GROWING old is a natural process of life.

Many of us will hopefully reach a golden age but considering the state of the care system, and the pension projections for some, the prospect of entering our twilight years may not be as rosey as the perception may be.

Retirement is a break from the routine; the chance to travel or take up projects and hobbies we may not otherwise have been able to do during our working lives, but it's all well and good if you are active and healthy.

If you aren't, and you don't have family or friends close to hand, there is a concern that sufficient care may not be available.

A study by the charity, Age UK, found a massive drop in the number of people eligible for social care, leaving many to fend for themselves or relying on family and friends.

Its research shows more than 200,000 people across England are thought to receive no help with bathing despite needing it, while more than 140,000 receive no help with getting in and out of bed and more than 400,000 get no help with dressing.

Some 24,000 need help with eating but don't receive it, while more than 78,000 are left with no help getting to the toilet.

Almost 2.3 million people aged 65 and over have difficulty with at least one capacity of daily living, the report said, but 1.2 million do not receive the support they need. This represents an 18 per cent increase on last year and a 48 per cent increase since 2010.

The report also warned that England was living on "borrowed time in saving social care for older people from complete collapse."

It predicts things will get a lot worse in the coming years as more care home providers pull out of the market and budget cuts mean more restrictions, despite rising demand from an older population.

Pensioner's champion, Jean Walker, a founder member of Bradford and District Senior Power, says: "I have always said the situation with care at the moment is frightening for an older person.

"It is frightening if you have no safety net," says Jean, referring to those who may have savings to pay for their own care or family and friends to help out."

The very real consideration for a country with an ageing population is the situation isn't getting any better but is likely to get worse if action isn't taken.

"There is nothing we can do about ageing, you cannot stop it and you cannot stop your need," says Jean.

Jean believes a party from the Government should come up with a plan to look at the situation critically.

"Most people don't want to go in hospital, an older person wants to stay in their own home but they cannot stay in their own home if they don't have back-up because they will deteriorate mentally and physically," she says.

"But if you are an older person, with the best will in the world, if you are ill you cannot do the things you need to do to get yourself right, you need some support."

With the social care system in such a state it's no wonder older people will be concerned about future care.

"The most terrible thing must be to be frightened of growing old," adds Jean.

Caroline Abrahams, Age UK's charity director, says: "Our new report makes for frightening reading because it shows just how fragile older people's social care now is.

"Even worse, unless something changes, the crisis will certainly deepen this year and next, and we think there is now a real risk of a complete collapse in social care in the worst affected areas.

"If this happened it would be a disaster that would threaten the health and even the lives of the older people affected. It would also greatly intensify pressures on our hospitals."

The charity wants to see an "emergency injection of funds" into social care in the upcoming Budget and a long-term plan for its sustainability.