Making plans for Britain's growing army of pensioners

A study by researchers Yorkshire Futures suggests more than half the 430,000 new homes which the region is estimated to need by 2026 will be for people aged over 65, as healthier lifestyles and advances in medical science see lifespans steadily extended and the number of pensioners increase rapidly.

This trend towards an ageing society is being mirrored across Britain and much of the western world, vexing governments and planners from Germany to Japan. But the effects will be felt most keenly in areas with particularly high proportions of elderly people.

With its fine stretch of North Sea coastline, spacious hinterland and low rates of crime, the East Riding has long been a popular place for people to retire. The net flow of people into the area from other parts of Yorkshire last year was higher than into any other part of the region, and forecasts suggest the number of residents will have leapt almost a quarter by 2033.

"It's important to say we don't regard it as a problem that people are living longer," said Richard Harrap, East Riding of Yorkshire Council's cabinet member for adult and carers services. "It's a wonderful thing and a great benefit. But it is a big issue we have to consider."

The council will have to work closely with local NHS organisations to ensure the increasing numbers of elderly people are properly cared for. More GPs and significantly more carers will be needed as the number of people living with long-term conditions such as dementia and diabetes soars.

Dr Tim Allison, East Riding's director of public health, highlighted the possibility of a "labour shortage" in the area if the proportion of elderly people becomes too high in comparison with the number of people of working age.

"The demographic change is the biggest challenge we face here in the East Riding, and I would probably say nationally as a whole," he said. "We clearly need to get this right."

Crucial will be instigating a shift towards home care as the most affordable and appropriate form of treatment for large numbers of people living with long-term illnesses.

"It's about trying to get out into the community where people live, with neighbourhood care teams that might go to people's houses to support them there," Dr Allison said.

Preparatory work is already well under way. Dr Allison cited the introduction of telecare – which allows elderly people to be monitored at home using modern communications technology – and the opening of the Hull York Medical School to train more doctors for the local area.

But the issues for the East Riding, and other areas with a rapidly ageing population such as North Yorkshire, go far beyond healthcare.

The Yorkshire Futures report states bluntly that "the ageing society will put a great deal of pressure on housing," concluding that the Yorkshire region currently "lags behind" much of the UK in providing homes specifically designed for the elderly.

East Riding councillor Symon Fraser, whose cabinet portfolio covers development issues, said careful planning would be key.

"The fact that people are both migrating here and then also living longer when they get here does create a significant pressure on the need to construct and keep a good supply of new homes in the area," he said. "It can create conflicts if people try to build those homes in unsuitable places."

Safer homes for the elderly urged

Soaring numbers of elderly people will inevitably mean an increase in the number of slips, trips and falls they suffer – which already cost the region's health services some 600m a year.

Planners are calling for a major programme of home improvement works to assist elderly people through the installation of stair lifts and other similar devices.

A report by research agency Yorkshire Futures, entitled Age Matters, recommends a rapid expansion of existing council and NHS-led home improvement schemes.

It states: "The vast majority of older people will choose to live in their own homes well into later life. Home adaptations can have a major impact on an older person's quality of life...(and) can also result in significant cost savings."

The report estimates around 400,000 hospital admissions in Yorkshire last year were the direct result of falls, costing more than half a billion pounds – in contrast to the relatively cheap price of installing grab rails and bath lifts.

Schemes will be needed most in areas such as East Riding and also North Yorkshire, which has the highest proportion of elderly people in the region.

Alex Bird, chief officer of Age Concern North Yorkshire, said: "For older people, if they have a serious fall there's all the trauma of having to be admitted to hospital, and then there's also a huge loss of confidence and a concern over whether they'll be able to cope when they come out.

"So it's about preventing that happening through measures like home improvements, and also through the sort of exercise programmes for older people we organise here."