Global aging is going to present unprecedented challenges for the 21st century. By 2050, for the first time, the number of older people in the world will exceed the population of children. The most obvious causes:  drastically falling fertility rates combined with advances in nutrition and healthcare. 
     According to the 2002 Second World Assembly on Aging, one million people worldwide cross the 60 year age mark every month. The fastest growing segment of the older population is also the oldest segment 80 -- plus.  Most of them are women.  I also found it interesting that unlike America, men live longer than women in developing countries. 
     As with every global issue, this one will be experienced differently by the developing and the developed countries. In developing countries global aging will present the most difficult challenges. Poverty, gender discrimination, urbanization and the HIV-AIDS epidemic will serve to magnify these issues.
      When it comes to global aging what’s the biggest problem facing industrialized countries such as the US?  It’s going to be the continualy shrinking number of workers who can pay for the retirement benefits of an ever-growing number of retirees. The result of having fewer workers in the labor force may result in slower economic growth. Under these circumstances, the economic gainers would likely be the relatively slow-aging countries such as India, Indonesia, Brazil and Turkey.
     There are those who say that the answer for developed countries that face a critical worker shortage is to recruit young immigrant workers from other countries.  Using Britain as an example, the United Nations has said, Britain would have to bring in one million people a year to address its labor shortfall. You than would be left with the same aging problems, but with twice the population.
      Fewer workers may also affect the quality of life for older populations in the developed world. It will be particularly hard on European workers whose countries have a more generous pension system. The painful work place reforms that workers of industrialized countries are likely to experience include raising the age of retirement to as high as 70 and reducing retirement benefits. New and more generous tax breaks and other incentives will also be offered to individuals who create their own pension plans.
      One of the highest costs of global aging will come in the increased costs of health care.   Will health care no longer be considered an entitlement for older citizens?  Will your health benefits be allocated according to your income? Could America become like some developing nations where without insurance, you simply don’t have access to the medical system? I believe the divisive issues surrounding health care will require much political dialogue.
       There is another problem that older people who live in rural areas face around the world.  It is the migration of the younger members of their families to the cities to look for work. The loss of extended family support is especially devastating in the areas of health care and transportation
     When it comes to caring for older people and keeping them in their homes, Europe seems to be doing a much better job than the U.S.  The reason is that many European governments have made funding home care a priority. America’s spending on health care for its elders remains centered on its Medicaid program, which pays for nursing home care for those who cannot afford it.
     For those who want to learn about the challenges of a graying world, I recommend “Gray Dawn” by Peter G. Peterson.
      What’s my personal opinion about the graying age wave that is going to transform America and the World?  I feel that the biggest danger is our inability to acknowledge the impact this phenomenon will have on every aspect of life here on Earth. The clock is ticking. Its time to start talking and planning for one of the greatest demographic shifts the world has every seen.