This means that in just over 30 years, the proportion of older people will double to become 14% of the total world population.

Many older people continue to support themselves and their families.
 

The US Census Bureau’s report An Aging World: 2008 - International Population Reports, examines nine international population trends. It contains detailed information on ageing including:

• life expectancy
• health and disability
• education and literacy
• labour force participation and retirement, and
• pensions among older people around the world.

Not a catastrophe

"Within 10 years, for the first time in human history, there will be more people aged 65 and over in the world than children under 5,” says Richard Blewitt, Chief Executive of HelpAge International.

“Increased longevity is a triumph of human development. Yet all too often older people are portrayed as a drain on economies, causing escalating health and social care costs. However, some countries are already at this stage and we have not seen catastrophic results.

“Despite chronic poverty, the majority of older people in the developing world support themselves and continue to contribute to their families and communities.

“Now that the facts about global ageing are out, it’s time for governments and international donors to redirect resources and invest in the productive and social capacities of older people.

“This requires policy changes, and investing in social protection measures to help this age group contribute as much as they can for as long as they are able.”

Proof that “age helps”

HelpAge is encouraged to see the report highlight the fact that older people provide support to, as well as receive support from, their children.

In countries with well-established pension and social security programmes, the report states that many older adults provide shelter and financial assistance to their adult children and grandchildren.

Older people in developing countries also provide financial help to children, and make substantial contributions to family well-being through such activities as household maintenance and grandchild care.

Report highlights

Highlights of the report include:

• While developed nations have relatively high proportions of people aged 65 and over, the most rapid increases in the older population are in the developing world. 
• By 2040, developing countries are likely to be home to more than 1 billion people aged 65 and over. This is 76% of the projected world total.
• The population in China and India alone aged 65 and over amounted to 166 million in 2008. This is nearly one-third of the world's total population.
• Issues related to population ageing in these two countries will be accentuated in the coming decades as the absolute number climbs to 551 million by 2040 (329 million in China and 222 million in India).

The report was commissioned by the US National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of the US National Institutes of Health, and produced by the US Census Bureau. It was released this week by the Census Bureau.