Number of people over 65 growing by 20,000 every year

THE NUMBER of people over the age of 65 is growing by 20,000 every year, Minister for Health James Reilly has said.

Speaking on the launch of the Department of Health’s latest publication on key trends in the health area, he said this trend placed additional demands on health services.

To meet them in an environment of reduced resources meant “we must change the way we manage and deliver our services”.

Mr Reilly said one example of where change was taking place was that 60 per cent of hospital admissions were now for day-care treatment, compared with 37 per cent in 2001. “This is an example of care which provides both better and less invasive treatment while at the same time increasing volume and efficiency.”

Dr Reilly said the report identifies real improvements in health status over the past decade.

“Mortality rates from circulatory system diseases, for example, have declined by 39 per cent since 2001. Better healthcare continues to contribute significantly to better outcomes and gains in life expectancy.”

The figures show the population has risen by over 8 per cent since 2006 to over 4.58 million but that birth rates are now falling slightly, although they are still much higher than a decade ago.

However, the report says the number of people in older age groups is beginning to increase significantly. “Numbers will more than double within the next 30 years to over one million people, with the largest proportional increase in the 85+ age category.”

The Department of Health booklet says the numbers of births in 2010, at 73,724, show almost a 1 per cent decrease on the previous year. However, it says this still represents about 15,000 more births annually than a decade ago.

The booklet says that over the past decade Ireland has achieved a rapid and unprecedented improvement in life expectancy.

“During a period when the average life expectancy in the EU has continued to rise, life expectancy in Ireland has increased from nearly one year below the EU average life expectancy to just above it.”

The report says more than anyone else in Europe the Irish consider themselves themselves to be in the best health. “ 84 per cent of males and 83 per cent of females rated their health as being good or very good.”