When Age Concern’s Claudette Fleming told this newspaper last week that seniors were fed up with being preached to, she was probably expressing a widespread frustration among older people.

It seems that seniors are all too frequently viewed as a group dependent on the rest of the community to survive, a drain on resources. As with most stereotypes, this is a warped version of the truth. It overlooks the massive contribution that older people make to their families, employers and charities, and what they still have to offer.

Think of the childcare provided by many grandparents and the way so many retired people give up their time to help charities. Older people are the matriarchs and patriarchs of families, a source of guidance and wisdom for younger generations. When longstanding employees retire, years of experience and multiple valuable relationships go with them. Often their value becomes most apparent only after they have gone.

Last weekend’s annual seniors awards was a reminder that people do not stop actively contributing to their community when they turn 65. In a ceremony at the Fairmont Southampton, 34 seniors were presented with awards, after they were nominated by various organisations in areas ranging from the armed service to caring for children. Such contributions may not appear in the gross domestic product, but they have a rich social value for our island.

Patricia Gordon-Pamplin, the Minister of Community, Culture and Sports, described the award winners as “seasoned saints” and said “our elders continue to demonstrate how we should care and share with our neighbours”.

The names of the 34 were listed in the September 29 edition of The Royal Gazette and this newspaper salutes them all.

The fact is that our view of old age needs to adapt to the modern world in which people are living much longer than they used to. One side of the coin is that we should not view anyone over 65 as automatically being frail and dependent. The other side of the new reality is that, for all but the wealthy or the exceedingly well prepared, idealistic expectations of retirement as a time of no work and frequent travel will need to be adjusted.

In Bermuda, the Government projects that by 2020, about one in five residents — more than 12,000 people — will be over 65. The Island is far from alone in the greying of its population. A report released yesterday by the World Health Organisation illustrates the way demographics are changing in the wider world.

The number of people over 60 is on course to double by 2050, according to the report. The Americas region is expected to have 100 million people over 60 by 2025, rising to 200 million, or one in four of the population, by 2050.

In the Americas region, average life expectancy has risen by 20 years over the past five decades. Today, a 60-year-old can on average expect to live to the age of 81.

Given the power and scale of this trend, in the coming years governments and communities will have to view older people differently.

The idea that governments should provide everything for all seniors will no longer be realistic. The retirement age will inevitably rise. The majority of us should expect to work part-time, at least in the early years of retirement, to bolster pensions more often based on contributions and investment performance over time, rather than on defined benefits linked to final salary.

The WHO research recognises the substantial and diverse contributions of older populations in general and offers pointers to how governments can adapt to the impact of ageing. A joint statement by the WHO and the Pan American Health Organisation (Paho) reads: “It [the report] cites research that suggests these contributions far outweigh any investments that might be needed to provide the health services, long-term care and social security that older populations require.

“And it says policy needs to shift from an emphasis on controlling costs to a greater focus on enabling older people to do the things that matter to them.”

A key aspect is a focus on “healthy ageing” as opposed to simply ageing. Dr Carissa Etienne, director of the Paho, said: “This report makes clear that ageing in and of itself is not the problem, nor are older persons the problem.

“Rather, it is the loss of ten years of healthy living that is the problem, as our health and social systems are not ready to provide independent living and long-term care for those who need it. The report also makes clear that for achieving and maintaining a fully functioning life, older adults need to not merely fight against disease, but to live out their full potential in conducive environments.”

In Bermuda and elsewhere in the developed world, politicians will inevitably pay growing attention to seniors’ issues as their influence as a voting bloc grows in an ageing electorate.

Our leaders would do well to heed the WHO’s advice and shift their long-term policy focus to realising the value of seniors, rather than concentrating solely on cost.