Ageing of the Population – A Social Policy Challenge

U prvom dijelu rada autor iznosi zapažanja o demografskim procesima i starenju stanovništva. U drugom dijelu prezentirani su osnovni podaci o starenju koje determinira produljenje ljudskog vijeka, s jedne, te smanjene stope demografske reprodukcije, s druge strane. U nastavku se iznose projekcije o starenju stanovništva u Hrvatskoj i Europi u narednim desetljećima. U trećem dijelu raspravlja se o javnim politikama usmjerenim na prevladavanje i ublažavanje posljedica starenja stanovništva. Riječ je o konceptu aktivnog starenja, reformama u mirovinskom i zdravstvenom sustavu te sustavu skrbi o starima. Na kraju, autor se osvrće na neke aspekte budućeg međugeneracijskog sporazuma koji se treba temeljiti na paradigmi usklađenoj s promjenama okolnosti u kojima ljudi danas žive.In the first part of the paper the author makes observations about the demographic processes and ageing of the population. In the second part some basic data about ageing that determines prolongation of life cycle are presented on one hand, and the decreased rates of demographic reproduction on the other. The second part of the paper outlines the projections about the ageing of the population in Croatia and Europe in the following decades. In the third part of the paper public policies focused on overcoming and mitigating consequences of the population ageing are discussed. These include the concept of active ageing, reforms in pension and health systems and the system of the care for the elderly. Finally, the author reflects on some aspects of the future intergenerational contract that should be based on the paradigm adjusted with the changes of circumstances in which people live nowadays