Professor Tom Kirkwood, Associate Dean for Ageing, University of Newcastle - presentation from Age UK's For Later Life conference, 25th April. For more information: www.ageuk.org.uk/forlaterlife

1. Enhancing health in later life
Scientific and medical research show ageing to be more
malleable than used to be thought.

2. The Continuing Increase in Life Expectancy
UN estimate 1980
UN estimate 1990
UN estimate 2000
Declining early/mid-life mortality Declining later-life mortality

3. Ageing Process and Its Malleability
Age-related Frailty, Disability, and Disease
Accumulation of Cellular Defects
Random Molecular Damage
GOOD
NUTRITION
GOOD
LIFESTYLE
ANTI-INFLAMM.INFLAMMATION
STRESS
ENVIRONMENT
BAD
NUTRITION

4. Factors Influencing Health in Later Life
Genes
Nutrition
Lifestyle

5. The Benefits of a Healthy Lifestyle
Exercise
significantly
improves health
across the life
course and
delays diseases
linked with
ageing

6. Factors Influencing Health in Later Life
Genes
Nutrition
Lifestyle
Environment
Socioeconomic status

7. A few minutes on the Tyne & Wear metro (or the
Tube) can take years off your life …
Courtesy Prof Peter Gore/Prof Carol Jagger/ONS
74.8
66.1
70.1
63.8
Age of expected onset of limiting long-term condition for 55 yr old person
Ponteland South
68.071.5

8. Factors Influencing Health in Later Life
Genes
Nutrition
Lifestyle
Environment
Socioeconomic status
Attitude

9. Attitudinal Barriers to Changing the Status Quo
Distaste – “I’d rather not think about it”
Ignorance – “I’m just not that interested (yet)”
Fatalism – “I can’t change it anyway”.
Negative stereotyping – “Old people are losers”.
Youth bias – “We must invest in the future!”
Tunnel vision – “This is how it has to be”
Failure to engage – “I know all about ageing and
it’s just …”
Short-term’ism – “I’ll deal with it when I’ve fixed the
immediate crisis”.

10. The Trajectory of Mental Capital and Wellbeing
UK Government Office for Science - Foresight: Mental Capital and
Wellbeing. “Mental Capital Through Life: Future Challenges”, Kirkwood et al
2008

11. Factors Influencing Health in Later Life
Genes
Nutrition
Lifestyle
Environment
Socioeconomic status
Attitude
Chance

12. 78% rated their health compared with others of the same age as
“good” (34%), “very good” (32%) or “excellent” (12%).
The Newcastle 85+ Study reveals the great extent of age-
related multi-morbidity but surprising self-rated health

13. A quarter of men and a sixth of women have no important functional limitation at age 85.
Extreme Diversity in Capability/Disability at
Advanced Old Age
Distribution of Individual Disability Scores with
Respect to 17 Activities of Daily Living

15. Newcastle University: Campus for Ageing and Vitality