People today are living for longer than ever before. Improvements in hygiene, water supply and control of infectious diseases may prolong lives but many older people still live in poverty. What social and economic consequences will this shift in demographic patterns have on society? Little attention is paid to older people, yet what is their real contribution? Research into ageing, carried out in Ghana and South Africa by HelpAge International found that older people make significant, yet largely unacknowledged, contributions to the wellbeing of their families and communities. Would increased inclusion, asks the report, of older people in poverty alleviation strategies provide benefits all round?