Number of people aged 65 and older worldwide to triple by 2050.
The AP reports, “The world’s 65-and-older population will triple by mid-century to 1 in 6 people, leaving the US and other nations struggling to support the elderly.” In fact, the “number of senior citizens has already jumped 23 percent since 2000 to 516 million, according to census estimates released on Tuesday. That’s more than double the growth rate for the general population.” Currently, seniors “comprise just under 8 percent of the world’s 6.8 billion people. But, demographers warn the biggest shift is yet to come. They cite a coming wave of retirements from baby boomers and China’s Red Guard generation that will shrink pensions, and add to rising healthcare costs.” Data show that, in the US for instance, “residents who are 65 and older currently make up 13 percent of the population, but that will double to 88.5 million by mid-century. In two years, the oldest of the baby boomers will start turning 65. The baby boomer bulge will continue padding the senior population year after year, growing to 1 in 5 US residents by 2030.”
