The Public Health team provide evidence-informed advice to health and care colleagues on prevention and effective interventions supporting older people.
We work with voluntary care sector or other partners to deliver pilot programmes to support older people to live well for longer.
At a strategic level, we aim to promote an age-friendly environment that encourages healthier choices and ensures people receive the right care at the right time, enabling them to live well and independently.
Local services
The Ageing Well Empowerment Service gives adults aged 50+ living in Havering wellbeing support in the community.
Ageing well is an essential area of Public Health
Our health and well-being are shaped by our socioeconomic situation, communities, environment, lifestyle choices, and the health and care system.
It is never too late to adopt healthy behaviours.
The increase in the number of people living to an older age is a public health success.
However, as we age, the risk of being hospitalised increases significantly, and the older the age the steeper the increase in risk.
Being in hospital can lead to a loss of independence, making it crucial to prevent illnesses and hospitalisations in older people.
A lot can be done to help improve and maintain general health and fitness including maintaining good oral health, getting hearing tested and being vaccinated against infectious disease such as pneumococcal disease and seasonal influenza (‘flu).
Ageing well is an area of Public Health focus in Havering
Key facts
- Currently 1 in 8 people aged 66 and older in Havering live alone, making up half of all one-person households.
- There are 8,061 residents in Havering who are considered to be frail.
- The number of people aged 65 to 84 living in the Borough is predicted to increase by 14 percent in the next ten years (41,550 in 2025 to 47,408 in 2035).
- The number of people aged 85+ is also expected to rise by 23 percent (from 6,946 in 2025 to 8,549 in 2035).
What we do in Havering
Havering Adults Services, the Ageing Well Subgroup of the Havering Place Borough Partnership, and local partners work together to reduce poverty, to promote healthy lifestyle, to prevent from illnesses, to manage the existing conditions better, to empower older people and to support independent living.
How you can make a change
Members of the public can:
- access the NHS practical guide to healthy ageing for those aged 70 and over.
- explore the types of physical exercises and activities available on the NHS website. There is guidance for those aged 19 to 64 and guidance for those aged 65 and over. The NHS’ Better Health site offers lots of free tools and support to help make healthy lifestyle changes.
- use the NHS Every Mind Matters site to find expert advice and practical tips to help everyone look after their mental health and wellbeing.
Professionals working in the area can:
- ensure access to effective care, self-management and peer support of long-term-conditions.
- support individuals with mental health conditions to live, fulfilling, meaningful and healthy lives; ensuring equitable access to mental health services in a timely manner to prevent deterioration of mental health to crisis presentations.
- empower older people to live independently in their own homes with appropriate care and support and to facilitate social connectivity.