The world is changing rapidly and so is our experience of long lives. Future generations of older people will have different needs, and expectations to their parents’ or grandparents’ generations.
Over six months the International Longevity Centre (ILC), supported by Brightwell, ran an innovative, futures-focused research project to look forward to the next 20 years exploring how our experience of later life will change, and how the service offering for older people will need to adapt.
This research project formed The future of ageing in an uncertain world, an insightful report painting a picture of what later life looks like today, and how it is likely to change over the next 20 years.
The report also includes a series of recommendations for policy makers and service providers.
“There’s a growing inequality in retirement. It’s important that this is acknowledged, and that pension policy reflects this changing reality” – Morten Nilsson, Brightwell CEO
The world is changing rapidly, and technological, economic, societal and environmental changes are reshaping our experience of longer lives.
Over the next 20 years, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is set to democratise access to financial information and advice, changing how we save and manage our finances. Cash will become increasingly obsolete, and our decisions about how to spend and save will be driven more and more by environmental and ethical concerns. More of our health and care will be provided at home or in the community, and technological advances will support faster and cheaper diagnostic testing, and more personalised treatments.
We will be using driverless cars. We will work for longer, but how, when and where we work will change. And the boundaries between work and learning will become more fluid, as we continue to learn throughout our lives. More of us will be renting into later life, and we’ll all have access to the key amenities we need by travelling no more than 15 minutes on foot or by bike. We will be able to work, live, and play from our homes, and smarter homes will enable us to live independently for longer.
Media – Press Releases
“This research shines a light on the potential challenges faced by the next generation in older life” – Nausicaa Delfas, Chief Executive, The Pensions Regulator