One in four UK older people‚ the equivalent of nearly 2.5 million individuals‚ admit their quality of life has deteriorated in the last 12 months‚ an additional 400‚000 since the previous year.  A further two thirds of people aged 65 and over say their lives have not improved at all.

One Voice: Shaping our ageing society is a landmark report from the newly merged charity for older people‚ which examines the issues facing older people in the UK: poverty‚ age discrimination‚ isolation and lack of care and support. Age Concern and Help the Aged is challenging the Government and all political parties to transform the ageing process by committing to ending pensioner poverty‚ banning all forms of age discrimination and ensuring older people can access better quality care and support.

The report tracks progress on issues over time and found that while four of the 30 indicators in the report had improved‚ 13 had worsened and 13 showed no change. 

Key findings that have worsened included that three fifths of people aged 65 and over believe older people suffer widespread age discrimination and that one in five pensioners live below the poverty line.

Michelle Mitchell‚ Charity Director for Age Concern and Help the Aged‚ said: “Loneliness‚ depression‚ poverty and neglect blight the lives of millions of older people and for many‚ evidence shows the situation is getting worse‚ not better.  Attitudes to older people are stuck in the past‚ the care and support system for older people is on the brink of collapse and older people’s experiences of isolation and exclusion have largely been ignored by successive Governments.

‘Despite the economic conditions dominating the headlines‚ the current Government and all political parties must not shy away from addressing the long term challenges of an ageing society.  Beneath the shocking statistics are real life human tragedies - avoiding the issues is no longer an option.’