Outline:

Today we’re going to talk to you about the problem of population ageing. First I would like to
describe for you the term itself, and then Szandra will continue with the implications of an ageing
population. Finally we will introduce you some existing solutions on this issue.

• What is an ageing population? (https://www.encyclopedia.com/social-

sciences/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/aging-population
better: https://www.un.org/en/sections/issues-depth/ageing/ )

• Implications of an ageing population. (The social and economic implications... including a

decline in the working-age population, increased health care costs, unsustainable pension
commitments and changing demand drivers within the economy… link:
https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/011216/4-global-economic-issues-aging-
population.asp )

• Solution: Approaches to resolving ageing population includes monetary incentives,

subsidised day care, legislation which addresses larger families, retirement age
in Japan: https://www.theguardian.com/money/2010/mar/20/japan-ageing-population-
technology

Aging population

1.The aging of population (also known as demographic aging and population aging) is a term that is
used to describe shifts in the age distribution of a population toward older ages. It is expected to be
among the most prominent global demographic trends of the twenty-first century. Every country in
the world is experiencing growth in the number and proportion of older persons in their population.

I would like to show you a diagram about the increasing tendency. 2.

Between 2015 and 2030, the number of people in the world aged 60 years or over is projected to
grow by 56 per cent, from 900 million to 1.4 billion, and by 2050, the global population of older
persons is projected to more than double its size in 2015, reaching nearly 2.1 billion.

3.The size and age composition of a population are determined by three demographic processes:

1. Fertility

2. Mortality

3. Migration

Population ageing is in many ways a demographic success story, driven by changes in fertility and
mortality that are associated with economic and social development. 4. Progress in reducing child
mortality, improving access to education and employment opportunities, advancing gender equality,
and promoting reproductive health and access to family planning have all contributed to reductions
in birth rates. Moreover, advancements in public health and medical technologies, along with
improvements in living conditions, mean that people are living longer and, in many cases, live
healthier than ever before, particularly at advanced ages.

5. The next image shows the falling fertility rate between 1950 and 2017.

All regions have experienced substantial increases in life expectancy since 1950. 6. As the life
expectancy at birth increases, improvements in survival at older ages account for a growing
proportion of the overall improvement in longevity. This is what you can see on this image.

While declining fertility and increasing longevity are the key drivers of population ageing globally,
international migration has also contributed to changing population age structures in some countries
and regions. 7. In countries that are experiencing large immigration flows, international migration
can slow the ageing process, at least temporarily, since migrants tend to be in the young working
ages. However, migrants who remain in the country eventually will age into the older population.

Migration as a means of addressing population issues has always been a tool to hand– either directly
or indirectly. More specifically at the international level, replacement migration was first introduced
by the United Nations Population Division. Demographically, the United Kingdom is a typical example
of an ageing population for which ageing also has consequences for its work force – and in particular
the health and social care workforce, which finds itself under pressure from the small recruitment
cohorts, recruitment and retention problems, and the growing demand for services from the ageing
population.

Solutions in Japan

Japan is ageing faster than any other nation. By the end of this decade, there will be three pensioners
for every child under 15 and before long, one in six people will be over 80.

Elderly people in Japan, traditionally defined as those 65 or older, total some 35.57 million,
accounting for a record-high 28.1% of the population. The International Monetary Fund has warned
that the aging population and the diminishing labor force are putting a drag on the nation’s economic
growth.

The Japanese government and other stakeholders are tackling this challenge with a sense of crisis.
The government calls for Japan to become an “age-free society” in which people 65 and older won’t
be automatically considered senior citizens and will be encouraged to stay healthy and keep working.

Japan already abounds with high-tech solutions for its aging populace. Panasonic has developed a
smart walker that uses artificial intelligence algorithms to help users stay mobile and independent for
as long as possible. Sohgo Security Services, created thumb-sized electronic devices that can help
track dementia patients who are likely to wander from their homes or care facilities. At a nursing
home in Tokyo, caregivers are working with 20 different models of robot to improve the quality of
care for residents. An example is DFree, a wearable sensor developed designed for people with
incontinence. Dfree attaches to the body and uses ultrasound to detect bladder changes. By linking
to smart devices, it alerts users about when they should go to the toilet; the sales for everyday users
who aren’t in nursing homes, began in summer 2018.