2.9 Aging Populations
2 min read•january 9, 2023
Edmund Scanlan
Edmund Scanlan
A greying population can be a sign of trouble:
A number of countries have a high percentage of people that are in or near retirement age (60 or older). This can happen for a number of reasons and have some serious consequences in those regions.
Countries that are in stages four and five of the demographic transition model have lower birth rates, but higher death rates than countries in stages two and three. Less people are in their childbearing years. These countries tend to have more women who are educated. For these reasons, the birth rates are lower.
With better health care more people are living into their 70s and 80s, but this causes the death rate to rise, because of the large number of older people. When these countries are in stage five of the DTM, they have a negative natural increase rate, which means their populations are decreasing.
Countries that are in stages four and five are more developed and therefore have long life expectancies.
Political Consequences
There are political consequences because older people tend to vote more. They also are more concerned about health care issues, because it more directly affects them. With the older population voting more, the policies that the government puts in place would more likely apply to this age group.
Therefore, politicians need to garner support from older people, handle issues like health care more directly, and possibly even have more elderly in office.
Social Consequences
There are also social consequences. Besides health care, things like housing for the older generations need to be addressed. Countries with older populations need to invest in retirement homes and have more people to help care for the elderly.
Family compositions can change, too, as sons and daughters need to help pay for and/or care for their older parents. This can lead to severe economic consequences as well. The family structures can change as well, as older individuals will often live by themselves or in group homes.
Economic Consequences
Lastly, there are economic consequences. With more older people and lower birth rates, you have fewer people in the workforce. This can lead to lower production, which will lead to less money being made. That is doubly bad when you consider how many people will have to use part of that money to care for elderly family members.
With the government spending more money on taking care of older people and healthcare, less money will be spent in other areas - education, technology, innovation, arts, etc.
Social security and pension systems are also affected as there is more pressure put on them. This can lead to a lot of debates on the sustainability of these systems and the possible need for reform.
🎥 Watch: AP HUG - Population Pyramids
Key Terms to Review (12)
Birth Rates
: The birth rate is the number of live births per 1,000 people in a population in a year.Death Rates
: The death rate is the number of deaths per 1,000 people in a population in a year.Demographic Transition Model
: The Demographic Transition Model is an explanation about how countries transition from having high birth and death rates to low birth and death rates as they develop from a pre-industrial to an industrialized economic system.Greying Population
: A greying population refers to a demographic trend where the median age of a population rises due to increasing life expectancy and/or declining birth rates.Health Care Issues
: Health care issues refer to problems related to access, quality or cost of medical services provided by hospitals or other institutions for maintaining health among individuals or communities.Housing for Older Generations
: Housing for older generations refers to residential options specifically designed to meet the needs of elderly people. This could include retirement homes, assisted living facilities, nursing homes etc.Life Expectancies
: Life expectancy is the average number of years a person is expected to live, based on current health and mortality trends.Natural Increase Rate
: The natural increase rate (NIR) is the percentage growth or decline in a population excluding immigration and emigration; it's essentially birth rates minus death rates.Political Consequences
: Political consequences refer to the outcomes or effects that political decisions, events or actions have on society, economy or international relations.Retirement Age
: Retirement age is defined as the age at which one stops working full time or becomes eligible for pension benefits, typically set by government policy.Retirement Homes
: Retirement homes are residential places specifically designed for retired individuals who can live independently but prefer to live in communities where they can socialize with others of their age.Social Consequences
: Social consequences refer to the outcomes or effects that a certain action, decision, or policy has on society. These can be both positive and negative and can affect various aspects of society such as social structures, relationships, behavior, etc.2.9 Aging Populations
2 min read•january 9, 2023
Edmund Scanlan
Edmund Scanlan
A greying population can be a sign of trouble:
A number of countries have a high percentage of people that are in or near retirement age (60 or older). This can happen for a number of reasons and have some serious consequences in those regions.
Countries that are in stages four and five of the demographic transition model have lower birth rates, but higher death rates than countries in stages two and three. Less people are in their childbearing years. These countries tend to have more women who are educated. For these reasons, the birth rates are lower.
With better health care more people are living into their 70s and 80s, but this causes the death rate to rise, because of the large number of older people. When these countries are in stage five of the DTM, they have a negative natural increase rate, which means their populations are decreasing.
Countries that are in stages four and five are more developed and therefore have long life expectancies.
Political Consequences
There are political consequences because older people tend to vote more. They also are more concerned about health care issues, because it more directly affects them. With the older population voting more, the policies that the government puts in place would more likely apply to this age group.
Therefore, politicians need to garner support from older people, handle issues like health care more directly, and possibly even have more elderly in office.
Social Consequences
There are also social consequences. Besides health care, things like housing for the older generations need to be addressed. Countries with older populations need to invest in retirement homes and have more people to help care for the elderly.
Family compositions can change, too, as sons and daughters need to help pay for and/or care for their older parents. This can lead to severe economic consequences as well. The family structures can change as well, as older individuals will often live by themselves or in group homes.
Economic Consequences
Lastly, there are economic consequences. With more older people and lower birth rates, you have fewer people in the workforce. This can lead to lower production, which will lead to less money being made. That is doubly bad when you consider how many people will have to use part of that money to care for elderly family members.
With the government spending more money on taking care of older people and healthcare, less money will be spent in other areas - education, technology, innovation, arts, etc.
Social security and pension systems are also affected as there is more pressure put on them. This can lead to a lot of debates on the sustainability of these systems and the possible need for reform.
🎥 Watch: AP HUG - Population Pyramids
Key Terms to Review (12)
Birth Rates
: The birth rate is the number of live births per 1,000 people in a population in a year.Death Rates
: The death rate is the number of deaths per 1,000 people in a population in a year.Demographic Transition Model
: The Demographic Transition Model is an explanation about how countries transition from having high birth and death rates to low birth and death rates as they develop from a pre-industrial to an industrialized economic system.Greying Population
: A greying population refers to a demographic trend where the median age of a population rises due to increasing life expectancy and/or declining birth rates.Health Care Issues
: Health care issues refer to problems related to access, quality or cost of medical services provided by hospitals or other institutions for maintaining health among individuals or communities.Housing for Older Generations
: Housing for older generations refers to residential options specifically designed to meet the needs of elderly people. This could include retirement homes, assisted living facilities, nursing homes etc.Life Expectancies
: Life expectancy is the average number of years a person is expected to live, based on current health and mortality trends.Natural Increase Rate
: The natural increase rate (NIR) is the percentage growth or decline in a population excluding immigration and emigration; it's essentially birth rates minus death rates.Political Consequences
: Political consequences refer to the outcomes or effects that political decisions, events or actions have on society, economy or international relations.Retirement Age
: Retirement age is defined as the age at which one stops working full time or becomes eligible for pension benefits, typically set by government policy.Retirement Homes
: Retirement homes are residential places specifically designed for retired individuals who can live independently but prefer to live in communities where they can socialize with others of their age.Social Consequences
: Social consequences refer to the outcomes or effects that a certain action, decision, or policy has on society. These can be both positive and negative and can affect various aspects of society such as social structures, relationships, behavior, etc.
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