Physical health, but not mental health, declines with age
Physical health declines with age. 24% of people aged 50
to 55 said that they had an illness that limited what they could
do, compared with 53% of those aged over 80.
Mental health does not decline with age. People with the poorest
mental health are likely to be in either the youngest or the oldest
age groups.
Back to topEating out, cinema, opera and museums are common leisure activities
Half of the ELSA respondents go to the cinema, opera or
museums at least once a year. Almost all of the ELSA respondents
eat out of the house at least sometimes.
Back to topPaid work is seen as likely to decline - but voluntary work is fairly common
Only 3 in 10 men who are working in their fifties are 100
per cent certain that they will still be working after age
60.
Just over one in ten ELSA respondents did some voluntary work last
month and around nine per cent of them spent some of their time
caring for someone last month.
Back to topJust a third of respondents had internet access
Nearly half of the ELSA respondents have a computer in
their household, and one third have access to the
internet.
Back to top
