Tag: older people

Abuse of older people has reached ‘unprecedented levels’

New analysis reveals ‘shocking’ scale of the abuse crisis facing over-65s

●      1 in 5 UK residents (22 percent) have personal experience of abuse as an older person or know someone who has been abused – with almost 2.7 million victims thought to be affected across the country

●      Attitudes regarding what ‘counts’ as abuse are thought to be fuelling the crisis, with 1 in 5 Scots believing that inappropriate sexual acts directed at older people don’t constitute abuse

●      Half (50 percent) of those surveyed in Scotland believe that the abuse and neglect of older people increased as a result of the lockdown

●      Charity announces raft of new measures designed to protect older people from abuse and to promote safer ageing

UK safer ageing charity, Hourglass, has today warned that abuse of older people is at ‘unprecedented levels’ as new data emerges revealing that nearly 2.7m UK citizens over the age of 65 are thought to have been abused.

The Growing old in the UK 2020 survey – commissioned by the charity – of over 2,500 adults found that 1 in 5 (22 percent) people either had personal experience of abuse as an older person (aged 65+) or knew an older person who had been abused, and 53% of people in the UK felt that the abuse and neglect of older people had increased as a result of lockdown. 

Previous estimates have put the figure significantly lower, with the World Health Organisation estimating that – globally – 1 in 6 people aged 60 and older experienced some form of abuse in the last year.

In March, Hourglass warned that isolation and lockdown would act like a “pressure cooker” for the abuse of older people, with attitudes toward what “counts” as abuse fuelling this crisis, and situations where older people are locked down with their abusers or isolated without care only making things worse. Under lockdown conditions, older people lack the safeguards that would have previously existed through day-to-day contact with the outside world.

Among Scottish respondents, the survey revealed that at least 1 in 5 (23 percent) don’t believe that ‘inappropriate sexual acts directed at older people’ count as abuse; likewise a more than a fifth (26 percent) don’t view ‘pushing, hitting, or beating an older person’ as abuse, while a third (31 percent) don’t see ‘taking precious items from an older relative’s home without asking’ as abuse.

The overall UK figures were even higher than these, at 35 percent, 30 percent, and 32 percent respectively.

Commenting on the findings, Lesley Carcary, Director of Programmes and Director of Hourglass Scotland, said: “These results are genuinely shocking.

“Although we’ve known for a long time that we live in a world prejudiced against older people, the results show how widespread the issue is. These figures really shine a light on the true scale of the crisis, especially here in Scotland.”

She added that the data confirmed what the charity has long suspected – that the abuse of older people has long been drastically under-reported to authorities.

“Our polling shows that while people know that abuse of older people is a problem in Scotland today, there’s a complete disconnect between awareness of the issue and a true understanding of the role we all play in preventing abuse.”

Ms Carcary said the data reveals a disturbing level of tolerance towards abusive behaviours in our society.

“While I’ve no doubt that the vast majority of people don’t consider themselves to be abusers, the truth is that a troubling proportion of those we surveyed don’t actually see some very harmful behaviours as abuse. Without countering these perceptions, people are far more likely to perpetuate the cycle of abuse and are part of the problem.”

Hourglass, the only UK-wide charity focussed on addressing the abuse and neglect of older people, has announced hat it is expanding its points of service entry, both in response to this new evidence as well as the COVID-19 pandemic. 

With Scotland leading the way in Hourglass’s modern new approach to supporting older people, the charity will launch the UK’s first Community Hub dedicated to safer ageing in Scotland.

This one-stop-shop approach will allow the charity to begin to refer cases to a localised Community Response Team who will be able to take on casework for older people and their families.

This will first be rolled out across Scotland, before expanding into England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Building on its Helpline, the charity is also creating the UK’s first Knowledge Bank for people seeking support or advice from the charity and its partners. This will include an instant messaging service to signpost users to appropriate resources.

Ms Carcary added: “The additional points of entry into the charity will be crucial in expanding support and resources for those suffering from abuse in Scotland as well as their loved ones.

“We want people to know what to do if they suspect an older people is being abused, and we want to ensure we are there to offer that lifeline.”

Willie Rennie, Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, said of the survey results: “If these figures do not shock you to the core, I am not sure what will. This abuse is often silent, behind closed doors but more frightening for it. Victims will feel helpless which is why this research is incredibly important.”

Care home residents join mass singalong to commemorate fallen heroes

Residents at two Edinburgh care homes joined hundreds of people across the UK in a virtual singalong to celebrate the life of the late Dame Vera Lynn.

Men and women from Mansfield Care’s Haugh House and Craighall House care homes sang the iconic ‘We’ll Meet Again’, with over 900 care home residents taking part throughout the country.

The event took place on Remembrance Sunday while also marking the release of the singer’s farewell album ‘Keep Smiling Through’ in partnership with Decca records.

The singalong was organised by Shapeshifter Productions which collaborates with care homes around the UK through their participatory singing project, The Smiling Sessions.

The charity provides weekly singing sessions for residents in care homes, which can be accessed through a newly developed website and app due to the pandemic. Songs can be streamed or downloaded.

Artistic Director of Shapeshifter Productions, Alison Jones, (above) said: “The Smiling Sessions was a project conceived over 10 years ago which enables residents at care homes throughout the country to sing with one another through weekly sessions.

“Unfortunately, with the pandemic we were forced to hold our weekly singing sessions virtually, but with this change we came up with new ideas such as a virtual jukebox – allowing residents to pick the songs they want to sing together remotely.

“It became a huge hit with homes all over the country, and so we decided we wanted to have a mass singalong to commemorate those on Remembrance Sunday. It took a lot of effort to set up, but we were overwhelmed by the popularity of the singalong with over 10,000 residents all coming together to sing.

“Dame Vera Lynn is so iconic, and is a symbol of resilience and strength for so many during an unprecedented time, and you can see how much the song meant to all the residents, it provided a real sense of occasion for them.”

Haugh House and Craighall House were approached by Shapeshifter Productions over the phone after learning the mother of Pete Baikie, co-founder of The Smiling Sessions, was staying at Haugh House.

Care Home Manager, Jo Dickman, said: “One of residents, Rae Baikie (above), has a son who is involved in musical therapy for care homes down in England, and so he regularly comes up to do singing sessions with our residents.

“Through him we found out about the big singalong and we had many of our residents eager to join. They absolutely loved it, and you could see just how much it meant to those who took part in it.

“It made the residents feel very reminiscent of their childhoods, and we even have two residents who served in the forces so it was particularly poignant for them.

“Singing plays a huge role in the care of our residents, and seeing each of them after the performance, and when we showed them the video back, it obvious to see how much of an impact singing can have on their well-being.

“We are always trying to find new and unique ways to provide activities for our residents in a time were visits and sessions can be difficult. We will definitely be collaborating with the Smiling Sessions project in the future.”

Mansfield Care specialise in small, friendly residential care homes in Edinburgh, Borders and west of Scotland; each designed to an exceptional standard with state-of-the-art facilities.

The Mansfield Care ethos is inspired by the kind of care we would wish for ourselves in later life – supportive, friendly, bright, positive, empathetic, respectful and homely.

LifeCare secures £100,000 to provide ‘meals on wheels’ service

LifeCare Edinburgh, the older people’s support charity, is today announcing it has secured £100,000 from Barclay’s 100×100 UK COVID-19 Community Relief Programme. 

This funding will enable the charity to deliver its important new ‘meals on wheels’ service set up to support some of the most vulnerable and isolated local older people through the crisis. 

This will be particularly important over the challenging winter months ahead when older vulnerable people will require more support than ever to maintain physical and mental health and to remain connected to others through this unprecedented time.

The Stockbridge-based charity has almost 80 years of experience supporting older people living across the city.

The range of support services offered by the care organisation allows older residents to comfortably stay in their own home for longer.  For example, the charity runs essential help at home services, registered outreach services and hosts three day centres for those with dementia and the frail elderly living throughout the city.

However, the crisis and the subsequent restrictions, has radically affected the usual range of in-person care services proudly offered by the charity.  LifeCare has had to quickly evaluate, adapt and launch new programmes of support, such as this new meals on wheels service, to ensure that those in need continue to receive the high-quality support older people urgently need.

Kirstine Fergusson, Interim CEO of LifeCare, said: “We are so grateful to Barclays for this phenomenal level of support.  The £100,000 award will enable our dedicated teams to deliver 100 hot meals a day to some of the most vulnerable and isolated older people living across our local communities right now. 

“We all know that the colder, winter months ahead look a little harder for us all this year, but this is particularly true for the people we continue to support every day. 

“Our older people are missing usual interactions such as coming to our day centres and participating in our varied support programmes.  They are no longer easily able to get out of the house, have a change of scene and perhaps sit in our café to enjoy the company of others. 

“Many of our clients live alone, are fearful or unable to leave their homes by themselves and they can become very isolated, so we are delighted that because of this new partnership with Barclays we are now able to visit those most in need regularly to check in, to say hello and to provide them with a hot and nutritious meal to keep them going through the colder and darker days.  This is truly life-changing support.”

Scott Stewart, Head of Barclays Scotland, said: “This crisis has had an unprecedented impact across Scotland and we know this is an incredibly challenging time for many communities.

“By reaching those most in need of support LifeCare is playing a vital role in this crisis.  At Barclays we are doing everything we can for our customers, clients and colleagues to help them through this pandemic.  We hope that the donations we are making to charities across Scotland, including LifeCare, will allow them to amplify their vital work and support more people as the crisis develops.”

This new meals on wheels service will be managed by the team working within LifeCare’s renowned community café on Cheyne Street by their Help at Home service.  The small team will deliver 14,000 freshly prepared hot meals across the coming months.

The charity will be targeting local older people most affected by the restrictions.  If you, or someone you know, would like to benefit from the meals on wheels service please call 0131 343 0940 to discuss.  

For more information visit https://www.lifecare-edinburgh.org.uk/

Extra funding for Adult Social Care this winter

A plan outlining steps to prepare and support Scotland’s social care sector through the winter has been published.

The Adult Social Care Winter Preparedness Plan, backed by an additional £112 million in funding, will support social care users in residential, community and home settings, and the people who provide that care, including unpaid carers.

This new plan and additional investment will provide further support to the sector to respond the demands of winter alongside the ongoing challenges of coronavirus (COVID-19). Earlier this year the sector received an additional £150 million to deal with the financial implications of the pandemic, bringing this year’s total extra allocation for social care to £262 million.

An evidence paper has been published with the plan outlining how the new measures have been informed by lessons learned about COVID-19 to date, including last week’s Public Health Scotland discharge report and the Care Inspectorate’s Care at Home inquiry. The plan also takes into account the findings of the root cause analysis of care home outbreaks commissioned by the Cabinet Secretary, which is also published today.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “The coronavirus pandemic presents unprecedented challenges for everyone this winter, particularly those who are already vulnerable.

“One in 20 people in Scotland are recipients of adult social care and their needs are diverse. We have made this central to our approach, ensuring we support and protect people while prioritising their mental health and well-being.

“This is the first time we have published an adult social care plan. It has been produced with input from across all partners and I’m pleased to say that it has the support of our colleagues at COSLA. It sets out what support will be available for people who receive social care and those who provide that care this winter, as well as addressing the impacts COVID-19 has had on them and their families. 

“The new measures we are putting in place have been informed by the lessons we have learned so far, and the evidence paper published today outlines why these measures are necessary for winter. We will continue to take firm action to protect those who receive or provide social care, and adapt our guidance based on the latest scientific evidence and clinical advice.”

Councillor Stuart Currie, COSLA’s Health and Social Care Spokesperson, said: “The social care sector and Scotland’s social care workers have faced enormous challenges during the COVID-19 response, and the Adult Social Care Plan will enable them to continue to provide valuable help and support to those in the community that need it most.

“The pandemic has had a drastic impact on those that require support both at home and in residential settings, and the funding announced by the Scottish Government as part of the plan will go some way to addressing that.

“COSLA will continue to work with Scottish Government and partners across the sector to ensure that they receive the support they need to continue this vital work.”

Actions outlined in the plan include:

  • enhanced infection prevention and control, with £7 million for Health Boards to invest in Nurse Director teams
  • daily review of COVID-19 symptoms in care home residents and staff, including temperature checking so early testing can be undertaken and pre-emptive infection control measures put in place
  • expanded testing access for the care at home workforce and designated visitors as capacity increases
  • NHS National Services Scotland will continue to provide free of charge top-up and emergency provision of PPE to ensure staff, unpaid carers, and Social Care Personal Assistants have the PPE they need until at least the end of March 2021
  • prioritise a ‘home first’ approach to care, supporting people to stay home or in a homely setting with maximum independence for as long as possible
  • up to £500,000 will be available to all care homes to provide access to digital devices, connectivity and support to help manage conditions from home or connect those receiving care with their loved ones
  • £50 million to support the additional costs of restricting staff movement across care settings
  • £50 million for the Social Care Staff Support Fund and winter sustainability funding, through to the end of March 2021
  • maintaining and promoting access to local NHS Board workforce wellbeing services, the health and social care wellbeing national hub PROMIS and the NHS 24 mental health support service to support care home staff, the third sector and unpaid carers
  • up to £5 million for additional oversight and administration costs associated with responding to the pandemic and outbreak management
  • publication of a website with information and advice for families on visiting.

Adult Social Care Winter Preparedness Plan 2020-21 and Evidence Paper

Scottish Pensioners’ Forum calls for creation of a National Care Service

The Scottish Pensioners’ Forum, the campaigning organisation for older people in Scotland, have today released a report calling for the creation of a National Care Service in light of the tragic number of deaths related to Covid-19 within care home settings.

The report is supported by the STUC.

Rose Jackson, SPF Chair, argued: “Covid-19 has had a disproportionate impact on the most vulnerable members of our society with many older people losing their lives prematurely due to the inadequate measures in place within residential care settings – things must change as a matter of urgency to ensure that more older people don’t lose their lives unnecessarily as a consequence of this.”

The report also highlights the profits being made by private companies and overseas investment in the care home sector and calls for an urgent review of this practice.

“We must replace a profit based system with something more akin to the NHS to avoid tax payers providing grossly inflated profits to shell companies and overseas speculators.”

The SPF, who have strong links with the STUC and its affiliates, have also set out a plan for a care service which would be beneficial for care home residents whilst also protecting the rights and welfare of employees in the care sector.

Roz Foyer, STUC General Secretary, welcomed the report stating: “Older people in Scotland have suffered greatly during this pandemic. Reports that half of all Covid deaths in Scotland have been from people living in care homes is a disgrace that should shame Governments and employers.

“The STUC has repeatedly called for a National Care Service, and while the Scottish Government have promised to review it, we must continue to push for a fully nationalised service that puts service users and care workers before profit and greed. That is why we continue to demand that the voice of care users and the voice of workers is directly represented on the Adult Social Care Inquiry.

“It is the least we, as a society, can do for our older population and for future generations to come.”

SPF-Executive-Committee-Paper-National-Care-Service-Report-Oct-2020Download

Concern over Edinburgh care home failings

An Edinburgh care home is failing to provide adequate care to residents despite THREE visits in September, according to the latest fortnightly report by the Care Inspectorate to the Scottish Parliament.

Guthrie House Care Home on Lasswade Road, which is operated by Four Seasons Healthcare Group, was first visited by inspectors on 1 September, when a letter of serious concern over failings was issued. This was followed up by a visit two days later with representatives from NHS Lothian.

Inspectors found ‘people did not have sufficient access to fluids and were not supported promptly when in pain or distress. We were concerned about the care of residents, cleanliness of the environment and equipment, compliance with infection prevention and control and staffing levels’.

When inspectors visited Guthrie House again on 23 September they found no improvement in the support offered to indivudals experiencing pain and distress. Medication procedures were weak and there was no improvement to the quality of documentation relating to the support provided.

Commenting on today’s report, Lothian MSP Miles Briggs said: “This is deeply concerning that Guthrie House still hasn’t made the necessary improvements to cleanliness of the home and residents who are in pain are still not being supported promptly.

“Full compliance with PPE guidance is crucial to ensuring that care home residents are safe and there can be no exceptions.

“Guthrie House has been repeatedly warned about cleanliness and following PPE guidance. Strict protocols must be put in place to turn the level of care at the home around.

“There are still a number of care homes in the Edinburgh and Lothian who are not following PPE and social distancing guidance fully and the message of full compliance must be reinforced.”

Scottish-Parliament-fortnightly-inspections-report-14-Oct-2020Download

Care home visiting restrictions eased

Care home residents and their family and friends will soon be able to enjoy longer visits together and greater personal interaction, Health Secretary Jeane Freeman has announced.

Updated guidance published by the Scottish Government (below) recommends easing restrictions on visiting in a range of ways, including extending indoor visits from 30 minutes to up to four hours.

Outdoor visits can be extended to include up to six visitors from no more than two households, including children and young people, for up to one hour per visit.

The new guidance also supports increased personal interaction, including hugs or hand holding, as long as strict PPE and infection prevention control measures are met.

These include:

  • personal interaction – visitors can support personal care and daily routine activities, provided this is agreed with the care home and takes place in residents’ rooms
  • touch – enabling contact with loved ones with regular training and supervision for visitors to put on and take off PPE and safety guidelines
  • family pets and therapy animals – during outdoor and indoor visiting, if agreed with the care home, and certain pre-conditions are met
  • gifts and residents’ belongings – can be brought in by visitors, when agreed with the care home manager in advance

These changes will require careful planning by care homes so will be implemented once care homes are satisfied that they can be accommodated safely, alongside existing safety measures such as the weekly testing offered to all care home staff, and sample testing in homes with no cases.

Local PPE Hubs are also in place across Scotland through Health and Social Care Partnerships to support the social care sector with PPE supplies for staff and visitors, in addition to care homes’ existing supply routes.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “We know how difficult visiting restrictions have been, and it is only natural after six months of lockdown restrictions, that care home residents and their loved ones will want to see and interact with each other as much as possible.

“The Scottish Government has been actively working with Scottish Care and other care home stakeholders on a staged approach to re-introduce visiting in care homes in as safe a way as possible, while COVID-19 remains in Scotland.

“This latest guidance has been developed with input from family members, carers, and clinicians to offer greater flexibility in visiting arrangements, and indoor visiting in particular, as winter approaches. We will continue to actively consider how we can best support visiting in care homes, and protect those who are at most risk from this virus.”

Age Scotland has warmly welcomed the changes to care home visits that will allow families to spend more time in an indoor setting with their loved ones.

Brian Sloan, chief executive of Age Scotland, said: “This has been a long time coming but it will nonetheless be a huge boost for care home residents and their families, who have really struggled with the lack of contact since March.

“Family members can at long last visit their loved ones in care homes for up to four hours, indoors and, where it safe to do so, hold their hand for the first time in almost seven months. The importance and benefits of this cannot be underestimated.

“This is something that care home residents and their families have rightly been crying out for as they grew increasingly concerned about the negative impact it was having on their health and well-being. Their wait has been excruciating.

“We have heard from many families who have been seriously alarmed by the decline in the health of their loved one during lockdown, in part because of enforced isolation to avoid the spread of coronavirus. We have been making the case to the Scottish Government that every effort must be made to resume indoor visiting as the ongoing risk to the person’s health by not doing so is substantial.

“It is essential that increased visits to care homes are now available to everyone wherever possible. With PPE and other protective measures in place, older people in care homes will be able to reconnect with their relatives and feel part of their family again.”

Coronavirus (COVID-19): adult care homes visiting guidance.

LifeCare online quiz on Tuesday

LifeCare invites you to join in for the third of its online quizzes on Tuesday 13th October at 15.00.

Enjoy 60 minutes of fun, laughter and topics including the Movies, Nature and lots more.

The quiz will take place on Zoom and for details on how to join in, please contact Aleks, the Community Engagement Facilitator: alekspacula@lifecare-edinburgh.org.uk

Walk to victory plan for pensioners deprived of exercise

Alzheimer’s Month sees get-fit challenge issued at Cramond Residence

Lisa Sohn is one of the lifestyle coordinators at Edinburgh’s most exclusive care homes, Cramond Residence.

PENSIONERS deprived of proper exercise during the lockdown are now being coaxed back into action at Edinburgh’s most exclusive care home – by the lure of raising cash to battle dementia.

Canny staff at Cramond Residence in Edinburgh have set a challenge for residents, giving them the month to get in the best possible shape for a major fundraising push.

Care and clinical workers hope the attraction of doing their bit for Alzheimer’s Month will also help the residents shake off the potentially debilitating effects of five months in lockdown.

Lisa Sohn (above), Lifestyle Coordinator at the purpose-built, 74-room care home, pointed out that extensive research has shown how older people are adversely affected by periods of inactivity, suffering accelerated muscle loss.

Lisa said: “It’s a vicious circle. The more inactive an older person it is, the harder it becomes to get them back into a good place. We’ve done everything we can to keep our residents active here, but we’re hoping this new challenge will really make a difference.

“We are lucky to have beautiful gardens at Cramond Residence so we’ve come up with a plan to mark Alzheimer’s Month throughout September, encouraging our residents to walk as often as possible.

“We’re going to build up to a big fundraising day on September 30. That will see our residents doing as many laps of the garden as possible, while asking their family and friends to make a pledge to Alzheimer Scotland.

“Everyone here has a vested interest in this. Not only is it a great way to keep our people in tip-top condition, but we all know residents who have Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia. This lets us all do our bit to fight this terrible condition.”

Reopening of Cramond Residence’s beautiful garden has been the main impetus for the challenge. However, it has also been partly inspired by the story of former British Army Captain Tom Moore.

His garden walks during lockdown and in the run up to his 100th birthday turned him into a national celebrity. He also raised more than £32m for the NHS – and earned a knighthood as a result.

Lisa added: “All of our residents followed the story of Captain Tom during lockdown, so we’re hoping that will also help inspire them.

“Happily, most of them are champing at the bit to get back out walking outside and the garden walks will be one of our major focuses throughout September.”

Cramond Residence is a purpose-built care home created at a cost of £12.5m and opened in October 2018. It combines luxury, five-star accommodation with outstanding clinical standards. Each resident enjoys a luxury room with en-suite bathroom facilities – with places available from £1850 per week.

It can care for up to 74 older people, with specialised self-contained houses for those residents living with an advanced stage of cognitive impairment induced by conditions such as Alzheimer’s.

It maintains a care staff to resident ratio of at least 1:4 at all times and promotes a small-group living philosophy. That means groups of eight rooms form distinct “houses”, where residents are encouraged to eat and socialise together. This is believed to have played a major role in successful infection control during the Coronavirus pandemic to date.

Places in the care home start from £1850 a week. To find out more, call 0131 341 4037 or visit https://cramondresidence.co.uk/

Retirement around the world

With the Tories seemingly considering changes to the retirement age, how does the UK compare to other countries aroud the world?

Men and women in the Netherlands and South Korea work longer than adults in any other country according to new research.

The team at personal finance experts TheMoneyPig.com have looked at 41 countries around the globe to find the age for retirement.

People in the Netherlands work until they’re 68 with South Koreans working until they’re 68 and 67 for men and women respectively.

Norway, Italy, Israel, Iceland and Greece are close behind with the age of retirement set at 67 years old.

Many countries in Europe retire at around 65 – 66 years old, including the UK, although that age looks set to rise over the coming years.

Others with 65 years as the retirement age include New Zealand, Mexico, Jamaica, Hong Kong, Canada and Brazil. In Asia countries including China, Japan and Thailand retire at 60 years old.

The country with the lowest retirement age is the United Arab Emirates with Emiratis able to retire at just 49 years old. Expats aren’t quite so fortunate, retiring at 65 years.

There is still some discrepancy between the ages men and women can retire. In most countries the retirement age is the same although women are able to retire at a younger age in China, Qatar, Turkey, Russia, the Czech republic, Austria, Brazil, Gibraltar, Jamaica, Poland, Switzerland, Israel and South Korea.

A spokesperson for TheMoneyPig.com said: “Retirement ages differ slightly around the world but not massively. Looking at the data it would be fair to say that mid 60s is around the average age for retirement.

“What is important wherever you live, is to plan for your retirement so you can enjoy it without the financial concerns it can bring.

“It’s important to think about this early and to be realistic on just how much money you need, how much you can afford to pay in now and if there are ways you can boost your pension pot.

Here are TheMoneyPig.com’s tips for planning for retirement:

1. Your retirement income

It’s important to work out your potential retirement income. Factor in your state pension and any private pensions you pay in to and you should come up with an accurate figure. Also factor any savings or investments you have available to use when you retire.

2. Boost your pension pot

Think about paying in more to your pension if you can. This will give you a greater sum when you retire. To boost it further you could set you retirement date later.

3. Day to day spending

Think about what you’ll spend when you retire. Work related costs like commuting, lunch and work clothes will all stop. Do factor in increases elsewhere like leisure and healthcare.

4. Clear your debts

Aim to clear any debts before you retire. If you can get the mortgage paid off, then do. Look at credit cards and any other debts too and pay off those with the highest interest first.

5. Retirement age

Consider what age you want to retire at and be realistic about if you can afford to.

6. Get advice

If you’re not sure, it’s always worth getting some financial advice. A good adviser will be able to talk you through the options to help you work out what’s right for you.

Table in full:

CountryRetirement age – MENRetirement age – WOMEN
UAE49 for emiratis, 60  – 65 for expats49, 65 expats
China6050 – 55
Japan6060
Qatar6055
South Africa6060
Thailand6060
Turkey6058
India60 – 6560 – 65
Russia60.555.5
Singapore62 – 6562 – 65
France62 – 6762 – 67
USA62 – 6762 – 67
Czech Republic62.858 – 62
Hungary6363
Austria6560
Belgium6565
Brazil6562
Canada6565
Cyprus6565
Denmark6565
Gibraltar6560
Hong Kong6565
Jamaica6560
Mexico6565
New Zealand6565
Poland6560
Sweden6565
Switzerland6564
Spain65.2565.25
Germany65.565.5
United Kingdom65.565.5
Australia6666
Ireland6666
Portugal66.366.3
Greece6767
Iceland6767
Israel6762
Italy6767
Norway6767
Netherlands6868
S.Korea6867