Threat of an impending ageing crisis in Eastern Europe

The International Longevity Centre (ILC) has produced a document showing the impact of ageing on Europe, the information reveals that Eastern Europe will be affected the most.

The north and west of Europe are currently recognised as having the oldest populations. But it is predicted that by 2060 that European countries in the east will be home to the highest number of people over 65.

The diminishing working aged population is exacerbated by the increasing number of people who are retired. The reduction in the working population means that by 2060 in Eastern Europe, it is estimated that there will be less than two working age adults per child.

Director for Longevity at Partnerships, Richard Willets said: “As with the UK, the rest of Europe is rapidly going grey! This raises a unique set of challenges for government, business and individuals who not only need to plan for their own later life but also need to put structures in place that will help society at large.

“The launch of the European Fact Pack provides us with an excellent opportunity to review the success – and failures – of other countries which will allow us to build an appropriate and robust system for our own older population.”

Slovakia and Poland are anticipated to have the equivalent of three working adults per two children, as a result putting a strain on the governments and economies of eastern European countries to support their people.

The information revealed that the majority of Europe should expect their populations to increase or remain unchanged as a result of low birth rates and emigration. Populations in Eastern Europe are predicted to drop by 20 per cent within 50 years.

Helen Creighton, from the ILC-UK said: “Today around one in six Europeans are over 65 and just over one in 100 are aged over 80. By 2060 one in three will be over 65 and one in 10 will be over 80. This is not just a demographic change, this is a demographic transformation.

“Growing EU integration means we cannot just consider the demography of individual countries in isolation, it is vital that we look at regional patterns across the continent.”

The ILC ‘factpack’ indicates that almost one in three people will be over 65 by 2060, whilst more than 1 in 10 people aged 80 or over.

The production of the ILC pack has been supported by Partnership and acts as a guide to the implications of ageing in Europe and the changes expected across Europe. The pack contains information on life expectancy, and the health of men from Western Europe, who are predicted to live to almost 68.

The International Longevity Centre UK is an independent committee created to address issues of ageing, longevity and population change.