ISSUES:

The consumer market is important to older people, providing (and influencing) the food we eat and the medications we take. The private sector help us fill our leisure time and support our learning and personal development.

The growth in number of older people presents an enormous opportunity for those companies willing to address the needs of people in later life. Whilst some older people are well served by the market, for many, the private sector does not meet their needs.

News

See ageing as a source of power instead of as a sign of decline and vulnerability, is the message of the newly published book “Silver Empowerment”, in which scientists from various disciplines discuss ways of improving self-reliance of elderly people. Promoting an age-friendly society is the main topic.

ILC-Japan has been promoting public-industry collaboration to enhance support for older adults in daily living. After conducting studies with community support coordinators and creating a tool with tips to make improvements, we are now in the implementation stage to build actual collaboration between supermarkets and municipalities.

Reports

This new research, by David Sinclair of ILC-UK, for Age UK, considers the market potential of the older consumer and highlights how companies can make more of this population.

Functional foods can play a role in supporting older people’s health says ILC-UK report.

Older people aren’t always getting the most from their retirement savings, according to a new report, by Jackie Wells for the ILC-UK.

This report is an important step in overcoming ageist language and beliefs by providing journalists and others who work in the media with an appropriate body of knowledge, including a lexicon that helps redefine and navigate this new world.

The increasing proportion of very old people in the population means that how to 'age well', even in later old age, is now an important issue for policymakers and researchers, as well as for older people themselves.