October 1st is the United Nations’ (UN) International Day of Older Persons. It is a chance to recognize the significant growth of this population segment, the contribution that older persons make to society, and to bring awareness to age-related issues.
The world’s population of people over 60 years old will double by 2050
According to the UN[1], the 60+ segment is growing faster than any other age group, and is expected to:
- increase from 962 billion in 2017 to 1.4 billion by 2030
- double by 2050 to 2.1 billion
- triple by 2100 to 3.1 billion
Forecasts suggest that as life expectancy continues to increase around the world, so too will the number of sick years and at a faster rate, placing an even greater burden on healthcare systems[2]. A 2015 World Health Organization assessment warned that health systems are falling short in meeting the needs of older persons, and that “current health systems are not aligned to the care that older populations require, even in higher income countries.”
