Sign o’ the times

At the start of this year, a report by Public Health England revealed the latest statistics on life expectancy. In a nutshell, older people in England are living longer than ever before and, for those aged 65, men can expect to live for another 19 years and women a further 21 years.

As often with these statistics, figures varied tremendously across the country, with the North East and North West having lower life expectancies for 65 year olds than in other regions.

Additionally, the figures brought with them the fear that, for many elderly people, this means a life of poor health and neglect – a scenario in sharp contrast to their wealthier counterparts who, at the other end of the fiscal spectrum, are increasingly dipping into pension pots to indulge lifelong fantasies of smile makeovers, with cosmetic procedures such as teeth whitening and dental implants.