients longer than ever before. This list is by no means exhaustive however it serves to highlight some common issues that have very serious implications on the health and quality of life of the elderly population. These social problems don’t just affect the elderly but also their families who often take on care roles as care services are often over-stretched or too expensive. Can you think of any other issues associated with access to services for the elderly?
A major issue for the elderly population is frailty, which is classed as a normal part of ageing. By its very definition, this is a state of vulnerability, which specifically puts the elderly at increased risk of falls, poor resolution of illness & more frequent hospital admissions. On the topic of hospital admissions, longer hospital stays reduce the availability of beds for other patients. This may lead to delays in treatment, which has implications on the wider population. What other implications could frailty have in an ever-increasing elderly population and how could we reduce the impact of frailty?
A topic less commonly discussed with regards to the elderly is mental health; depression can affect anyone and particular risk factors in the elderly population include social isolation and having to live with chronic conditions. Can you expand on this? Try to think about other risk factors for depression and what the potential implications could be.
It is important to consider disease burden, as people live longer, they tend to do so with significant co-morbidities. What conditions are commonly seen in the older population and how might they:
A) Impact upon quality of life?
B) Put further pressure on healthcare systems?
Below is a link to a video to aid you when answering these questions!
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