Independence and well-being come under particular threat when older people become frail or ill. The likelihood of frailty and illness increases as people age. This, combined with a lack of the right kind of support, can place limits on older people's ability to continue enjoying life to the full. Over half of all people aged 75 to 84 reported that they have a long-term illness that limits what they do (2001 census), and this rises to over 70 per cent of people aged over 85. Many older people have more than one condition ('multiple pathologies'), severely limiting their abilities.
But most older people still want to maintain their independence and sense of well-being, and to minimise the impact of these limitations on their lives. A clear message from research carried out with focus groups of older people for the Audit Commission and the Department for Work and Pensions by Age Concern England, is that independence is not just about being able to do things for oneself. Many attending the groups were receiving substantial amounts of help from statutory services, relatives and friends, but they reported that they continued to feel independent so long as they were able to exercise choice and control. Interdependence; this is giving help to others, as well as receiving it; was also crucially important to older people.
That report looks at what independence means for older people and concludes that, to be independent, older people need to feel they have choice and control over how they live their lives. It also reports the key factors that older people themselves said were important for keeping them independent.