Publications
Partners
- In every country across the world, there have been increases in life expectancy.
- This means that most people will live into their 60s or beyond.
- The WHO says that all countries face major challenges to ensure their health and social systems are ready to make the most of this demographic shift.
By 2050, the number of people aged 60 years and older will have doubled from 2020, while the number of those older than 80 will have tripled, according to predictions by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Improvements in medicine and public health, decreasing fertility rates, as well as increasing awareness of nutrition and lifestyle choices are just some of the factors contributing to this.
In an article for the Conversation, one researcher wrote that the rising life expectancy means we need to rethink the meaning of old age: " ... for those young women and men entering their 20s, if they knew with a high degree of certainty that they were likely to survive well into their 90s in good health and might even survive into their 100s, how many might choose to re-prioritise their life course," wrote Jane Falkingham, Dean of the Faculty of Social, Human and Mathematical Sciences, University of Southampton.
While this shift in ageing populations started in developed countries like Japan, low- and middle-income countries are experiencing the biggest changes in this regard. The WHO adds:
In 2050, it notes that 80% of older people will be living in low- and middle-income countries. Here are four global trends affecting ageing, according to FedHealth.
1. Fewer familial support structures
Increased global mobility and economic urbanisation mean that people are now much more likely to move and live in countries or cities different to the ones they grew up in.
READ MORE | Do optimists really live longer? Here’s what the research says
While they are moving for opportunities or a better life for themselves or their families, typically, their parents do not move with them. Unfortunately, this means they are left without the support of their adult children in their old age, and their extended relatives need to look after them, or they get professional carer help, or they move into a retirement facility where assisted living is provided.
2. People are retiring later
The concept of working hard for 40 years at one company or in one job and then hanging up your hat at the age of 60 is a thing of the past. In fact, the broad concept of 'retiring' is in a state of flux.
A recent Gallup survey revealed that the average reported retirement age in the US has increased from age 57 – where it was in 1991 — to age 61 in 2022.
These days, there's no set path that people feel obliged to stick to, says FedHealth: some people are choosing to take sabbaticals and travel in mid-life, while others are starting new careers or businesses at the age of 50 or learning new skills at 65 so they can do freelance work in a different field.
READ MORE | The longest-living people on Earth eat these 6 foods
Keeping the mind active and invested in a cause or purpose can slow the ageing process and have positive impacts on overall wellness and mental health. A past study found that you're more likely to live longer if you retire after 65. The lead author told Harvard Business Review that they theorised that a later retirement may delay physical and cognitive decline since work keeps your mind and body active.
"There are a lot of social benefits related to working: You're more active, you're more engaged, you're talking with your peers, and so on. Losing those when you retire can be harsh," said Chenkai Wu, then- PhD student in public health at Oregon State University.
3. Increased health knowledge
People globally are becoming increasingly more knowledgeable about health, from knowing more about nutrition and how it affects our bodies to an understanding of the importance of exercise, such as strength training. And when we know better, we can do better and live longer and healthier lives too.
People are also preemptively keeping on top of their health more than ever through things like regular health screenings for serious diseases. Medical aids are promoting these screenings, too, as part of their benefits. Fedhealth, for example, offers a screening benefit with tests for older members, such as bone densitometry for women over 65 and men over 70, as well as cancer screenings for older demographics.
4. Digestive health in the spotlight
The link between our digestive health and immune systems is becoming much more well-known, with many people now understanding that a healthy gut can prevent a range of diseases that were previously thought of as unrelated. This is leading to a rise in popularity of gut-linked supplements such as probiotics, as well as specific food and drinks.
There are now even ranges of grocery items targeted specifically at an older demographic (known as "the silver purse"), who are health-focused and willing to spend money on food items that can deliver on this goal of helping them live healthy lives as they age.
READ MORE | How an increasing life expectancy affects retirement planning
Ageing something to look forward to
Getting older is no longer what it used to be: due to an increased focus on maintaining holistic health with diet, lifestyle and exercise, many older demographics are experiencing a better quality of life than ever before. There's also more acceptance that as we get older, we have a lot to offer the world in terms of our skills and experience.
As we move further into the 2020s, ageing can be something to look forward to as a new and exciting chapter of life rather than something to be feared, says FedHealth.
