People Worldwide Living Longer, A New Challenge, Says United Nations
By Christian Nordqvist on October 2, 2012
Longer lifespans are not only occurring in developed nations. By 2050, four-fifths of the world’s elderly people will be in developing nations, and there will be more seniors aged 60+ than children aged 15 or less, UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon said today to mark the International Day of Older Persons.
“Rapid population ageing and a steady increase in human longevity worldwide represent one of the greatest social, economic and political transformations of our time.
These demographic changes will affect every community, family and person. They demand that we rethink how individuals live, work, plan and learn throughout their lifetimes, and that we re-invent how societies manage themselves.”
46% of senior men and nearly 24% of senior women are still in jobs
“Ageing is a lifelong process that does not start at age 60. Today’s young people will be part of the two billion-strong population of older persons in 2050. This report shows that, with actions taken now, we can all benefit from the longevity dividend – increasingly in the developing world – now and in the future.”
Within the next decade there will be over 1 billion people aged 60+ worldwide