Results from First Wave of TILDA launched

The first results from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA), a national study of 8,000 older people aged 50 and over, were launched on Monday May 9th by the Minister for Health and Children, Dr James Reilly. Speakers at the launch included Prof Rose Anne Kenny, TILDA Lead-PI, Professor Alan Barrett, TILDA Research Director, Prof Charles Normand (TCD), Dr Hilary Cronin (TILDA) and Dr Virpi Timonen (TCD, School of Social Work and Social Policy).

TILDA is the most comprehensive study ever conducted on ageing in Ireland. Between 2009- 2011, over 8,000 people aged 50 and over were randomly selected across the country and interviewed about many aspects of their lives including issues such as health, financial circumstances and quality of life. Almost 85 per cent of the participants also underwent a rigorous health assessment. The same group will be interviewed every two years until 2018. Further health assessments will be undertaken on the participants in 2014 and 2018. This report, Fifty Plus in Ireland 2011: First Results from the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, contains initial findings from the study. TILDA is funded by the Department of Health and Children, Irish Life and The Atlantic Philanthropies.

When launching the report, the Minister said that the Study's high quality objective and subjective measurements of health coupled with its longitudinal design "will provide a truly unique knowledge base that will inform policies for older people in the years ahead."

The findings in the report cover many topics and show that there is considerable diversity across older adults in terms of the various dimensions of their lives. Dr Timonen highlighted the following findings pertaining to the social contexts and dimension of ageing:

When the participants were asked about their quality of life, the following emerged:

• The 50+s report that they derive considerable enjoyment from life. Eighty-five per cent report that they often enjoy the things they do, while 81 per cent often look forward to each day. Over 80 per cent feel that life is full of opportunities.

The report also shows how this group contributes significantly to their families and communities, in terms of both money and time. Specific examples of this are as follows:

• Over one third of people aged 50 and over provide practical household help including shopping and household chores to their children who are not living with them and nearly half provide care to grandchildren.
• Over one quarter of 50+ households report giving a financial or material gift worth €5,000 or more to their children within the last ten years.
• Over a quarter of 50+s do voluntary work at least once or twice a month.

Link to Executive summary, full report and chapter-by-chapter versions can be found at TILDA.

Link to Press Coverage