Global Population Aging: Facts, Challenges, Solutions & Perspectives

Abstract

We are in the midst of an unprecedented transition in global demography. The world's population is aging rapidly, and older adults compose a larger proportion of the world's population than ever before-a share that will only increase over the next century. By 2050, the percentage of the United States' population that is aged sixty years and older will grow from the current ½gure of about 20 percent to 27 percent. The global number of centenarians worldwide-those aged one hundred years and older-is expected to more than double by 2030, with projections of nearly 3.4 million by 2050. 1 Three major factors are driving this transition: decreasing fertility, increasing longevity, and the aging of large population cohorts.Falling fertility rates are the main determinant of population aging. Low fertility rates lead to smaller youth cohorts, which create an imbalance in the age structure: older age groups become larger than their younger counterparts. Thanks to accessible and effective birth control, increased child survival, and cultural changes, birth rates have dropped dramatAbstract: The rapid aging of populations around the world presents an unprecedented set of challenges: shifting disease burden, increased expenditure on health and long-term care, labor-force shortages, dissaving, and potential problems with old-age income security. We view longer life spans, particularly longer healthy life spans, as an enormous gain for human welfare. The challenges come from the fact that our current institutional and social arrangements are unsuited for aging populations and shifting demographics; our proposed solution is therefore to change our institutions and social arrangements. The ½rst section of this essay provides a statistical overview of global population aging and its contributing factors. The second section outlines some of the major challenges associated with widespread population aging. Finally, the third section of the essay describes various responses to these challenges, both current and prospective, facing individuals, businesses, institutions, and governments.

How can we improve adherence?

“…Health care systems need to consider ways in which self-management can be built into a framework of careparticularly knowing the extent of the projected increase in the elderly [10], many of whom will present with wound problems and the anticipated worldwide increase in diabetes and associated complications [11,12]. These increases will coincide with a reduction in the percentage of skilled health care professionals as a proportion of the population because of the forecasted balance of numbers in the workplace compared with the proportion of the population of retirement age [10].…”

“…These increases will coincide with a reduction in the percentage of skilled health care professionals as a proportion of the population because of the forecasted balance of numbers in the workplace compared with the proportion of the population of retirement age [10].…”

Migration and the Demographic Shift

“…On the aggregate, researchers conclude that migration is not likely to play a significant role when analyzing the effects of aging, including in terms of growth and development (Bloom and Canning, 2004;Bloom et al, 2010;Bloom et al, 2011). Moreover, the effects of population aging on economic growth are likely to be modest.…”

Mobile Technology Utilization Among Patients From Diverse Cultural and Linguistic Backgrounds Attending Cardiac Rehabilitation in Australia: Descriptive, Case-Matched Comparative Study (Preprint)

“…It is predicted that the population over the age of 60 years will increase from the current 800 million (representing 11% of the world population) to more than two billion in 2050 (representing 22% of world population) [51], which will result in a tremendous challenge for health care in dealing with the tidal wave of non-communicable diseases such as CHD. In the meantime, mobile technology ownership is increasing exponentially [52,53].…”