Global AgeWatch Index: Norway best for older
people
Norway is the best place
to grow old, according to an index of the quality of later life in 96
countries.HelpAge International's Global
AgeWatch Index measures the social and economic welfare of those
over 60.
Published on the UN
International Day of Older Persons, it ranks Australia, Western Europe and
North America highly, and Afghanistan last.
The report predicts that
by 2050, 21% of the global population will be over 60.
The index measures four
areas - income security, health, personal capability and whether the person
lives in an "enabling environment".
Hot on the heels of Norway
comes Sweden, closely followed by Switzerland, Canada and Germany.
The report says that by
2050, some 40 countries in the index will have populations where 30% are aged
60 or over.
The UN has said that the number of those
aged 60 or over is expected to reach 1.4 billion by 2030.
Mexico has shot up the index for its commitment to income security for older
people
Analysis: Mike Wooldridge, world affairs correspondent
Experts point out that the increasing numbers
of people surviving into older age are, of course, a cause for celebration -
advances in healthcare and in nutrition, better sanitation, and more economic
prosperity are all contributory factors. Add in other factors like falling
birth rates and it is clear why we see not just more people living longer, but
countries with hig her percentages of older people as well. But the question is
whether this can be turned into more positive ageing for those who have little
or no social protection or savings - an acute challenge for many in the
developing world. It is made worse where the tradition of caring for the
elderly within extended families is weakening. There is change taking place.
The growth of tax-financed, non-contributory "social pensions" is
seen as key to helping to tackle inequality for the older age group. A slogan
often heard in global development is "leave no-one behind" - the
welfare of those in later life is as much of a test of it as the young.
Several Latin American countries -
particularly Mexico and Peru - have leapt up the index for their commitment in
ensuring "social pensions" for the poorest older people. These are
tax-financed, non-contributory pensions that ensure a basic income for the most
vulnerable.
In Mexico, nearly nine out of every 10 people
aged 65 and over receive a social pension. Because of this, Mexico ranks at 30
on the index, outstripping the BRICS nations - Brazil, Russia, India, China and
South Africa. Peru has implemented the Pension 65 program, which provides older
people with 250 nuevo soles (£53) every two months.
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30 September 2014 Last updated at 19:02 ET
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