In the developed world, average life expectancy is increasing. What problems
will this cause for individuals and society? Suggest some measures that could be
taken to reduce the impact of ageing populations INTRODUCTION: It is true that people in industrialised nations can expect
to live longer than ever before. Although there will undoubtedly be some
negative consequences of this trend, societies can take steps to mitigate these
potential problems. BP1: As people live longer and the populations of developed countries
grow older, several related problems can be anticipated.
The main issue is that
there will obviously be more people of retirement age who will be eligible to
receive a pension. The proportion of younger, working adults will be smaller,
and governments will therefore receive less money in taxes in relation to the
size of the population. In other words,
an ageing population will mean a greater tax burden for
working adults. Further
pressures will include a rise in the demand for healthcare, and
the fact young adults will increasingly have to look after their elderly
relatives. BP2: There are several actions that governments could take to solve the
problems described above. Firstly,
a simple solution would be to increase the retirement age for
working adults, perhaps from 65 to 70. Nowadays, people of this age tend to be
healthy enough to continue a productive working life.
A second measure would be
for governments to encourage immigration in order to increase the number of
working adults who pay taxes. Finally,
money from national budgets will need to be taken from
other areas and spent on vital healthcare, accommodation and transport
facilities for the rising numbers of older citizens. CONCLUSION: In conclusion,
various measures can be taken to tackle the problems that are certain to arise
as the populations of countries grow older.