Older People, Sense of Coherence and Community

Population ageing is a global trend. For example, in the EU-27 population the share of the older population (65 and above) increased from 13.9 % in 1991 to 17.5 % in 2011. It is expected that by 2060 the share of those 65 years and over
will account for 29.5 % of the EU-27 population (Eurostat, 2013). The ageing of the population results from decreasing fertility rates, but also from increasing life-expectancy rates and the progressive ageing of the ageing population itself.
These latter trends are partially attributable to improved quality of nutrition, and advances in medicine, especially knowledge about diseases and their control, and to developments such as early detection of colorectal and breast cancer in screening programmes which increase the chances of survival. Improvements in housing, nutrition, and sanitation standards have also contributed to improved life expectancy (Staehelin, 2005).
In developed countries, years added to life are generally lived in good health. However, because more people live into old age and because chronic diseases more frequently occur in the older population, the burden of disease will also
increase. The ageing of the population will have an impact on healthcare, housing and community facilities, consumption patterns, and also on social security costs. In response, health professionals, researchers, and policymakers are increasingly concerned with healthy ageing, where ageingin-
place is used as a key concept. In this chapter, we first discuss the meaning of the concept of healthy ageing, and how Sense of Coherence contributes to this process. Next, we discuss the characteristics of the community in which
older people live their lives and how the community can provide resources (GRR and SRR) to strengthen Sense of Coherence and hence perceived well-being and quality of life.