Rapidly and surely the world is getting older.  In 2000, for the first time in history, there were more people over age 60 than children below age 5.  The number and proportion of older persons is growing faster than any other age group, and will surpass 1 billion people in less than 10 years, an increase of close to 200 million people over the decade. Today two out of three people aged 60 or over live in developing countries. By 2050, this will rise to nearly four in five.

Ageing is now occurring fastest in the developing world, which has limited resources and plans to deal with this unprecedented demographic trend.

The older generation – which includes caregivers, voters, teachers, volunteers, entrepreneurs, leaders and more – represents a growing reservoir of talent and experience that can be tapped to reap a ‘longevity dividend’.

This new report published by the UN and HelpAge calls for new approaches to dealing with healthcare, workforce and retirement issues, living arrangements and intergenerational relations.  This will help countries to harness the potential benefits and minimize the disruption that ageing will bring.

To view the report please follow the link below: http://unfpa.org/ageingreport/

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