Included in the report are insights from a project evaluating courses aimed at people approaching later life, conducted with Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (UK Branch). Courses which use psychosocial skills like mindfulness, self-coaching and reflection can provide major benefits to employees’ wellbeing.
The Centre for Ageing Better says providing mid-life support is an essential part of how employers can respond to the changing nature of the workforce. Workers over the age of 50 now make up a third of all UK workers, but there are more older people leaving work than younger people coming in to replace them. Supporting staff to plan ahead could help employers avoid potential staff and skill shortages, as well as ‘cliff edge retirements’ where people are working one day and stop work entirely the next.
Everyone – especially the ‘squeezed middle’ on low-medium incomes and people with health issues or caring responsibilities – benefits from thinking early about what they want later life to look like, and how they can achieve the later life they want.
Government estimates suggest more than half of us haven’t thought about our hopes or ambitions for life after age 60. About 12 million people are likely to have insufficient retirement income. Many people will have unmet care needs in future, and the number of people living alone is rising.
Many people face emotional, practical or social barriers to planning, such as low income or negative perceptions about ageing. The report highlights ways people can be enabled and encouraged to prepare for their future, including saving for retirement, making a will and taking steps to help maintain good health and manage any health conditions which do arise. Equally important is building up emotional and psychological preparedness for ageing and the life transitions that become more likely in later life.
