It is
an ongoing debate and concern – how are we going to cope with a hugely
increasing elderly population? From an economic standpoint
it is being reported as something of an impending financial dilemma.
Within the next 30 years, as our population ages, and a continuing decrease
in birth rates, we are going to end up with a population of elderly, un-working,
dependent citizens. It is forecast that this is likely to put significant
strain on, and cause changes to, such things as health care, pension and
retirement age.
The
Office for National Statistics in the UK have produced an interactive map
following recent research, which displays the changing population levels
by area over the next 13 years. It certainly makes for interesting
perusal, as does the report on the BBC regarding the UK Aging Population
today [7/10/2010]. It has certainly stimulated some extensive and
thought-provoking comments about how we respond to the issue of a population
that becomes weighted with over 65’s.
Without
question some valid points are raised, and changes will have to be made
in government policy and societal structures in order for us to sustain
an aging population.
If
our current social security and pension system is built upon an inverse
pyramid system whereby those working and contributing to the system are
sustaining those of retirement age. What happens when we have a declining
balance in the birth rate, especially within the middle classes?
And it is not only the imbalance that is likely to impact upon pension
funds in the future, as our elderly are living longer, so too is additional
elderly health care required.
The
average life expectancy age has gone up in the UK, however, we still seem
to be adhering to a societal structure where the elderly require care in
a care home as opposed to care within the family. As people live
longer they do require additional health services, and dementia alone is
a major health-care concern for the future, at a huge cost to an already
stumbling health-care system.
The
retirement age has already been extended, and some critics of a future
sustainable society suggest that we should extend it further for active
pensioners. But surely our elderly generation, who has worked for
nigh-on 55 years of their life, should be able to benefit from retirement
at an age where they can still actively pursue other interests. I
can certainly accept that many older people would actually desire to continue
working for a few years, and that ageism should not stop valuable older
people from contributing their knowledge and experience to our society.
Without
question the full impact of significant changes in population patterns
is likely to require much more extensive interrogation over coming years.
