A new report has determined 4.5 million people ages 50 and up with an existing health condition in England are living in poor-quality housing that is having a harsh impact on their wellness.
According to coverage from The Guardian, the report by the Centre for Ageing Better noted that 1.7 million of that number are ages 70 and older. The problems within the housing in question include rising levels of dampness, water leaks, bad condensation, electrical or plumbing problems, rot and decay, being too cold in the winter, and structural issues.
Among the health issues of the people examined by the report were respiratory diseases, congestive heart failure, heart disease, neurological disease and lung conditions including asthma. Furthermore, the report determined that nonwhite people aged 50 or over with a health condition were twice as likely to have five or more problems with their housing compared with white people.
The report warned that unless these issues are addressed, the National Health Service and the British economy runs the risk of failing.
“This is obviously terrible for those individuals who live in homes that carry a very real risk of making them sick, particularly when winter comes around,” said Dr. Carole Easton, chief executive of the Centre for Ageing Better. “But it is also very bad news for the country. Older workers living in homes that are making their health conditions worse are going to be less likely to be able to work and help grow the economy. Older people whose serious health conditions are made worse by their homes will require treatment, putting additional winter pressures on our health system. All could be averted if we tackled poor-quality housing with the urgency and priority it demands.”
A government spokesperson for the Labour government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer responded to the report by declaring, “Despite the challenging inheritance faced by this government, through our ‘Plan for Change’ we’re taking action to improve housing conditions across all tenures and ensure homes are decent, safe and warm – especially for the most vulnerable.”
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