奇速英语

挪威是世界上最好的养老国

As the UN International Day of Older Persons is drawing near, Help Age International’s Global Age Watch Index measures the social and economic welfare of those over 60. The index measures four areas - income security, health, personal capability and whether the person lives in an “enabling environment”.

Norway is the best place to grow old, according to the index of the quality of later life in 96 countries. Hot on the heels of Norway comes Sweden, closely followed by Switzerland, Canada and Germany. The report says that by 2050, some 40 countries in the index will have populations where 30% are aged 60 or over.

The report predicts that by 2050, 21% of the global population will be over 60, and the number of those aged 60 or over will reach 1.4 billion by 2030.

Experts point out that the increasing numbers of people surviving into older age are, a cause for celebration - advances in healthcare and in nutrition, better sanitation, and more economic prosperity are all contributory factors. Add in other factors like falling birth rates and it is clear why we see not just more people living longer, but countries with higher percentages of older people as well.

But the question is whether this can be turned into more positive aging for those who have little or no social protection or savings – a sharp challenge for many in the developing world. There is change taking place. The growth of “social pensions” is seen as key to helping to deal with inequality for the older age group.

Several Latin American countries - particularly Mexico and Peru - have leapt up the index as a result of their efforts in ensuring “social pensions” for the poorest older people. In Mexico, nearly nine out of every 10 people aged 65 and over receive a social pension. Because of this, Mexico ranks at 30 on the index, surpassing the BRICS nations - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.