Topic
1. What is ageing society? 2. Why population ageing matters? 3. Opportunities and challenges of ageing society
Objectives
After the completion of this unit, students should be able to:
1. Explain what ageing population is. 2. Explain what ageing society is. 3. Discuss factors of the transition of ageing society. 4. Discuss impacts of ageing society.
2
1. What is ageing society?
Before going into the details of ageing society, we should understand first what ageing is defined. Ageing can be defined as “the process of becoming older, a process that is genetically determined and environmentally modulated.” 1
Given it longer, the United Nations identifies ageing “exclusively for the purpose of demographic comparison – populations who have reached the age of 60 years as “older persons”2.
In The Economist, ageing is also defined in 2 levels. At the population level, ageing is simply a shift within different age groups in a society towards the older ones. At the individual level, it is about people living longer.3 Ageing should be considered from two major perspectives: demographic and individual. From the demographic perspective, ageing is a population process, caused by declining fertility and mortality rates, which manifests itself in the growing number of older persons in society. Individual ageing is a process of individual progression through the life course, particularly its latest stages. It is important to consider both these perspectives of ageing, and the implications they carry for society and for the individual and his or her family.
Ageing Process
According to Gorman (2000)4, the ageing process is of course a biological reality which has its own dynamic and largely beyond human control. However, it is also dependent to the constructions by which each society makes sense of old age. In the developed world, time is an important matter, that’s why people perceive “the age of 60 or 65”, which is roughly equivalent to retirement ages in most developed countries, is said to be “the beginning of old age”. In many parts of the developing world, time is not a big deal or has little or no importance. The meaning of old age is therefore not very perceived by the majority of people.
Other socially constructed meanings of age are more significant such as the roles assigned to older people; in some cases it is the loss of roles accompanying physical decline which is significant in defining old age. Thus, old age in many developing countries is seen to begin at the point when active contribution is no longer possible.”
Ageing Society
Ageing society is the word used for describing the phenomenon that explains the world nowadays having high proportion of older people. 1 Definition of Aging, Source: http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=13403 2 Bob Huber (2005), Implementing the Madrid Plan of Action on Ageing, United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Mexico, D.F., 31 August 2005 3 Healthcare strategies for an ageing society, The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2009 4 Definition of an older or elderly person, Proposed Working Definition of an Older Person in Africa for the MDS Project, Source: http://www.who.int/healthinfo/survey/ageingdefnolder/en/index.html
3
The UN defines an “ageing society” as a country where 7 percent or more of the population is aged 65 years or older
So the question is “who are considered “old person”?
A country will become a completely “aged society” if it has the population aged 65 years or older reaching up to 14% of the whole population
Population Ageing
Population ageing is a result of transitions from high birth rates and high death rates to low (er) birth rates and low (er) death rates.
Median Ages, 1950 - 2050
Source: UN Population Division5
What are the factors of population ageing?
(1) Demographic Determinants
Demographic Transition Mortality decline from higher to lower levels People live longer (longevity) Fertility decline from higher to lower levels
5 Healthcare strategies for an ageing society, The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2009
4
Decline in fertility is the primary determinant of this phenomenon. The total fertility rate of a population is the average number of children that would be born to a woman over her lifetime.
Total Fertility, 1950 - 2045
Source: UN Population Division6
When mortality and fertility rates have declined, life expectancy is higher. It means that chance of surviving to old ages is also getting higher.
6 Healthcare strategies for an ageing society, The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2009
5
Life Expectancy, 1950 - 2045
Source: UN Population Division7
(2) Socio-Economic Determinants
Industrialization (e.g. Japan with its rapid economic growth in which people spend most of the time in work place) Modernization Urbanization Personal choice of having a few children
(3) Politic Determinants Social policy e.g. One- Child Policy of China
Responding to the main determinants to ageing phenomenon
A. Why does mortality rate get lower? Better healthcare and medication Better care during pregnancy (e.g. nutrition, hygiene) Better education
B. Why people live longer? Better healthcare and medication (improvements in health, diet and preventative care) Better working environment 7 Healthcare strategies for an ageing society, The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2009
6
C. Why does fertility rate get lower? Lower rate of marriage and couples without child (both can be due to economic slowdown or instability) Delayed marriage (e.g. 40 years old and upper) Urban living style New employment pattern (favors the creation of smaller households- so i.e. only one child is enough) Environmental factor Unbalance between male and female populations Higher education Success of birth control Homosexuality Feminism
2. Why population ageing matters?
The fact that population ageing matters can be explained in 2 ways: advantages and challenges. We cannot ignore the fact that despite people living longer and healthier, in some parts of the world there are still old people who live with poverty. Healthier lives of people represent the world’s achievements of medication technology and healthcare service. However, the challenge is how to respond the ageing population phenomenon or the society with higher percentage of ageing people. A national policy for society like social welfare needs to be in concern.
Moreover, with the higher percentage of old people who have less ability to work, this may affect economic growth of a country (especially countries with growing economic). Other issues include the sustainability of families, the ability of states and communities to provide resources for older citizens, and international relations8.
8 http://www.ageingwellnetwork.com/knowledge-centre/why-population-ageing-matters-global-perspective
7
Variations
More Developed Countries (MDCs) or regions and Less Developed Countries (LDCs) or regions e.g. Gap of Life Expectancy between MDCs and LDCs is 11 years and the gap tends to be smaller. Natural disasters (e.g. countries locating in higher natural risks So among regions there are variations due to different demographic, socio-cultural, economic, environmental and technological contexts.
Or
8
At the global view: People age 65 and over will outnumber children under age 5. Life expectancy is increasing The number of oldest old is rising. People age 85 and over are now the fastest growing portion Non-communicable diseases are becoming a growing burden. Chronic non- communicable diseases are now the major cause of death among older people
9
Some population will shrink. Family structures are changing. Because people live longer and have fewer children, family structures are transformed. Patterns of work and retirement are shifting. People tend to spend a larger portion of their lives in retirement (which will accordingly affect health and pension systems) Social insurance systems are evolving and growing New economic challenges are emerging. Population ageing will have dramatic effects on social entitlement programs, labor supply, trade, and savings around the globe (e.g. security service)
3. Opportunities and challenges of ageing society Pension service system e- Health medication kits Cosmetic Insurance business Identifier/ Hi- tech program to find lost elderly Tourism (i.e. senior tour, luxury tour, cruise tour, long stay tourism) Spa and wellness business Handicraft and antique business
Drawbacks (1) Labor shortage: as the number of young people falls (2) Financial management & plan for retirement life vs. economic crisis/ higher cost of living (3) Knowledge and wisdom transfers: the age of wisdom generated from older to younger generations is going to change. Technology helps younger generation to learn faster and individually esp. in the western world. So what about you as Thai?
“The respect for the wisdom of ages has gone. What people have got to do is look competitive with other people in the marketplace.”9
Thailand Case
Statistics of people aged 60 and over. In 1980, th
Topic
1. What is ageing society? 2. Why population ageing matters? 3. Opportunities and challenges of ageing society
Objectives
After the completion of this unit, students should be able to:
1. Explain what ageing population is. 2. Explain what ageing society is. 3. Discuss factors of the transition of ageing society. 4. Discuss impacts of ageing society.
2
1. What is ageing society?
Before going into the details of ageing society, we should understand first what ageing is defined. Ageing can be defined as “the process of becoming older, a process that is genetically determined and environmentally modulated.” 1
Given it longer, the United Nations identifies ageing “exclusively for the purpose of demographic comparison – populations who have reached the age of 60 years as “older persons”2.
In The Economist, ageing is also defined in 2 levels. At the population level, ageing is simply a shift within different age groups in a society towards the older ones. At the individual level, it is about people living longer.3 Ageing should be considered from two major perspectives: demographic and individual. From the demographic perspective, ageing is a population process, caused by declining fertility and mortality rates, which manifests itself in the growing number of older persons in society. Individual ageing is a process of individual progression through the life course, particularly its latest stages. It is important to consider both these perspectives of ageing, and the implications they carry for society and for the individual and his or her family.
Ageing Process
According to Gorman (2000)4, the ageing process is of course a biological reality which has its own dynamic and largely beyond human control. However, it is also dependent to the constructions by which each society makes sense of old age. In the developed world, time is an important matter, that’s why people perceive “the age of 60 or 65”, which is roughly equivalent to retirement ages in most developed countries, is said to be “the beginning of old age”. In many parts of the developing world, time is not a big deal or has little or no importance. The meaning of old age is therefore not very perceived by the majority of people.
Other socially constructed meanings of age are more significant such as the roles assigned to older people; in some cases it is the loss of roles accompanying physical decline which is significant in defining old age. Thus, old age in many developing countries is seen to begin at the point when active contribution is no longer possible.”
Ageing Society
Ageing society is the word used for describing the phenomenon that explains the world nowadays having high proportion of older people. 1 Definition of Aging, Source: http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=13403 2 Bob Huber (2005), Implementing the Madrid Plan of Action on Ageing, United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Mexico, D.F., 31 August 2005 3 Healthcare strategies for an ageing society, The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2009 4 Definition of an older or elderly person, Proposed Working Definition of an Older Person in Africa for the MDS Project, Source: http://www.who.int/healthinfo/survey/ageingdefnolder/en/index.html
3
The UN defines an “ageing society” as a country where 7 percent or more of the population is aged 65 years or older
So the question is “who are considered “old person”?
A country will become a completely “aged society” if it has the population aged 65 years or older reaching up to 14% of the whole population
Population Ageing
Population ageing is a result of transitions from high birth rates and high death rates to low (er) birth rates and low (er) death rates.
Median Ages, 1950 - 2050
Source: UN Population Division5
What are the factors of population ageing?
(1) Demographic Determinants
Demographic Transition Mortality decline from higher to lower levels People live longer (longevity) Fertility decline from higher to lower levels
5 Healthcare strategies for an ageing society, The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2009
4
Decline in fertility is the primary determinant of this phenomenon. The total fertility rate of a population is the average number of children that would be born to a woman over her lifetime.
Total Fertility, 1950 - 2045
Source: UN Population Division6
When mortality and fertility rates have declined, life expectancy is higher. It means that chance of surviving to old ages is also getting higher.
6 Healthcare strategies for an ageing society, The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2009
5
Life Expectancy, 1950 - 2045
Source: UN Population Division7
(2) Socio-Economic Determinants
Industrialization (e.g. Japan with its rapid economic growth in which people spend most of the time in work place) Modernization Urbanization Personal choice of having a few children
(3) Politic Determinants Social policy e.g. One- Child Policy of China
Responding to the main determinants to ageing phenomenon
A. Why does mortality rate get lower? Better healthcare and medication Better care during pregnancy (e.g. nutrition, hygiene) Better education
B. Why people live longer? Better healthcare and medication (improvements in health, diet and preventative care) Better working environment 7 Healthcare strategies for an ageing society, The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2009
6
C. Why does fertility rate get lower? Lower rate of marriage and couples without child (both can be due to economic slowdown or instability) Delayed marriage (e.g. 40 years old and upper) Urban living style New employment pattern (favors the creation of smaller households- so i.e. only one child is enough) Environmental factor Unbalance between male and female populations Higher education Success of birth control Homosexuality Feminism
2. Why population ageing matters?
The fact that population ageing matters can be explained in 2 ways: advantages and challenges. We cannot ignore the fact that despite people living longer and healthier, in some parts of the world there are still old people who live with poverty. Healthier lives of people represent the world’s achievements of medication technology and healthcare service. However, the challenge is how to respond the ageing population phenomenon or the society with higher percentage of ageing people. A national policy for society like social welfare needs to be in concern.
Moreover, with the higher percentage of old people who have less ability to work, this may affect economic growth of a country (especially countries with growing economic). Other issues include the sustainability of families, the ability of states and communities to provide resources for older citizens, and international relations8.
8 http://www.ageingwellnetwork.com/knowledge-centre/why-population-ageing-matters-global-perspective
7
Variations
More Developed Countries (MDCs) or regions and Less Developed Countries (LDCs) or regions e.g. Gap of Life Expectancy between MDCs and LDCs is 11 years and the gap tends to be smaller. Natural disasters (e.g. countries locating in higher natural risks So among regions there are variations due to different demographic, socio-cultural, economic, environmental and technological contexts.
Or
8
At the global view: People age 65 and over will outnumber children under age 5. Life expectancy is increasing The number of oldest old is rising. People age 85 and over are now the fastest growing portion Non-communicable diseases are becoming a growing burden. Chronic non- communicable diseases are now the major cause of death among older people
9
Some population will shrink. Family structures are changing. Because people live longer and have fewer children, family structures are transformed. Patterns of work and retirement are shifting. People tend to spend a larger portion of their lives in retirement (which will accordingly affect health and pension systems) Social insurance systems are evolving and growing New economic challenges are emerging. Population ageing will have dramatic effects on social entitlement programs, labor supply, trade, and savings around the globe (e.g. security service)
3. Opportunities and challenges of ageing society Pension service system e- Health medication kits Cosmetic Insurance business Identifier/ Hi- tech program to find lost elderly Tourism (i.e. senior tour, luxury tour, cruise tour, long stay tourism) Spa and wellness business Handicraft and antique business
Drawbacks (1) Labor shortage: as the number of young people falls (2) Financial management & plan for retirement life vs. economic crisis/ higher cost of living (3) Knowledge and wisdom transfers: the age of wisdom generated from older to younger generations is going to change. Technology helps younger generation to learn faster and individually esp. in the western world. So what about you as Thai?
“The respect for the wisdom of ages has gone. What people have got to do is look competitive with other people in the marketplace.”9
Thailand Case
Statistics of people aged 60 and over. In 1980, th
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