Physical health and cost of living remain top concerns.
Age Cymru has published its sixth annual survey exploring the key issues affecting older people across Wales. This year, over 1,700 people aged 50 and over shared their views on what matters most to them right now.
The findings reveal that physical health continues to be the most commonly reported challenge, with 50% of respondents saying it had been an issue over the past 12 months. This marks the third consecutive year that physical health has topped the list. Nearly a third (31%) said their health had worsened during the year.
Many older described how physical health difficulties had made it harder to get out and about, attend medical appointments, and maintain social connections. These challenges are often compounded by lack of reliable local public transport services, which further limit mobility and access to support.
The cost of living emerged as a close second concern, with 46% of older people identifying it as an ongoing issue. This represents a significant increase from the first survey in 2020, when just 9% reported financial pressures affecting their daily lives, a rise of 37%.
Almost two-thirds of respondents said they had made changes in the past year due to financial strain. These included heating their homes less, cutting back on food and skipping meals, reducing water use, and socialising less. Some older people reported postponing essential home repairs or selling their car, while others had resorted to using credit cards or withdrawing money early from pensions or retirement savings to cover basic needs.
One older person said:
“Our heating bills are twice the cost they were a few years ago, and all bills are increasing – food, council tax, insurance etc. But our income is not increasing and our savings are being eaten away by inflation and low interest rates.”
Several respondents also noted that the rising cost of living was having a direct impact on their physical health, with many struggling to afford fresh food or heat their homes adequately during the winter months.
“This year’s findings paint a stark picture of the pressures older people in Wales are facing,” said Victoria Lloyd, Chief Executive at Age Cymru.
“Physical health and financial wellbeing are deeply interconnected, and we’re hearing from people who are having to make impossible choices, between heating their homes, eating well, and staying socially connected. These insights must inform how we shape services and support for older people across Wales.”
The Minister for Children and Social Care, Dawn Bowden MS said:
“Finding out what matters to older people, and how their priorities change over time, is vital to achieving our aim of an age friendly Wales.
“Age Cymru’s survey shows how issues relating to the cost of living, social isolation and physical health interact to impact on overall well-being. The Strategy for an Ageing Society provides a cross government framework to consider the range of factors that influence how we age. Our investment in age friendly communities is enabling older people to take an active role in creating communities that support people of all ages to live and age well.”
For more information on the survey report call Age Cymru on 029 2043 1555 Monday to Friday between 9am and 4pm, email: policy@agecymru.org.uk or visit www.agecymru.org.uk/annualsurvey
