1 in 4 will be over 60 years older by 2050
Bali: Institutions of Asia-Pacific nations are being urged to develop strategies to deal with their rapidly aging populations, as older people are projected to make up nearly 20 % of the local people by 2050.
The 2024 Asia-Pacific Regional Conference ( APRC ) on Population Ageing on the Indonesian island of Bali is attended by about 500 delegates from 38 nations. They are researchers, policymakers, members of the UN, international agencies, and legal community leaders from across the Asia-Pacific.
The three-day occurrence, which ends on Friday, is held under the style of” Reframing Ageing”. HelpAge International, HelpAge International, and the UNFPA host the event in collaboration with Indonesia’s Ministry of National Development Planning.
The APRC’s goals are to create a network to share best practices and knowledge in the Asia-Pacific to advance the development of elder care systems and providers. It also wants to create a information center on the care of the elderly.
UNFPA’s Asia-Pacific Regional Director Pio Smith stated to the Bangkok Post monday that governments in the region should be more involved with the region’s rapidly aging population growth.
” Nothing is left behind. This conference is relevant for the Asia-Pacific because if we do n’t have these conversations, we do n’t have any kind of advocacy that is required by the world”, he said.
Smith: Invest in projects immediately
” The Asia-Pacific is the most rapidly ageing place across the globe, and that means that we need to include policies, plans and strategies to help solve the aged people”, he added.
He urged governments to invest in projects that can improve the quality of life of the elderly, saying,” We should n’t wait until 2045 or 2050 because we know that here is a demographic dividend to reap now.”
The rapidly aging population in Asia-Pacific, according to a report from the Asian Development Bank ( ADB), has put the region at the forefront of one of the most significant global demographic trends.
According to the review, people are living longer while fewer people are having children.
By 2050, one in four people in the Asia-Pacific region is expected to be over 60 years old, with the population of older people ( aged over 60 ) in the region tripling between 2010 and 2050, reaching close to 1.3 billion people.
In some states such as China, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam, this change does happen fast while others, such as Indonesia, will end up with huge groups of older people, the ADB statement said.
The Asia-Pacific territory may experience a wide range of social and economic effects as a result of this statistical change, with effects ranging from the way cities and communities are built and organized to the way governmental policies are created, according to it.
According to the report, recognizing and maximizing older people’s social and economic efforts may be necessary for sustainable development.
Start saving
Somchai Jitsuchon, a researcher for equitable growth at the Thailand Development Research Institute, stated yesterday during the APRC that he has been paying attention to the issue of Thailand’s aging people.
He claimed that one of his most pressing problems for Thai seniors is their financial stability.
Because treating those illnesses is expensive, he said,” Everyone should take care of themselves well to stop themselves from getting non-communicable diseases like heart disease and diabetes from an early age.”
People in the area are now longer living longer. He continued,” Older people are living healthier and have more knowledge and expertise than ever before.”
However, he said it is important for people to be aware of the value of saving first because it will benefit them in the future, particularly as they get older.
According to him, the government may encourage saving among the general public and develop improvements that will improve the elderly’s quality of life.
However, Cherian Mathews, chief executive officer of HelpAge International, emphasised the importance of civic culture in helping taking care of the elderly, shaping plans and programs that affect the elder, helping showcase the well-being and participation of older women and men, and reducing poverty and discrimination in their life.
Mathews: Legal world may help