Older people

Persons aged 66 years and over who live alone

Whilst living alone may reflect a personal choice, for some it can lead to heightened feelings of loneliness and isolation, particularly with advancing age. This, in turn, could potentially negatively impact on both physical and mental wellbeing.

14% of households in Wiltshire are comprised of single person households where the occupant is aged 66 years and over. Bradford on Avon, South West Wiltshire, Marlborough and Warminster community areas have higher proportions of older people living alone (at between 17-18%) compared with the Wiltshire average.

Definition: Percentage of households composed of single person aged 66 years and over. Census data published at Output Area (OA) level and assigned to Area Board based on the location of the OA's population-weighted centroid.

Data source and time period: Office for National Statistics, 2021 Census, Table TS003: Household composition. March 2021.

Persons aged 65 years and over providing unpaid care

As our population ages, more reliance is being placed on the provision of informal care and it is increasingly common that people are becoming carers in later life.

10% people aged 65 and over in Wiltshire currently provide some form of unpaid care. Proportions of persons within this age bracket providing unpaid care are slightly higher than the Wiltshire average in Melksham, Tidworth and Westbury community areas.

4% of people aged 65 and over in Wiltshire currently provide in excess of 50 hours of unpaid care on a weekly basis.

Proportions of persons within this age bracket providing more than 50 hours of unpaid care per week are slightly higher than the Wiltshire average in Royal Wootton Bassett and Cricklade, Stonehenge, Tidworth, Trowbridge and Westbury community areas.

Carers provide an important role in supporting those they care for, however, undertaking caring responsibilities can in turn have an impact on physical health and mental wellbeing. Ensuring that carers are aware and have access to appropriate local support mechanisms, including those that foster social connection outside of the parameters of caring, is therefore vital.

Definition: Percentage of persons aged 65 years and over providing some form of unpaid care (by hours per week). Census data published at Output Area (OA) level and assigned to Area Board based on the location of the OA's population-weighted centroid.

Data source and time period: Office for National Statistics, 2021 Census. Table RM113: Provision of unpaid care by age. March 2021.

Social isolation

The graphic below shows Wiltshire level responses to questions asked in the Personal Social Services Adult Social Care Survey and the Personal Social Services Survey of Adult Carers (both 2021/22), that asked service users and carers if they had enough contact with other people. It is not currently possible to provide this information by community area as it is only available at national and local authority area geographies.

In 2021/22, 35.4% of adult social care users in Wiltshire aged 65 years and over reported having as much social contact as they would like. This is similar to the 37.3% reported nationally.

In terms of carers, 14.2% of carers aged between 18 and 64 years and 16.7% of carers aged 65 years and over were satisfied with their levels of social contact, both of which are lower than the percentages reported nationally (26.6% and 28.8% respectively).

Definition: Percentage of respondents (aged 65 years and over) to the Adult Social Care Survey (service users) who responded to the question "Thinking about how much contact you've had with people you like, which of the following statements best describes your social situation?" with the answer "I have as much social contact as I want with people I like".

Percentage of respondents (aged 18-64 years, and aged 65 years and over) to the Personal Social Services Survey of Adult Carers in England who responded to the question "Thinking about how much contact you have had with people you like, which of the following best describes your social situation?" with the answer "I have as much social contact I want with people I like".

Data source and time period: NHS Digital, Adult Social Care Users Survey and Personal Social Services Carers Survey, accessed via the Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework (ASCOF). 2021/22.

Persons aged 65 years and over supported to live independently through the provision of home care services

Home care (also known as domiciliary care) is the term used to describe a range of health or supportive personal care services that are delivered in an individual's home.

Described by the King’s Fund as 'the front line of social care delivery', the provision of care in a home setting can help to support older people to live safely and independently in a familiar environment as they age.

The chart below shows the rate (per 1,000 people aged 65 years and over) across Wiltshire and its community areas who were supported by home care services commissioned by Wiltshire Council Adult Social Care Team in 2022/23.

Definition: Persons aged 65 years and over supported to live independently through the provision of home care services, as rate per 1,000 persons.

Data source and time period: Adult Social Care Team, Wiltshire Council. 2022/23.

Persons aged 65 years and over supported to live independently through the provision of direct payments

In a social care context, direct payments are payments that are provided to eligible persons to help finance appropriate care and support services following a social services assessment.

Persons in receipt of such payments effectively arrange and pay for their own care services (which could include engaging an agency, personal care assistant or alternative support option), as opposed to receiving them direct from the local authority.

The chart below shows the rate (per 1,000 people aged 65 years and over) across Wiltshire and its community areas in receipt of direct payments to assist with care provision in 2022/23.

Definition: Persons aged 65 years and over supported to live independently through the provision of direct payments, as rate per 1,000 persons.

Data source and time period: Adult Social Care Team, Wiltshire Council. 2022/23.

Registered care homes and care home beds

As at October 2023, there were just over 160 registered care homes (excluding supported living and home care services) catering for adults across Wiltshire. The greatest proportions are located in Salisbury, Chippenham and Trowbridge community areas.

At the same time, there were just over 4,500 care home beds in registered care homes (excluding supported living and home care services) catering for adults across Wiltshire. A breakdown of maximum care home bed occupancy by Wiltshire community area is provided below.

Definition: Number of registered care homes. The data includes care homes that provide services for all ages but excludes supported living and home care services. The maximum bed occupancy at registered care homes in Wiltshire. The data includes maximum bed occupancy information in relation to care homes that provide services for all ages but excludes supported living and home care services.

Data source and time period: Adult Social Care Team, Wiltshire Council. 16th October 2023.

Persons aged 65 years and over who consider themselves in good health

Advances in health care are helping people to live longer than ever before. Whilst the risk of developing complex health conditions increases as we age, supporting people to effectively ‘age well’ and stay as healthy, active and independent as possible in later life is a key priority.

In the 2021 Census, 64% of Wiltshire residents aged 65 and over identified themselves as being in good health. Levels of self reported good health within this age range are lower than the Wiltshire average particularly in Melksham, Trowbridge and Westbury community areas.

Definition: Percentage of persons aged 65 years and over who consider themselves in good health. This is based on a person's assessment of the general state of their health from very good to very bad. This assessment is not based on a person's health over any specified period of time. Census data published at Output Area (OA) level and assigned to Area Board based on the location of the OA's population-weighted centroid.

Data source and time period: Office for National Statistics, 2021 Census, Table RM043: General health by ethnic group by age. March 2021.

'Active Health' leisure memberships for persons aged 65 years and over at Wiltshire Council owned leisure facilities

An Active Health membership is an exercise programme in Wiltshire that GPs or healthcare professionals can refer people on to in order to help them become more active.

This type of membership is offered at a concessionary rate and involves the design of suitable bespoke activity programmes by a trained exercise professional. Progress is reviewed at 6 and 12 weeks and can include a range of activities such as gym sessions, swimming, walking groups, or specialist exercise groups and classes.

It should be noted that the following information uses data that is based on (Active Health) memberships of Wiltshire Council leisure sites only. It excludes 'community managed' leisure facilities in Southern Wiltshire community area (Downtown Leisure Centre) and RWB and Cricklade community area (Cricklade Leisure Centre)

As at October 2023, there were almost 3,000 Active Health memberships at Wiltshire Council owned leisure facilities, just over half of which (52%) pertained to persons aged 65 years and over.

The highest proportions of 'Active Health' leisure memberships in persons aged 65 years and over across the county were at facilities located in South West Wiltshire (74.4%), Marlborough (68.1%) and Royal Wootton Bassett and Cricklade (63.4%) community areas.

Definition: The proportion of total 'Active Health' leisure memberships pertaining to persons aged 65 years and over at Wiltshire Council owned leisure facilities. Leisure facilities include leisure centres, swimming pools, community campuses and health and wellbeing centres. It should be noted that this data excludes 'community managed' leisure facilities in Southern Wiltshire community area (Downtown Leisure Centre) and RWB and Cricklade community area (Cricklade Leisure Centre). Community managed leisure facilities provide a service to Wiltshire residents but are not owned or managed by Wiltshire Council.

Data source and time period: Leisure Services, Wiltshire Council. 16th October 2023.

Persons aged 50 years and over who are disabled under the Equality Act

The 2010 Equality Act defines an individual as disabled if they have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term negative effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.

In order to identify disability in the 2021 Census, a two part question was posed. Firstly, "Do you have any physical or mental health conditions or illnesses lasting or expected to last 12 months or more?" A 'Yes' response to this question then prompted the secondary question "Do any of your conditions or illnesses reduce your ability to carry out day-to-day activities?"

A quarter of people in Wiltshire aged 50 years and over identified themselves as having a disability under the Equality Act 2010 in the most recent census. Levels of disability in line with this definition within this age bracket are higher than the Wiltshire average in Melksham, Salisbury, Trowbridge, Warminster and Westbury community areas.

10% of people in Wiltshire aged 50 years and over identified themselves as having a disability under the Equality Act 2010 that limited their daily activities a lot in the most recent census. Levels of disability that cause daily activities to be limited a lot within this age bracket are higher than the Wiltshire average in Melksham, Salisbury, Trowbridge, Warminster and Westbury community areas.

Definition: Proportion of persons 50 years and over disabled under the Equality Act, by level of limitation of daily activities. Census data published at Output Area (OA) level and assigned to Area Board based on the location of the OA's population-weighted centroid

To identify disability in England and Wales, the 2021 Census asked people "Do you have any physical or mental health conditions or illnesses lasting or expected to last 12 months or more?". If they answered yes, a further question "Do any of your conditions or illnesses reduce your ability to carry out day-to-day activities?" was presented. The identification of disability differs from the 2011 Census question used, which asked "Are your day-to-day activities limited because of a health problem or disability which has lasted, or expected to last, at least 12 months?".

The question changed in order to collect data that more closely aligned with the definition of disability in the Equality Act (2010). The Equality Act defines an individual as disabled if they have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term negative effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.

Data source and time period: Office for National Statistics, 2021 Census, Table RM070: Disability by NS-SEC by age. March 2021.

Dementia

Dementia is the term used to describe a range of conditions that are associated with declining brain function, including Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia and Lewy body dementia.

Although it is not a natural part of ageing, the risk of developing dementia increases with age (particularly over the age of 65). In 2022/23, approximately 4,700 people (of all ages) in Wiltshire had a recorded diagnosis of dementia equating to less than 1% (0.9%) of the local population registered with a GP. A breakdown of dementia prevalence by community area is shown here.

Based on the age and sex profile of the population, and the expected rates of dementia that this implies, it is estimated that, in 2023, 59.8% of people aged 65 and over with dementia in Wiltshire have a diagnosis, equivalent to around 4,500 people. This implies that there are over 3,000 people aged 65 and over in Wiltshire who do not currently have a diagnosis. Whilst there is currently no cure, a dementia diagnosis (particularly at an early stage) can help people to access the right care, treatment and support. It can further help them, along with relatives, carers and healthcare staff, to work effectively together and plan accordingly to improve individual health and care outcomes.

Definition: The percentage of patients diagnosed with dementia as recorded on GP practice disease registers. The number of patients with each condition in an Area Board (AB) was estimated based on the lower super output areas (LSOAs) of residence of each GP's total patients, and assigned to AB based on proportion of residential dwellings in each LSOA/AB intersect.

Data source and time period: NHS Digital, Quality and Outcomes Framework. 2022/23. Distribution estimate from NHS Digital, Patients Registered at a GP Practice. July 2023.

Frailty in persons aged 65 years and over

Frailty is the term used to describe the state of increased vulnerability to adverse health outcomes (such as falls, disability or the need for hospitalisation or long-term care) due to reduced physiological reserves. Whilst the risk of frailty increases as we age, it is not universal amongst older people.

Frailty can be described as a spectrum that ranges from from mild to severe. Moderate frailty can significantly impact on daily living as a person may require assistance with activities such as bathing, cooking, and/or cleaning. As at December 2023, 11% of persons aged 65 years and over in Wiltshire have been identified as having symptoms/conditions related to moderate frailty. 4% of persons in the same age bracket, meanwhile, were identified as being severely frail, meaning that a person is fully dependant on others (including carers and healthcare professionals) for their personal care.

Definition: The percentage of persons aged 65 years and over in Wiltshire identified as moderately or severely frail on GP practice registers.

Data source and time period: Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board (BSW ICB), Population Insights Tool. 7th December 2023.

Falls in persons aged 65 years and over

Anyone can experience a fall at any time of life, however the likelihood increases as we age. There are numerous, inter-related reasons for this including muscle weakness, poor balance and visual impairment. The impact of a fall can be wide ranging in terms of injury and ill health in the first instance, to issues associated with compromised independence and reduced confidence.

In 2021/22 across Wiltshire, the rate of hospital admissions due to falls in persons aged 65 years and over stood at 2,247 per 100,000 persons within this age group. Comparative rates for each community area are shown in the graph below.

Definition: Emergency hospital admissions in persons aged 65 years and over for falls injuries classified by primary diagnosis code (ICD10 code S00-T98) and external cause (ICD10 code W00-W19).

Data source and time period: NHS Digital, Hospital Episode Statistics. 2021/22. Denominator: Office for National Statistics, 2021 Census. Table RM121: Sex by age. March 2021.

Persons of state pension age in receipt of Pension Credit

Pension Credit is separate from a state pension and provides financial support to people over state pension age on a low income. Pension Credit can also help to provide assistance to persons with severe disabilities, who are carers or who have responsibility for a child or young person. To be eligible, claimants must have reached state pension age and live in England, Scotland or Wales. In February 2023, just over 8,000 people, or 7.5% of people of state pension age in Wiltshire, were in receipt of Pension Credit. More information on Pension Credit, including more detailed information on the types of support available and eligibility criteria, can be found on the government's Pension Credit webpages.

Definition: Percentage of individuals of state pension age in receipt of Pension Credit. Published at ward level, aggregated to Area Board level.

Data source and time period: Department for Work and Pensions, DWP Stat-Xplore. Benefit combinations dataset. February 2023.