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THE AGEING POPULATION
By producing an index figure* which is calculated by
expressing the number of persons over 65 years of age as a
percentage of those under 15 years of age, it can be clearly
shown how the proportion of old people has increased. This
index also gives an indication of the extent to which the problems
presented by the care of old people may vary in different areas.
In the table appearing on the following page the index has
been calculated from the Census figures for 1921, 1931 and 1951
and comparison has been made of the figures for Camberwell,
England and Wales, the County of London and for the five
adjoining Boroughs. Unfortunately statistics on which to
calculate an index for 1954 are not yet available.
It will be seen that the index for Camberwell of 32 in 1921,
had increased to 53 in 1931 and 74 in 1951, but this was somewhat
less than the increase for the County of London as a whole.
It will be noted too that the index for Camberwell is a little
lower than that for Lambeth, but is higher than the other four
contiguous Boroughs. Attention is also called to the very much
higher figures for females than males in all the areas; in
Camberwell the female index is 92 as compared with 57 for the
male population.
These figures forcibly illustrate that increasing problems
are likely to arise in connection with the care and welfare of the
older members of the community. They also suggest that the
contemporary retiring ages of 60 and 65 years are no longer
acceptable. The working capacity and employment of older
people should be based on their "biological" and not "chronological"
age.
*Quoted by Fleming G. 1954. Br. Jo. Phys. Med. 9. 207.