Healthcare strategies for an ageing society

Contributed by The Economist Intelligence Unit - Published 09 December 2009

That the world’s population is ageing rapidly is old news. Driven by falling fertility rates and a sustained increase in longevity, many countries—especially in the developed world—are now bracing themselves for the fact that their fastest-growing demographic is the over-80s. Moreover, the linear trend that life expectancies have followed for over a century is set to continue.

Of course, any demographic shift brings with it social and economic challenges, not least for healthcare systems. The notion of a greying population is usually framed in terms of the added demands and pressures they will bring. But although there will be challenges in adjusting, the overall picture…

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