Pensioners' hardship is revealed in health
One in 10 pensioners in Hastings and Rother are spending their lives affected by income deprivation.
A report into the health of people in 1066 Country aged over 65 released this week shows 11 per cent of older people are struggling to get by.
The study into the areas near 40,000 pensioners found elderly people living in West Hastings were the most likely to have low incomes.
And the research also found Hastings suffers from the shortest life expectancy of people aged 65 of all East Sussex.
Men reaching retirement age on average can only expect another 16.9 years, compared to a county wide average of 18.5 or the 18.3 years extra averaged in neighbouring Rother.
Women in Hastings are given slightly longer, but the additional 19.7 years from 65 is again the lowest in the county – and the only estimate under 20 years.
And the figures make for even grimmer reading in St Leonards, with people in parts of the town only expected to last little more than another 16 for men and 18.7 for women.
Almost one in four people in East Sussex are over 65 years.
However this figure varies widely across 1066 Country. In parts of Bexhill it is one in three people. In West Hastings it is just 15 per cent.
The 28-page report was published by NHS Hastings and Rother and also sets out ways in which the local health service can help improve the lot of pensioners.
Ideas include helping more elderly people quit smoking and to spend more cash tackling heart disease. Lung cancer is the main cause of cancer related deaths among men across Hastings and Rother, with levels above the national average. And death rates for respiratory illnesses or pneumonia in the area are above figures experienced elsewhere in East Sussex.
Experts say that just five years after giving up smoking the risk of a stroke will be the same as a non-smoker.
Here in Hastings and Rother nearly seven per cent of people aged 65 to 74 have suffered a stroke, with the figure rising to more than 11 per cent post 75.
Dr Diana Grice, director of public health at the trust, wrote the report.
She said: "The number of older people in the area looks set to continue to rise for years to come, so it is vital that we have a clear idea of their health needs so we can work hard to help them live as healthy lives as possible for as long as possible.
"This includes improving services for older people and carers, promoting independence and wellbeing, providing local services, and helping people to stay in their own homes.
"This report gives us a clear of picture of what is going on locally and also sets out what we plan to do to make sure that services meet the needs of local people."
Other interesting points highlighted in the report include the fact that six per cent of men and 10 per cent of women in the area covered by the trust suffer from dementia.
The 65 plus age group in Hastings also had more emergency hospital admissions than any other part of East Sussex, with 1066 Country accounting for 9,000 or the total 25,000 visits county-wide.
Are you surprised by the findings? Leave your comments below.
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Weather for Hastings
Monday 13 February 2012
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 2 C to 8 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 4 C to 8 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: North
