Live long and prosper? Not exactly
Global life expectancy rising, but if steps not taken now, later years may be a burden, UN study says
The good news is that prospects for a long life were never better on planet Earth.
According to a new UN report, strides in nutrition, health, sanitation and medical science are boosting life expectancy by years, even in poor countries. More than three million people will see their 100th birthday by mid-century, and in 2050, the population of over-60s will reach two billion.
But if we live long, does that mean we will prosper?
Unless steps are taken now to improve income, housing, health care, and the rights of the elderly, the report says, extra years could be more of a burden than a blessing in countries that are ill-prepared to deal with the dramatic demographic shift.
That could mean that in the next three decades, Japanese in their 70s will be struggling to find care for their longer-living parents. In China, more elderly people will be scrambling for a living, alone and poor. In India, numbers of centenarians will burgeon, but their quality of life will decline.
These are some of the warnings from the United Nations Population Fund’s new report Ageingin the 21st Century: A Celebration and a Challenge.
“Aging is a triumph of development,” says the report, by a collection of UN agencies and advocacy groups. “Increasing longevity is one of humanity’s greatest achievements.”
The horizon seems bright, but already clouds are gathering. By 2050, the vast majority of the elderly — 80 per cent — will be in developing nations that can least afford to provide care and support.
The world’s over-60 population will be larger than the under-15 generation, putting more burden on taxpaying workers and family members — and straining health care, welfare and pension funds.
“We must commit to ending the widespread mismanagement of aging,” wrote Richard Blewitt, chief executive officer of the Londonbased advocacy group HelpAge International, which contributed to the report.
“Concrete, cost-effective advances will come from ensuring age investment begins at birth — fully recognizing the vast majority of people will live into old age.”
The key, he added, is global and national action plans to make over-60s “growth drivers and value creators. Social protection and agefriendly health care are essential to extend the independence of healthy older people and prevent impoverishment in old age.”
The worldwide demographic shift has occurred gradually over the past half-century, but as birth rates shrank in developed and emerging countries, and lifespans lengthened, social scientists sounded the alarm. Ten years ago, the UN’s nonbinding Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing was the first attempt to write a bill of rights for older people.
It led to new policies, plans and laws on aging in dozens of countries. More than 100 have brought in government pensions to help ease old-age poverty.
But, the agency said, much more needs to be done.
“The social and economic implications are profound, extending far beyond the individual older person and the immediate family, touching broader society and the global community in unprecedented ways,” wrote UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in his preface to the report.
One of the biggest problems is that of an aging population.
Statistics Canada says that by 2031 this country will have just three workers for every retiree: half the number of workers for each retiree 30 years ago.
The shift means people may have to work longer, and retirement will be postponed or even eliminated for those without means of support.
But older people are also subject to discrimination, especially women, who live longer than men. They’re also more likely to suffer abuse and denial of the right to own or inherit property, as well as having poorer access to social security and health-care benefits.
But a key finding of the report shows that better health and longevity of the aging generation can come back to their communities in a good way. Seniors have “incredible productivity as caregivers, voters, volunteers, entrepreneurs and more.” With the right measures in place to support them, the report says, current and future genera- tions can reap the longevity benefit. Those measures include: Social protection “floors” to guarantee income security and basic social and health services.
Access to health-care information and services that include preventive, acute and long-term care.
Policies that promote healthy life- styles, as well as rehabilitation services.
Training of community caregivers for the frail elderly.
Affordable housing and easily accessible transportation.
Protection of rights of the elderly against discrimination, violence and abuse.