A charity has called for more investment in services for older people in the face of a rapidly increasing elderly population in years to come.

Age Scotland says it wants sustained preventative spending that enables older people to enjoy a high quality life in their own communities for as long as possible.

The percentage of the population aged 65 or over is projected to increase from 17% (or 879,492 people) to 25% (1,430,628 people) between 2010 and 2035.

According to a survey carried out by the organisation, more than four out of five Scots want to see society adjust its perception of later life, moving away from negative stereotypes of ageing.

It also shows 77% of adults in Scotland are looking forward to living longer, peaking at more than eight in 10 or 85% for the 65-74 age group.

Brian Sloan, Chief Executive of Age Scotland, said: "The fact that the our population is ageing is something to be celebrated, and I'm delighted that more than four out of five people agree with Age Scotland that we need to change how we all think about later life.

"Every day I see and hear about fantastic examples of older people taking advantage of their later years, whether as active volunteers in their community, taking up new hobbies or travelling.

"However, we recognise that many older people aren't in a position whether they can enjoy later life and that's exactly why we exist. Via our helpline, information services, campaigning and the community support we provide to more than 900 member groups working with and for older people, we want to create a Scotland where everyone can make the most of their later life."