Editing Population ageing

{{Short description|Increasing median age in a population}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2015}}
[[File:Global Population-Pyramid-1950-to-2100.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|World [[population pyramid]] from 1950 to 2100 (projected). (UN, World Population Prospects 2017)]]
[[File:Population by broad age group projected to 2100, OWID.svg|thumb|upright=1.4|World age group populations from 1950 to 2100 (projected).<ref name="q917">{{cite web | title=Population by age group | website=Our World in Data | url=https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/population-by-age-group | access-date=26 January 2025}}</ref>]]
'''Population ageing''' is an overall change in the ages of a [[population]]. This can typically be summarised in a single parameter as an increase in the [[median age]]. Causes are a long-term decline in [[fertility rates]] and a decline in [[mortality rate]]s. Most countries now have declining mortality rates and an ageing population: trends that emerged first in [[developed countries]] but are now also seen in virtually all [[developing countries]]. In most developed countries, population ageing started in the late 19th century. By the late 20th century, the world population as a whole was also ageing. The proportion of people aged 65 and above accounts for 6% of the total population.{{when|date=April 2025}} This reflects a historic overall decline in the world's average fertility rate.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.worldcat.org/title/390135418 |title=International handbook of population aging |date=2009 |publisher=Springer |isbn=978-1-4020-8355-6 |editor-last=Uhlenberg |editor-first=Peter |series=International handbooks of population |location=Dordrecht ; London |oclc=390135418}}</ref> That is the case for every country in the world except the 18&nbsp;countries designated as "demographic outliers" by the [[United Nations]].<ref name="devrep05">{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/humandevelopment0000unse_y0c2|title=UN Human Development Report 2005, International Cooperation at a Crossroads-Aid, Trade and Security in an Unequal World|date=September 2005|publisher=United Nations Development Programme|format=PDF|isbn=978-0-19-530511-1|author=United Nations Development Programme|url-access=registration}}</ref>{{Failed verification|date=September 2018}} The aged population is currently at its highest level in human history.<ref name="WPA-UN">[https://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/worldageing19502050/ World Population Ageing: 1950-2050], United Nations Population Division.</ref> The UN projects that the population will age faster in the 21st&nbsp;century than in the 20th.<ref name="WPA-UN" /> The number of people aged 60 years and over has tripled since 1950; it reached 600 million in 2000 and surpassed 700 million in 2006. It is projected that the combined senior and [[geriatric]] population will reach 2.1 billion by [[2050#World population|2050]].<ref>{{Cite journal
| last = Chucks
| first = J
| date = July 2010
| title = Population Ageing in Goa: Research Gaps and the Way Forward
| journal = Journal of Aging Research
| volume = 2010
| pages = 672157
| doi = 10.4061/2010/672157
| pmid = 21188229
| pmc = 3003962
| doi-access = free
}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite journal
| last1 = Issahaku
| first1 = Paul
| last2 = Neysmith
| first2 = Sheila
| date = 2013
| title = Policy Implications of Population Ageing in West Africa
| journal = International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy
| volume = 33
| issue = 3/4
| pages = 186–202
| doi = 10.1108/01443331311308230
}}</ref> Countries vary significantly in terms of the degree and pace of ageing, and the UN expects populations that began ageing later will have less time to respond to its implications.<ref name="WPA-UN" /> Policy interventions include preventative strategies that increase the size of the young, working-age population, as well as adaptive measures to make overarching systems compatible with a new demographic future. 

==Overview==
Population ageing is a shift in the distribution of a country's population towards older ages and is usually reflected in an increase in the population's mean and [[median age]]s, a decline in the proportion of the population composed of children, and a rise in the proportion of the population composed of the elderly. Population ageing is widespread across the world and is most advanced in the most highly developed countries, but it is growing faster in less developed regions, which means that older persons will be increasingly concentrated in the less developed regions of the world.{{dubious|date=April 2025}}<ref>{{cite web|last1=United Nations|title=World Population Ageing 2013|url=https://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/publications/pdf/ageing/WorldPopulationAgeing2013.pdf}}</ref> The Oxford Institute of Population Ageing, however, concluded that population ageing has slowed considerably in Europe and will have the greatest future impact in Asia, especially since Asia is in stage five (very low birth rate and low death rate) of the [[demographic transition|demographic transition model]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Shaban |first1=Mostafa |title=Dr |date=2020 |publisher=lambert academic publishing |isbn=978-620-3-19697-9 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/347007291}}</ref>

Among the countries currently classified by the United Nations as more developed (with a total population of 1.2&nbsp;billion in 2005), the overall median age rose from 28 in 1950 to 40 in 2010 and is forecast to rise to 44 by 2050. The corresponding figures for the world as a whole are 24 in 1950, 29 in 2010, and 36 in 2050. For the less developed regions, the median age will go from 26 in 2010 to 35 in 2050.<ref>{{cite web|last1=United Nations|title=World Ageing Population 2013|url=https://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/publications/pdf/ageing/WorldPopulationAgeing2013.pdf}}</ref>

Population ageing arises from two, possibly related, demographic effects: increasing [[longevity]] and declining [[fertility]]. An increase in longevity raises the average age of the population by increasing the numbers of surviving older people. A [[Birth dearth|decline in fertility]] reduces the number of babies, and as the effect continues, the numbers of younger people in general also reduce. Of the two forces, declining fertility now contributes to most of the population ageing in the world.<ref>Weil, David N., "The Economics of Population Aging" in Mark R. Rosenzweig and Oded Stark, eds., Handbook of Population and Family Economics, New York: Elsevier, 1997, 967-1014.</ref> More specifically, the large decline in the overall fertility rate over the last half-century is primarily responsible for the population ageing in the world's most developed countries. Because many developing countries are going through faster fertility transitions, they will experience even faster population ageing than the currently-developed countries will.

The rate at which the population ages is likely to increase over the next three decades;<ref>{{cite journal |title=The coming acceleration of global population ageing |journal = [[Nature (journal)|Nature]] |first1= W. |last1 =Lutz |first2= W. |last2= Sanderson |first3= S. |last3= Scherbov  |doi=10.1038/nature06516 |quote= The median age of the world's population increases from 26.6&nbsp;years in 2000 to 37.3&nbsp;years in 2050 and then to 45.6&nbsp;years in 2100, when it is not adjusted for longevity increase. |date= 2008-02-07 |volume=451 |issue=7179|pages=716–719 |bibcode=2008Natur.451..716L |pmid=18204438|s2cid = 4379499 }}</ref> however, few countries know whether their older population are living the extra years of life in good or poor health.{{dubious|date=April 2025}} A "[[compression of morbidity]]" would imply reduced disability in old age,<ref>{{cite journal |title= Aging, Natural Death, and the Compression of Morbidity |journal = [[The New England Journal of Medicine]] |first1= J. F. |last1 =Fries    |quote= the average age at first infirmity can be raised, thereby making the morbidity curve more rectangular. |date= 1980-07-17 |doi=10.1056/NEJM198007173030304 |pmid=7383070 |pmc = 2567746 |volume=303 |issue=3 |pages=130–5}}
</ref> but an expansion would see an increase in poor health with increased longevity. Another option has been posed for a situation of "dynamic equilibrium."<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Manton, 1982|author=Manton KG|pmid=6919770|volume=60|issue=2|journal=Milbank Mem Fund Q Health Soc|pages=183–244|doi=10.2307/3349767|jstor=3349767|year=1982|s2cid=45827427 }}</ref> That is crucial information for governments if the limits of lifespan continue to increase indefinitely, as some researchers believe.<ref>{{cite journal |title= Broken Limits to Life Expectancy |journal = [[Science (journal)|Science]] |first1= J.   |last1 =Oeppen |first2= J. W. |last2= Vaupel |volume= 296 |issue=5570  |date= 2002-05-10 |doi=10.1126/science.1069675 |pmid=12004104 |pages=1029–31|s2cid = 1132260 }}
</ref> The [[World Health Organization]]'s suite of household health studies is working to provide the needed health and well-being evidence, such as the World Health Survey,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.who.int/healthinfo/survey/en/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050819102522/http://www.who.int/healthinfo/survey/en/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 19, 2005 |title=Current Status of the World Health Survey|work=who.int |year=2011 |access-date=8 October 2011}}</ref> and [[Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health|the Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health (SAGE)]]. The surveys cover 308,000 respondents aged at least 18 and 81,000 aged at least 50 from 70 countries.

[[The Global Ageing Survey]], directed by [[George Leeson]], explores attitudes, expectations, and behaviours towards later life and retirement. It covers 44,000 people aged 40–80 in 24&nbsp;countries around the world. It has revealed that many people are now fully aware of the ageing of the world's population and its implications for their lives and those of their children and grandchildren.

Canada has the [[immigration#Canada|highest per capita immigration rate]] in the world, perhaps partly to counter population ageing. However the [[C.&nbsp;D.&nbsp;Howe Institute]], a conservative [[think tank]], has suggested that immigration cannot be used as a viable means to counter population ageing.<ref name="backgrounder">{{cite journal|date=September 2006|title=No Elixir of Youth|journal=Backgrounder|volume=96|author=Yvan Guillemette|author2=William Robson|url=http://www.cdhowe.org/pdf/backgrounder_96.pdf|access-date=2008-05-03|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080414023246/http://www.cdhowe.org/pdf/backgrounder_96.pdf|archive-date=2008-04-14}}</ref> That conclusion is also seen in the work of other scholars. The demographers [[Peter McDonald (demographer)|Peter McDonald]] and [[Rebecca Kippen (demographer)|Rebecca Kippen]] commented, "As fertility sinks further below replacement level, increasingly higher levels of annual net migration will be required to maintain a target of even zero population growth."<ref name="macdonaldkippen">{{cite journal|year=2000|title=Population Futures for Australia and New Zealand: An Analysis of the Options|journal=New Zealand Population Review|volume=26|issue=2|author=Peter McDonald|author2=Rebecca Kippen|url=http://adsri.anu.edu.au/pubs/Kippen/pop_futures_A&NZ.pdf|access-date=2008-05-04|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080527203425/http://adsri.anu.edu.au/pubs/Kippen/pop_futures_A%26NZ.pdf|archive-date=2008-05-27}}</ref>

==Around the world==
{{see also|Aging of China|Ageing of Europe|Aging of Japan|Aging of South Korea|Aging of the United States}}
[[File:Percentage of the World Population Over 65 - 1950-2050.png|thumb|upright=1.4|Percentage of world population over 65]]
The world's older population is growing dramatically.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/worlds-older-population-grows-dramatically|title=World's older population grows dramatically|date=2016-03-28|work=National Institute on Aging|access-date=2017-05-01|language=en}}</ref>
The more developed countries also have older populations as their citizens live longer. Less developed countries have much younger populations. [http://manyeyes.alphaworks.ibm.com/manyeyes/visualizations/percent-of-population-over-65-by-c An interactive version of the map is available here.]
[[Asia]] and [[Africa]] are the two regions with a significant number of countries facing population ageing. Within 20 years, many countries in those regions will face a situation of the largest population [[cohort (statistics)|cohort]] being those over 65 and the average age approaching 50. In 2100, according to research led by the University of Washington, 2.4 billion people will be over the age of 65, compared with 1.7 billion under the age of 20.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Harvey |first=Fiona |author-link=Fiona Harvey |date=2020-07-15 |title=World population in 2100 could be 2 billion below UN forecasts, study suggests |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/15/world-population-in-2100-could-be-2-billion-below-un-forecasts-study-suggests |access-date=2020-07-16 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> The Oxford Institute of Population Ageing is an institution looking at global population ageing. Its research reveals that many of the views of global ageing are based on myths and that there will be considerable opportunities for the world as its population matures, as the Institute's director, Professor [[Sarah Harper]], highlighted in her book ''Ageing Societies''.

Most of the developed countries now have [[sub-replacement fertility]] levels, and population growth now depends largely on immigration together with [[population momentum]], which also arises from previous large generations now enjoying longer life expectancy.

Of the roughly 150,000 people who die each day across the globe, about two thirds, 100,000 per day, die of age-related causes.<ref name="doi10.2202/1941-6008.1011">{{cite journal | last = Aubrey D.N.J | first = de Grey | author-link = Aubrey de Grey | title = Life Span Extension Research and Public Debate: Societal Considerations | journal = Studies in Ethics, Law, and Technology | volume = 1 | issue = 1, Article 5 | year = 2007 | url = http://www.sens.org/files/pdf/ENHANCE-PP.pdf | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190212132207/http://www.sens.org/files/pdf/ENHANCE-PP.pdf | url-status = dead | archive-date = February 12, 2019 | doi = 10.2202/1941-6008.1011 | access-date = August 7, 2011| citeseerx = 10.1.1.395.745| s2cid = 201101995 }}</ref> In industrialised nations, that proportion is much higher and reaches 90%.<ref name="doi10.2202/1941-6008.1011"/>

==Economics of ageing==
{{main article|Dependency ratio|Generational accounting|Pensions crisis}}

The economic effects of an ageing population are considerable.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Jarzebski |first1=Marcin Pawel |last2=Elmqvist |first2=Thomas |last3=Gasparatos |first3=Alexandros |last4=Fukushi |first4=Kensuke |last5=Eckersten |first5=Sofia |last6=Haase |first6=Dagmar |last7=Goodness |first7=Julie |last8=Khoshkar |first8=Sara |last9=Saito |first9=Osamu |last10=Takeuchi |first10=Kazuhiko |last11=Theorell |first11=Töres |last12=Dong |first12=Nannan |last13=Kasuga |first13=Fumiko |last14=Watanabe |first14=Ryugo |last15=Sioen |first15=Giles Bruno |last16=Yokohari |first16=Makoto |last17=Pu |first17=Jian |title=Ageing and population shrinking: implications for sustainability in the urban century |journal=[[npj Urban Sustainability]] |date=2021 |volume=1 |issue=1 |page=17 |doi=10.1038/s42949-021-00023-z |doi-access=free|bibcode=2021npjUS...1...17J }}</ref> Nowadays, more and more people are paying attention to the economic issues and social policy challenges related to the elderly population.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Sanderson |first1=Warren C. |last2=Scherbov |first2=Sergei |date=2007 |title=A new perspective on population aging |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/26347928 |journal=Demographic Research |volume=16 |pages=27–58 |doi=10.4054/DemRes.2007.16.2 |jstor=26347928 |issn=1435-9871}}</ref> Older people have higher accumulated savings per head than younger people but spend less on [[consumer goods]]. Depending on the age ranges at which the changes occur, an ageing population may thus result in lower [[interest rates]] and the economic benefits of lower [[inflation]]. Some economists{{who|date=November 2022}} in Japan see advantages in such changes, notably the opportunity to progress automation and technological development without causing unemployment, and emphasise a shift from [[GDP]] to personal well-being.

However, population ageing also increases some categories of expenditure, including some met from public finances. The largest area of expenditure in many countries is now [[health care]], whose cost is likely to increase dramatically as populations age. This would present governments with hard choices between higher [[taxes]], including a possible reweighing of tax from earnings to consumption and a reduced government role in providing health care.The working population will face greater pressure, and a portion of their taxes will have to be used to pay for healthcare and pensions for the elderly.{{citation needed|date=June 2024}} However, recent studies in some countries demonstrate the dramatic rising costs of health care are more attributable to rising drug and doctor costs and the higher use of diagnostic testing by all age groups, not to the ageing population that is often claimed.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorialopinion/2011/09/13/dont_blame_aging_boomers.html |title=Don't blame aging boomers &#124; Toronto Star |work=Thestar.com |date=2011-09-13 |access-date=2013-03-20}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www2.canada.com/windsorstar/news/editorial/story.html?id=19c8adcf-c1f7-4508-9571-9b6e753427a2 |title=Don't blame the elderly for health care costs |publisher=.canada.com |date=2008-01-30 |access-date=2013-03-20 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140219032827/http://www2.canada.com/windsorstar/news/editorial/story.html?id=19c8adcf-c1f7-4508-9571-9b6e753427a2 |archive-date=2014-02-19 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://umanitoba.ca/outreach/evidencenetwork/aging-population/agingmore1 |title=The Silver Tsunami That Isn't|publisher=Umanitoba.ca |access-date=2013-03-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121002060817/http://umanitoba.ca/outreach/evidencenetwork/aging-population/agingmore1 |archive-date=2012-10-02 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The second-largest expenditure of most governments is [[education]], with expenses that tend to fall with an ageing population, especially as fewer young people would probably continue into [[tertiary education]] as they would be in demand as part of the work force.

[[File:Dementia Prevalence in OECD.svg|thumb|upright=1.4|Prevalence of [[dementia]] in OECD countries (per 1000 populations)|left]]
Social security systems have also begun to experience problems. Earlier defined [[Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation|benefit pension systems]] are experiencing sustainability problems because of the increased longevity. The extension of the pension period was not paired with an extension of the active labour period or a rise in pension contributions, which has resulted in a decline of replacement ratios.

Population ageing also affects workforce. In many countries, the increase in the number of elderly people means the weakening or disappearance of the "[[demographic dividend]]", and social resources have to flow more towards elderly people in need of support.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Bovenberg |first1=Lans |last2=Uhlig |first2=Harald |last3=Bohn |first3=Henning |last4=Weil |first4=Philippe |date=2006-01-01 |title=Pension Systems and the Allocation of Macroeconomic Risk [with Comments] |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/653983 |journal=NBER International Seminar on Macroeconomics |volume=2006 |issue=1 |pages=241–344 |doi=10.1086/653983 |issn=1932-8796|url-access=subscription }}</ref> The demographic dividend refers to the beneficial impact of a decline in fertility rate on a country's population age structure and economic growth.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Crespo Cuaresma |first1=Jesús |last2=Lutz |first2=Wolfgang |last3=Sanderson |first3=Warren |date=2013-12-04 |title=Is the Demographic Dividend an Education Dividend? |url=https://doi.org/10.1007/s13524-013-0245-x |journal=Demography |volume=51 |issue=1 |pages=299–315 |doi=10.1007/s13524-013-0245-x |pmid=24302530 |issn=0070-3370}}</ref> The older workers would spend more time on work and human capital of an ageing workforce is low, reducing labor productivity.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=White |first1=Mercedia Stevenson |last2=Burns |first2=Candace |last3=Conlon |first3=Helen Acree |date=October 2018 |title=The Impact of an Aging Population in the Workplace |journal=Workplace Health & Safety |language=en |volume=66 |issue=10 |pages=493–498 |doi=10.1177/2165079917752191 |pmid=29506442 |s2cid=3664469 |issn=2165-0799|doi-access=free }}</ref>

The expectation of continuing population ageing prompts questions about welfare states' capacity to meet the needs of the population. In the early 2000s, the World Health Organization set up guidelines to encourage "active ageing" and to help local governments address the challenges of an ageing population (Global Age-Friendly Cities) with regard to urbanization, housing, transportation, social participation, health services, etc.<ref>{{cite web|last1=World Health Organization|title=Global age-friendly cities: a guide|url=https://www.who.int/ageing/publications/Global_age_friendly_cities_Guide_English.pdf|website=WHO|access-date=May 5, 2015}}</ref> Local governments are well positioned to meet the needs of local, smaller populations, but as their resources vary from one to another (e.g. property taxes, the existence of community organizations), the greater responsibility on local governments is likely to increase inequalities.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Daly|first1=M|last2=Lewis|first2=J|title=The concept of social care and the analysis of contemporary welfare states|journal=British Journal of Sociology|date=2000|volume=51|issue=2|pages=281–298|pmid=10905001|doi=10.1111/j.1468-4446.2000.00281.x|url=http://revistas.usal.es/index.php/1130-2887/article/view/alh20157183101}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Mohan|first1=J|title=Geography and social policy : spatial divisions of welfare|journal=Progress in Human Geography|date=2003|volume=27|issue=3|pages=363–374|doi=10.1191/0309132503ph432pr|citeseerx=10.1.1.456.615|s2cid=54724709}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Trydegard|first1=G-B|last2=Thorslund|first2=M|title=Inequality in the welfare state ? Local variation in care of elderly – the case of Sweden|journal=International Journal of Social Welfare|date=2001|volume=10|issue=3|pages=174–184|doi=10.1111/1468-2397.00170}}</ref> In Canada, the most fortunate and healthier elders tend to live in more prosperous cities offering a wide range of services, but the less fortunate lack access to the same level of resources.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Rosenberg|first1=M W|title=Vieillir au Canada : les collectivités riches et les collectivités pauvres en services|journal=Horizons|date=1999|volume=2|page=18}}</ref> Private residences for the elderly also provide many services related to health and social participation (e.g. pharmacy, group activities, and events) on site, but they are not accessible to the less fortunate.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Aronson|first1=J|last2=Neysmith|first2=S M|title=Manufacturing social exclusion in the home care market|journal=Canadian Public Policy |date=2001|volume=27|issue=2|pages=151–165|doi=10.2307/3552194|jstor=3552194}}</ref> Also, the environmental gerontology indicates the importance of the environment in active ageing.<ref>{{cite book|author1=Sánchez-González, Diego |author2=Rodríguez-Rodríguez, Vicente|title=Environmental Gerontology in Europe and Latin America|year=2016|publisher=Springer Publishing Company|isbn=978-3-319-21418-4|page=284|location=New York}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author1=Rowles, Graham D. |author2=Bernard, Miriam|title=Environmental Gerontology: Making Meaningful Places in Old Age|year=2013|publisher=Springer Publishing Company|location=New York|isbn=978-0826108135|page=320}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author1=Scheidt, Rick J. |author2=Schwarz, Benyamin|title=Environmental Gerontology. What Now?|year=2013|publisher=Routledge|location=New York|isbn=978-0-415-62616-3|page=338}}</ref> In fact, promoting good environments (natural, built, social) in ageing can improve health and quality of life and reduce the problems of disability and dependence, and, in general, social spending and health spending.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Sanchez-Gonzalez|first1=D|title=The physical-social environment and aging from environmental gerontology and geography. Socio-spatial implications for Latin America|journal=Revista de Geografía Norte Grande |date=2015|volume=60|issue=1|pages=97–114|doi=10.4067/S0718-34022015000100006|doi-access=free}}</ref>

An ageing population may provide incentive for technological progress, as some hypothesise the effect of a shrinking workforce may be offset by [[automation]] and productivity gains.

== Social policies and intervention ==

In response to the threat of the undesirable consequences associated with an ageing population, many states have adopted preventative [[Human population planning|policies and initiatives]]. Because the dominant causes of population ageing are decreased birth rates and increased longevity, preventative action must address these factors. Lengthened lifespans are considered a significant achievement of the modern age, so many countries are instead turning to [[Natalism|pronatalist]] policies with limited success.<ref>North, Madeleine (21 September 2023). "With life expectancy increasing, here's how 4 countries are addressing their ageing populations". ''World Economic Forum''.</ref><ref>Gauthier, A.H. (2013). Family Policy and Fertility: Do Policies Make a Difference? In: Buchanan, A., Rotkirch, A. (eds) Fertility Rates and Population Decline. Palgrave Macmillan Studies in Family and Intimate Life. Palgrave Macmillan, London. <nowiki>https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137030399_16</nowiki></ref> Other short-term solutions involve augmenting the workforce, either through increased participation rates or immigration, to be able sustain the economy and an ageing native population.<ref>Bloom, D. E., Canning, D., & Lubet, A. (2015). Global Population Aging: Facts, Challenges, Solutions & Perspectives. ''Daedalus'', ''144''(2), 80–92. <nowiki>http://www.jstor.org/stable/24711220</nowiki></ref> However, increasing workforce participation has a ceiling effect, and the efficacy of expanding immigration is subject to much debate.<ref>Bermingham, J. R. (2001). Immigration: Not a Solution to Problems of Population Decline and Aging. ''Population and Environment'', ''22''(4), 355–363. <nowiki>https://doi.org/10.1023/a:1006782904046</nowiki></ref><ref>Canales, A. C. (2024, January 29). ''Still more room to grow: Immigrants can reverse the U.S. population decline and its economic consequences''. National Immigration Forum. <nowiki>https://immigrationforum.org/article/still-more-room-to-grow-immigrants-can-reverse-the-u-s-population-decline-and-its-economic-consequences/</nowiki></ref>

Meanwhile, countries are instead being encouraged to embrace policy that adjusts to the inevitability of demographic change by promoting and improving infrastructure for "active ageing".<ref>World Health Organization. (2002). Active ageing : a policy framework. World Health Organization. <nowiki>https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/67215</nowiki></ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Khan |first=Hafiz T. A. |last2=Addo |first2=Kwaku Mari |last3=Findlay |first3=Helen |date=2024 |title=Public Health Challenges and Responses to the Growing Ageing Populations |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/puh2.213 |journal=Public Health Challenges |language=en |volume=3 |issue=3 |pages=e213 |doi=10.1002/puh2.213 |issn=2769-2450}}</ref> Additionally, improving the productivity of the elderly has also become a method to alleviate the problem of social aging. But this first requires increasing their investment in education, and providing suitable job opportunities is equally important.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Uhlenberg |first=P |date=1992-01-01 |title=Population Aging and Social Policy |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1146/annurev.soc.18.1.449 |journal=Annual Review of Sociology |volume=18 |issue=1 |pages=449–474 |doi=10.1146/annurev.soc.18.1.449 |pmid=12343802 |issn=0360-0572|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

Generally in West Africa and specifically in Ghana, social policy implications of [http://www.indexmundi.com/ghana/demographics_profile.html demographic] ageing are multidimensional (such as rural-urban distribution, gender composition, levels of literacy/illiteracy as well as their occupational histories and [http://www.palgrave-journals.com/pm/journal/v16/n2/full/pm201110a.html income security]).<ref name=":0" /> Current policies on ageing in Ghana seem to be disjointed, and ideas on documents on to improve policies in population ageing have yet to be concretely implemented,<ref name=":0" /> perhaps partly because of many arguments that older people are only a small proportion of the population<ref name=":1">{{Cite web
| url = http://www.ifa-fiv.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/061_Age-Discrimination-in-Africa-Age-Concern-England-DaneAge-Association-IFA-2006.pdf
| title = Age Discrimination in Africa
| last = Ogonda
| first = Job
| date = May 2006
}}</ref>

Global ageing populations seem to cause many countries to be increasing the age for old age security from 60 to 65 to decrease the cost of the scheme of the GDP.<ref name=":0" /> Advocates for raising the retirement and pension eligibility ages hope to allocate larger payments during the years the elderly are most vulnerable and in need of assistance.<ref>Reznik, G. L., Shoffner, D., & Weaver, D. A. (2007, April). ''Coping with the Demographic Challenge: Fewer Children and Living Longer''. Social Security Administration. <nowiki>https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/ssb/v66n4/v66n4p37.html</nowiki></ref> Evidence also suggest that as lifespans lengthen, people remain healthier into older age than in the past, indicating that they may be able to participate in the workforce longer.<ref>Fry, Richard; Braga, Dana (2023-12-14). "1. The growth of the older workforce". ''Pew Research Center''. Retrieved 2025-04-06.</ref> However, even so, in industrialized countries with the greatest improvement in life expectancy, discussions about continuing to raise the eligibility age for pension benefits have intensified in order to reduce economic burden more significantly.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Rowland |first=D. T. |title=Population aging: the transformation of societies |date=2012 |publisher=Springer |isbn=978-94-007-4049-5 |series=International perspectives on aging |location=Dordrecht ; New York}}</ref> 

Age discrimination can be defined as "the systematic and institutionalized denial of the rights of older people on the basis of their age by individuals, groups, organisations, and institutions."<ref name=":1" /> Some of the abuse can be a result of ignorance, thoughtlessness, prejudice, and stereotyping. Forms of discrimination are economic accessibility, social accessibility, temporal accessibility and administrative accessibility.<ref>{{Cite web
| url = http://www.ifa-fiv.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/061_Discrimination-of-Older-People-in-Asia-Age-Concern-England-DaneAge-Association-IFA-2006.pdf
| title = Discrimination of Older People in Asia
| last = Gerlock
| first = Edward
| date = May 2006
}}</ref>

In most countries worldwide, particularly countries in Africa, older people are typically the poorest members of the social spectrum and live below the [[poverty line]].

Moreover, the growing burden of health expenditure has evolved into a social policy and cost management issue, not just a population issue.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Getzen |first=T. E. |date=1992-05-01 |title=Population Aging and the Growth of Health Expenditures |url=https://doi.org/10.1093/geronj/47.3.S98 |journal=Journal of Gerontology |volume=47 |issue=3 |pages=S98–S104 |doi=10.1093/geronj/47.3.s98 |pmid=1573213 |issn=0022-1422|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Aging]]
* [[ARC Centre of Excellence in Population Ageing Research (CEPAR)|Centre of Excellence in Population Ageing Research (CEPAR)]]
* [[Demographic transition]]
* [[Gerontology]]
* [[Human overpopulation]]
* [[Human population planning]]
* [[Political demography]]
* [[Population decline]]
* [[Senescence]]
* [[The Silver Tsunami]]
* [[Sub-replacement fertility]]
* [[List of countries and regions by population ages 65 and above]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

===Additional references===
* Gavrilov L.A., Heuveline P. [http://longevity-science.org/Population_Aging.htm Aging of Population]. In: Paul Demeny and Geoffrey McNicoll (Eds.) The Encyclopedia of population. New York, Macmillan Reference USA, 2003, vol.1, 32–37.
* United Nations, World Population Prospects: The 2004 Revision Population Database, Population Division, 2004.
* Gavrilova N.S., Gavrilov L.A. Aging Populations: Russia/Eastern Europe. In: P. Uhlenberg (Editor), International Handbook of the Demography of Aging, New York: Springer-Verlag, 2009, pp.&nbsp;113–131.
* Jackson R., Howe N. The Greying of the Great Powers, Washington: Center for Strategic and International Studies, 2008 [http://www.csis.org/media/csis/pubs/080630_gai_majorfindings.pdf Major Findings] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090417101305/http://www.csis.org/media/csis/pubs/080630_gai_majorfindings.pdf |date=2009-04-17 }}
* Goldstone, J. A., Grinin, L., and; Korotayev, A. [http://www.sociostudies.org/almanac/articles/introduction-_research_into_global_ageing_and_its_consequences/ Research into Global Ageing and its Consequences] / History & Mathematics: Political Demography & Global Ageing. Volgograd, Uchitel Publishing House, 2016.

==External links==
* [http://www.helpage.org/download/50af6e9c8f44b HelpAge International and UNFPA: Ageing in the 21st Century - A Celebration and A Challenge report (2012)]
* [http://www.helpage.org/global-agewatch/ Global AgeWatch] - website providing latest data, trends and response to global population ageing
* [http://www.aarpinternational.org/journal/ AARP International: The Journal] - a quarterly international policy publication on global aging (2010)
* [[Deloitte]] study (2007) - [http://www.deloitte.com/dtt/article/0,1002,cid%253D149921,00.html Serving the Aging Citizen] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081013054709/http://www.deloitte.com/dtt/article/0,1002,cid%253D149921,00.html |date=2008-10-13 }}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090221012314/http://www.covive.be/index.php?pg=15 CoViVE Consortium Population Ageing in Flanders and Europe]
* [https://www.un.org/esa/socdev/ageing UN Programme on Ageing]
* [http://www.ageing.ox.ac.uk/ Oxford Institute of Population Ageing] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210205131009/http://www.ageing.ox.ac.uk/ |date=2021-02-05 }}
* [http://www.gapminder.org/downloads/presentations/human-development-trends-2005.html Human Development Trends 2005 Presentation on UN Human Development Report 2005] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080923085110/http://www.gapminder.org/downloads/presentations/human-development-trends-2005.html |date=2008-09-23 }}
* {{Cite web|author=David N. Weil|date= 2006|title= Population Aging|url= http://www.brown.edu/Departments/Economics/Papers/2006/2006-09_paper.pdf }}&nbsp;{{small|(59.8&nbsp;KB)}}
* Jill Curnow. 2000. Myths and the fear of an ageing population {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081031083516/http://www.population.org.au/media/pub/ageingmyths.pdf |date=2008-10-31 }} &nbsp;{{small|(65.6&nbsp;KB)}}
* {{Cite web|author=Judith Healy|date=2004|title=The benefit of an ageing population|url=http://www.tai.org.au/documents/dp_fulltext/DP63.pdf|access-date=2006-11-06|archive-date=2018-05-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180515112345/http://www.tai.org.au/documents/dp_fulltext/DP63.pdf|url-status=dead}}&nbsp;{{small|(215&nbsp;KB)}} <!--(link permission and copyright see discussion page)-->
* [http://umanitoba.ca/outreach/evidencenetwork/aging-population Aging Population and Its Potential Impacts] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160821100528/http://umanitoba.ca/outreach/evidencenetwork/aging-population |date=2016-08-21 }}
* [https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:tDZAJPB8kGEJ:www.infc.gc.ca/altformats/pdf/rs-rr-2008-02-eng.pdf+Infrastructure+Canada.+Population+aging+and+public+infrastructure:+A+literature+review+of+impacts+of+demographic+aging&hl=en&gl=ca&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEEShX6TETEpcNVHYQ0kgZYYfJ1kt5FUf5e2X7QNqs9J04mzdRUp0uaD-rAkbRKB0B7UIbx3ZOr8XKh0Ku-dzADpvP19ThIn3ZsjiuSIjAMQnnPLMOTb68F5I1IR0VrNuSfTOZrfGl&sig=AHIEtbSnOdEtqu3S12wU6Ep7S_hM8isLog Population Aging and Public Infrastructure in Developed Countries]
* [https://www.seniorcare.com/featured/aging-america/ Projections of the Senior Population in the United States]
* [http://cepar.edu.au/ Centre of Excellence in Population Ageing Research website]

{{Population Aging}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Population Ageing}}
[[Category:Ageing]]
[[Category:Ageing by country]]
[[Category:Demographics indicators]]
[[Category:Demographic economics]]