Implications of population ageing for societies and governments

Population ageing presents both opportunities and challenges to societies and governments. While even today, the economic contribution of older people is likely to outweigh the expenditure on them by governments, this balance could be even more positive in the future. Yet, outdated stereotypes of ageing are pervasive and limit the way older people are viewed and the way policy is framed. Moving forward will require a broader understanding of the diversity of older populations, the inequities that underpin it, and of the many and varied opportunities for societal responses that can enable the abilities of older people. What population ageing ultimately implies for societies and governments will therefore depend as much on societal attitudes and response as it will on the intrinsic capacities and needs of older populations