World Population Ageing

Population ageing, the process by which older individuals become a proportionally larger share of the total population, was one of the most distinctive demographic events of the twentieth century. It will surely remain important throughout the twenty-first century. Initially experienced by the more developed countries, the process has recently become apparent in much of the developing world as well. For the near future, virtually all countries will face population ageing, although at varying levels of intensity and in different time frames.

As more people live longer, retirement, pensions and other social benefits tend to extend over longer periods of time. This makes it necessary for social security systems to change substantially in order to remain effective (Creedy, 1998; Bravo, 1999). Increasing longevity can also result in rising medical costs and increasing demands for health services, since older people are typically more vulnerable to chronic diseases (de Jong-Gierveld and van Solinge, 1995; Holliday, 1999).

An important consequence of fertility decline is a progressive reduction in the availability of kin to whom future generations of older persons may turn for support. This process may have a significant impact on the well-being of older persons, especially in the less developed regions where social support for the older person is largely provided by the immediate family (Hoyert, 1991; Wolf, 1994). At the same time, improved chances of surviving to the oldest ages are likely to spur efforts to improve the health status of the older population and lead to reforms in the pension and health systems.

As the impact of population ageing on the society’s socio-economic conditions may be amplified by the speed with which it occurs, it is important to consider not only the degree but also the pace of the changes in the age structure.
When the proportion of older persons in the total population increases dramatically in a short