Population Matters Policy Brief: Preparing foran Aging World

The worlds population is aging at an accelerated rate. Declining fertility rates combined with steady improvements in life expectancy over the latter half of the 20th century have produced dramatic growth in the worlds elderly population. People aged 65 and over now comprise a greater share of the worlds population than ever before, and this proportion will increase during the 21st century. This trend has immense implications for many countries around the globe because of its potential to over-burden existing social institutions for the elderly. One popular view envisions global aging as a looming catastrophe, as populations top-heavy with frail, retired elderly drain pension and social security funds, overwhelm health care systems, and rely for support on a dwindling working-age population.