Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Addressing the implications of global ageing

  • Published:
Journal of Population Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Global ageing is not occurring in isolation, but is emerging in the context of globalization itself, a world increasingly dominated by the flow of human and economic capital across national boundaries. Indeed, a key stimulus to such capital flows is the emerging demographic imbalances arising from the differential movement of regions into maturity. Thus while an understanding of the dynamics of globalization is essential to address the challenges and opportunities of ageing societies, so it is also necessary to understand the dynamics of global ageing as a component of globalization. This paper considers the main demographic drivers behind global ageing, the dynamic relationship with globalization, and the societal implications.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Allan, G.A., 1985.Family Life: Domestic Roles and Social Organization. Oxford: Basil Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Andrews, G.R., A.J. Esterman, A.J. Braunack-Mayer and C.M. Rungie. 1986.Ageing in the Western Pacific: A Four Country Study. Manila: World Health Organization.

    Google Scholar 

  • Apt, N. 2002. Ageing and the changing role of the family and community an African perspective.International Social Security Review 55: 39–47.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arrowsmith, J. and A.E. McGoldrick. 1996. HRM service practices: flexibility, quality and employee stategy.International Journal of Service Industry Management 7: 46–62.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Askham, J. 1998. Supporting caregivers of older people: an overview of problems and priorities. Paper presented at World Congress of Gerontology, Ageing Beyond 2000: One World One Future, Adelaide, 19–23 August.

  • Bengtson, V.L. 2001. Beyond the nuclear family: the increasing importance of multigenerational bonds.Journal of Marriage and the Family 63: 1–16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blake, D. and L. Mayhew. 2004. Immigration or bust? Options for securing the future viability of the UK state pension system.Discussion Paper No. 31, FMG 526 London: London School of Economics.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bornat, J., B. Dimmock, D. Jones and S. Pearce. 1999. Stepfamilies and older people: evaluating the implications of family change for an ageing population.Ageing and Society 19: 239–261.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Börsch-Supan, A. 2006. Global ageing: what is at stake?Ageing Horizons 4: 3–5.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bosworth, B. and G.T. Burtless (eds). 1998.Aging Societies: The Global Dimension. Washington DC: Brookings Institution Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burner, S.T.et al. 1992. National health expenditure projections through 2030.Health Care Financing Review, 14: 1–29.

    Google Scholar 

  • Casey, B., J. Lakey and M.R.M. White. 1992.Payment Systems: A Look at Current Practice. Sheffield: Employment Department.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chwalow, J., A. Bagnall, C. Baudoin and F. Elgrably. 2001. France. Pp. 27–48 in I. Philp (ed.),Family Care of Older People in Europe. Amsterdam: IOS Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cicirelli, V.G. 1983. A comparison of helping behavior to elderly parents of adult children with intact and disrupted marriages.Gerontologist 23: 619–625.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crimmins, Eileen M. and Mark D. Hayward. 1997. What can we learn about competence at the older ages from active life expectancy? Pp. 1–22 in W. Schaie, S. Willis and M. Hayward (eds),Social Structural Mechanisms for Maintaining Competence in Old Age. New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dimmock, B., J. Bornat, S. Peace and D. Jones. 2004. Intergenerational relationships among stepfamilies in the UK. Pp. 95–113 in S. Harper (ed.),Families in Ageing Societies: A Multi-Disciplinary Approach. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Domingo, L., M. Asis, M. Jose and M. Kabamalan. 1993.Living Arrangements among the Elderly on the Philippines: Qualitative Evidence. Ann Arbor: Population Studies Center, University of Michigan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Engineering Employers Federation (EEF). 2004.Working Brief on Age Discrimination. London.

  • ESCAP. 1987.Population Ageing: Review of Emerging Issues. Bangkok.

  • Ettner, S.L., 1996. The opportunity costs of elder care.Journal of Human Resources 31: 189–205.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Feld, S. 2005. Labor force supply trends and immigration in Europe.International Migration Review 39(3): 637–662.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Figueiro, D. and L. Sousa. 2001. Portugal. Pp. 189–210 in I. Philp (ed.),Family Care of Older People in Europe. Amsterdam: IOS Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Finch, J. 1989.Family Obligations and Social Change. Cambridge: Polity.

    Google Scholar 

  • Finch, J. 1995. What do we mean by family sociology? Pp. 11–24 in A. Leira (ed.),Family Sociology and Social Change. Oslo: Institute for Social Research.

    Google Scholar 

  • Forte, C.S. and C.L. Hansvick. 1999. Applicant age as a subjective employability factor: a study of workers over and under age fifty.Journal of Employment Counseling 36: 24–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Freedman, V.A. and L.G. Martin. 1998. Understanding trends in functional limitations among older Americans.American Journal of Public Health 88: 1457–1462.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Global Commission on International Migration. 2005.Migration in an Interconnected World: New Directions for Action. Geneva.

  • Gray, A. 2005. Population ageing and health care expenditure.Ageing Horizons 2: 15–20.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grundy, E. 1987. Household change and migration among the elderly in England and Wales.Espace, Populations, Sociétés 1: 109–123.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grundy, E. and A. Harrop. 1992. Co-residence between adult children and their elderly parents in England and Wales.Journal of Social Policy, 21: 325–348.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harper, S. 1987. The kinship network of the rural aged: a comparison of the indigenous elderly and the retired inmigrant.Ageing and Society 7: 303–327.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harper, S. 2004. The challenge for families of demographic ageing. Pp. 6–30 in S. Harper (ed.),Families in Ageing Societies: A Multi-Disciplinary, Approach. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Harper, S. 2006.Ageing Societies. London: Hodder Arnold.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harper, S. and S. Marcus. 2006. Age-related capacity decline: a review of some workplace implications.Ageing Horizons 5: 20–30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heller, P.S. 2003.Who Will Pay?: Coping with Aging Societies, Climate Change, and Other Long-Term Fiscal Challenges. Washington DC: International Monetary Fund.

    Google Scholar 

  • Help Age International. 1999.The Ageing and Development Report: Poverty, Independence and the Worlds Older People. London: Earthscan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Help Age International. 2002.A Policy Framework and Plan of Action on Africa. Nairobi.

  • Help the Aged. 2002.Age Discrimination in Public Policy: A Review of Evidence. London.

  • Henretta, J.C., E. Grundy and S. Harris. 2001. Socioeconomic differences in having living parents and children: a US-British comparison of middle-aged women.Journal of Marriage and the Family Relations 63: 852–867.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hermalin A. 1999. Challenges to comparative research on intergenerational transfers.South-east Asian Journal of Social Science 27(2): 9–20. Reprint No. 581.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hermalin, A.I. and A. Chan. 2000.Work and Retirement among the Older Population in Four Asian Countries: A Comparative Analysis. Singapore: Center for Advanced Studies, National University of Singapore.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hermalin, A.I., C. Roan and A. Perez. 1998.The Emerging Role of Grandparents in Asia. Ann Arbor: Population Studies Center, University of Michigan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoskins, D.D. 2002. Thinking about ageing issues.International Social Security Review 55: 13–20.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Howse, K. 2005. Policies for healthy ageing.Ageing Horizons 2: 3–13.

    Google Scholar 

  • Howse, K. 2006. Globalisation and global ageing (editorial)Ageing Horizons 4: 1–2.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hughes, M.E. and L.J. Waite, 2004. The American family as a context for healthy aging. Pp. 176–189 in S. Harper (ed.),The Family in an Aging Society: A Multi-Disciplinary Approach. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • International Social Security Association (ISSA). 1980.Report of the Asian Regional Round Table, Meeting on Social Security Protection of the Rural Population in Developing Countries. Kuala Lumpur.

  • Knodel, J. and N. Chayovan. 1997. Family support and living arrangements of Thai elderly.Asia-Pacific Population Journal 12: 51–68.

    Google Scholar 

  • Knodel, J. and N. Debavalya. 1997. Living arrangements and support among the elderly in Southeast Asia: an introduction.Asia-Pacific Population Journal 12: 5–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Knodel, J. and C. Saengtienchai. 1999. Studying living arrangements of the elderly: lessons from a quasi-qualitative case study approach in Thailand.Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology 14: 197–220.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Larizgoitia-Jauregi, A. 2001. Spain. Pp. 211–236 in I. Philp (ed.),Family Care of Older People in Europe. Amsterdam: IOS Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee, Y.-J. and A. Palloni. 1992. Changes in the family status of elderly women in Korea.Demography 29: 69–92.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leeson, G.W. 2004a.The Demographics and Economics of UK Health and Social Care for Older Adults. Oxford: Oxford Institute of Ageing, University of Oxford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leeson, G.W. 2004b.Aeldre Sagens Fremtidsstudie, Vol. 4,Sociate Netvaerk. Copenhagen: Aeldre Sagen.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lindley, R.M. 1999. Population ageing and the labour market in Europe.Rivista Italiana di Economia, Demografia e Statistica 53: 167–192.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lloyd Sherlock, P. 2002. Formal social protection and older people in developing countries: three different approaches.Journal of Social Policy 31(4): 695–713.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Logan, J.R. and G.D. Spitze. 1996.Family Ties: Enduring Relations between Parents and Their Grown Children. Philadelphia: Temple University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Manton, K.G., L.S. Corder and E. Stallard. 1997. Chronic disability trends in elderly United States populations: 1982–94.Proceedings of the National Academy of Science 94: 2593–2598.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Manton, K.G. and X. Gu. 2005. Disability trends in Medicare expenditures.Ageing Horizons 2: 25–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Manton, K.G., X. Gu and V.L. Lamb. 2006. Long-term trends in life expectancy and active life expectancy in the United States.Population and Development Review 32: 81–105.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martin, L.G. 1989. Living arrangements of the elderly in Fiji, Korea, Malaysia, and the Philippines.Demography 26: 627–643.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martin L.G. 1990. The status of South Asia’s growing elderly population.Journal of Cross cultural Gerontology 5: 93–117.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martin, J.P. 2003. The experience of OECD countries in coping with rising health care costs.

  • Mason, K. 1992. Family change and social support of the elderly in Asia — what do we know?Asia-Pacific Population Journal, 7: 13–32.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mason, J. 1999. Living Away From Relatives: kinship and geographical reason. Pp. 156–175 in S. McRae (ed.),Changing Britain, Families and Households in the 1990s. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • McGlone, F., A. Parks and C. Roberts. 1999. Kinship and friendships: attitudes in Britain. Pp. 144–155 in S. McRae (ed.),Changing Britain. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mui, A. C. 1995. Caring for frail elderly parents: a comparison of adult sons and daughters.Gerontologist 35: 86–93.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Murphy, M. 2001. Family and kinship networks in the context of ageing societies. InConference on Population Ageing in the Industrialized Countries: Challenges and Responses. Tokyo: Nihon University Population Research Institute.

    Google Scholar 

  • Natividad, J. and G. Cruz. 1997. Patterns in living arrangements and familial support for the elderly in the Philippines.Asia-Pacific Population Journal 12: 17–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nyce, S.A. and S.J. Scheiber. 2005.The Economic Implications of Aging Societies. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roberto K. and J. Stroes. 1995. Grandchildren and grandparents: roles, influences and relationships. Pp. 141–153 in J. Hendricks (ed.),The Ties of Later Life. New York: Baywood Publishing Company.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosenzweig, M. 1994. Human capital development, the family, and economic development. Pp. 63–90 in S. Asefa and W. C. Huang (eds),Human Capital and Economic Development. Kalamazoo MI: Upjohn Institute.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schroder-Butterfill, E. 2003. Pillars of the family — support provided by the elderly in Indonesia.Working Paper No. WP303. Oxford: Institute of Ageing, University of Oxford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schulz, J.H. 1999. Economic security in old age: a family-government partnership. Pp. 82–97 in J. Randel, T. German and D. Ewing (eds),The Ageing and Development Report: Poverty, Independence and the Worlds Older People. London: Earthscan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scott, E., K. Edin, A. London and J.M. Mazelis. 1999.My Children Come First: Welfare-Reliant Womens Post-TANF Views of Work—Family Tradeoffs and Marriage. Chicago: Northwestern University and University of Chicago Joint Center for Poverty Research.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seshamani, M. and A. Gray. 2002. The impact of ageing on expenditures in the national health service.Age and Ageing, 31: 287–294.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Silverstein, M. and L. J. Waite. 1993. Are Blacks more likely than Whites to receive and provide social support in middle and old age? Yes no, and maybe so.Journal of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences 48B: S212–222.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sloan, F.A., G. Picone and T.J. Hoerger. 1997. The supply of children’s time to disabled elderly parents.Economic Inquiry 35(2): 295–308.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Social Security Administration (SSA). 1997.Social Security Programs throughout the World. Washington DC.

  • Spillman, B.C. 2004. changes in elderly disability rates and the implications for health care utilization and cost.Milbank Quarterly 82: 157–194.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spitze, G. and J.R. Logan. 1989. Gender differences in family support: is there a payoff?Gerontologist 29: 108–113.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spitze, G. and J.R. Logan. 1990. More evidence on women (and men) in the middle.Research on Aging 12: 182–198.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spitze, G. and J.R. Logan. 1992. Helping as a component of parent-adult child relations.Research on Aging 14: 291–312.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stern, S. 1995. Estimating family long-term care decisions in the presence of endogenous child characteristics.Journal of Human Resources 30: 551–580.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, P. and A. Walker. 1994. The ageing workforce: employers’ attitudes towards older workers.Work, Employment and Society 8: 569–591.

    Google Scholar 

  • Townsend, P. 1957.The Family Life Of Old People; An Inquiry in East London. London: Routledge and K. Paul.

    Google Scholar 

  • Triantafillou, J. and E. Mestheneos. 2001. Greece. Pp. 75–96 in I. Philp (ed.),Family Care of Older People in Europe. Amsterdam: IOS Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • United Nations. 2007 Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division.World Population Prospects: The 2006 Revision. New York.

  • Warr, T. 1994. Age and employment. Pp. 485–550 in H.C. Triandis, M.D. Dunnette and L.M. Hough (eds),Handbook of Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Second edition. Palo Alto CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Warshawsky, M.J. 1994. Projections of health care expenditures as a share of the GDP: actuarial and macroeconomic approaches.Health Services Research 29: 293–313.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wenger, G.C. 1984.The Supportive Network: Coping with Old Age. London: Allen and Unwin.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wenger, G.C. 1992.Help in Old Age: Facing up to Change: A Longitudinal Network Study. Liverpool: Liverpool University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Willmore, L. 2004. Population ageing and pay-as-you-go pensions.Ageing Horizons 1: 23–29.

    Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organization (WHO). 2003.The World Health Report 2003: Shaping the Future. Geneva.

  • Wolf, D.A. and B.J. Soldo. 1994. Married women’s allocation of time to employment and care of elderly parents.Journal of Human Resources 29: 1259–1276.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • World Bank. 1994.Averting the Old Age Crisis: Policies to Protect the Old and Promote Growth. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Oxford Institute of Ageing, University of Oxford, Manor Road Building, Manor Road, OX1 3UQ, Oxford, UK

    Sarah Harper

Authors
  1. Sarah Harper
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sarah Harper.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Harper, S. Addressing the implications of global ageing. Journal of Population Research 23, 205–223 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03031816

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03031816

Keywords

Search

Navigation