Elderly Bucks residents living "a decade in poor health"

Elderly Bucks residents are living more than a decade of their lives in poor health, according to a county council health chief.
Elderly Bucks residents are living more than a decade of their lives in poor health, according to a county council health chief.Elderly Bucks residents are living more than a decade of their lives in poor health, according to a county council health chief.
Elderly Bucks residents are living more than a decade of their lives in poor health, according to a county council health chief.

The “healthy” life expectancy for women in Bucks is 70 years – however on average they are living until they are 85.

The gap is slightly lower for men who spend around 12 years of their life expectancy battling health problems, according to Bucks County Council’s (BCC) assistant director of public health, Tracey Ironmonger.

BCC’s health and adult social care select committee was updated on the county’s Better Lives programme – which aims to transform the way social care is delivered.

The scheme aims to enable more adults with disabilities to live independently and ensure elderly Bucks residents live healthier lives for longer.

Ms Ironmonger said: “This prevention model is aiming not only to look specifically at the people who are on the edge of requiring care to maintain their independence and stay as well as possible, but it is also looking much broader than that into how we can extend those healthier years of life through healthy lifestyles, preventing long term conditions, identifying long term conditions earlier and supporting people with long term conditions so they can stay well.”

For more information on the Better Lives programme visit https://democracy.buckscc.gov.uk/mgConvert2PDF.aspx?ID=118357