Ageing well

Ageing well is not just ageing without ill health or disease but about being able to remain independent, and contribute to and participate in society.

Older people contribute much to our communities, as employers, employees, volunteers, carers, parents and grandparents. Understanding the issues that affect ageing well is much broader than simply looking at individual health or need for support.

The local picture

In South Gloucestershire approximately 2 in 5 people are over 50.

The area’s population is expected to continue to grow over the next 20 years, with the over-75 population increasing to 11.4% of the total by 2041.

As people age they are more likely to need health and social care services. The health and social care system nationally and locally is facing unprecedented pressure to support an ageing population with complex needs in a climate of growing financial and workforce pressures.

Understanding older people’s needs

The South Gloucestershire Ageing Well Needs Assessment 2024 (AWNA) assesses local data and insights to understand the health, care or other needs of over 50s in our area.

This analysis helps to identify priorities and make recommendations that aid in the review and planning of services and can raise questions that tackle particular issues or challenges for this group.

In response to the report’s recommendations around filling knowledge gaps a programme of further analysis and insights gathering has already been started.

Key findings and recommendations

Some key findings identified and explored further in the AWNA include:

  • older adults in South Gloucestershire are generally healthy compared to national averages
  • deprivation impacts how long people live in good health across the area
  • important issues for older adults also include caring responsibilities, social isolation, falls, alcohol dependency and oral health
  • services are not currently located where most older people live


Recommendations include:

  • strengthening our collection and use of data and community insights to better inform commissioning plans
  • engaging with the Age Friendly Communities programme to focus on prevention, person-centred care and better integration, which will help narrow inequalities and reduce demand for social care
  • improving coordination of initiatives that support financial wellbeing in older adults, which will help reduce inequalities
  • improving dementia prevention and diagnosis as well as supporting dementia carers – a local dementia strategy is in development

Data dashboard

An in-depth dashboard is part of the longer term plan for this topic area.

Headline data can be found on the Our population page.

Other resources

Local strategies

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