The “Ageing Revolution” researched by QUB’s Professor Young

Queen’s has undertaken research into what could be the most hardcore revolution since 1917.


An “ageing revolution” is the basis for one of the largest public health research projects ever to take place in NI. Today there are officially more people aged under-16 than over-65. This means that by 2037 there will be excess of 122,000 over 65’s.

A terrifying snapshot into a future where clubs have been replaced by bingo halls and a walking stick is the latest must-have accessory. The old wander the streets and youth is as rare as the fleg over City Hall. An o.a.pocolyspe if you will.

Student population, year 2037

Northern Ireland’s Commissioner for Older People, Claire Keating, said: “Between 1982 and 2062 it’s estimated that the proportion of over 50s will increase to 45 per cent of the total population.  That’s an unprecedented demographic change that will have major ramifications for society.”

Completely accurate representation of the future

Luckily Queen’s has come to the rescue with NICOLA – the Northern Ireland Cohort for the Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Some lucky 8,500 participants currently over the age of 50 will be randomly selected from a database and will participate in three stages, an interview conducted in the home, a questionnaire and a health assessment. They will then be interviewed every two years, provided they haven’t…’passed on’.

Prof. Ian Young (the irony of the second name) is the Principal Investigator of the project and claims NICOLA will “help us change the way we live for the better and those participating in the study will leave a tangible legacy for future generations.”

Lets hope so. Otherwise we’d all better start looking at booking a place in the nearest nursing home, those spaces are going to be more in demand than tickets for a Garth Brooks concert.