The 2nd HPD report - Health Policy Monitor

Health and Aging
Long life expectancy is one of the 20th century’s greatest achievements.
Yet the very success of increasingly large numbers of
people living to a respectable seniority raises challenging questions
for communities and policy makers (cf. table 1). Throughout
the world, the proportion of older people (65 years or older), and
especially that of the oldest old (aged 80 or older), is growing
faster than that of any other age group. This increase does not
only result from prolonged life expectancy but also from decreasing
fertility rates—a double effect from economic growth, improved
living conditions and female education not confined to
developed countries.
Table 1: Percentage of old and oldest old in population,
Health Policy Network countries, 2000
Country Persons >
65 years
(x 1000)
> 65 as
percentage
of total
population
Persons >
80 years
(x 1000)
> 80 as
percentage
of total
population
Australia 2,379 12.4 562 2.9
Austria 1,257 15.5 287 3.5
Canada 3,854 12.5 910 2.9
Denmark 791 14.8 211 4.1
Finland 772 14.9 174 3.4
France 9,466 16.1 2,206 3.7
Germany 13,523 16.4 3,011 3.7
Japan 22,043 17.4 4,856 3.8
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