London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

New research published in The Lancet warns that unless health systems find effective strategies to address the problems faced by an ageing world population, the growing burden of chronic disease will greatly affect the quality of life of older people.

Commenting on the Series, Dr Hannah Kuper, co-director of the International Centre for Evidence in Disability at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said: "I welcome the fact that this research on health and ageing draws much-needed attention to the wide range of issues linked to a growing elderly population. As treatments for many illnesses improve and many more people live to old age, it is crucial that we don't forget about quality of life and the importance of investing in action to help the large numbers of elderly people who are disabled in some way. Disability is extremely common among older people - affecting around 4 out of 10 people aged 60 and above. Moreover, most people with disabilities are elderly. A key priority will therefore be to ensure that initiatives targeted at older people take account of their high risk of disability. Services for people with disabilities will also need to be increased."