HelpAge International launches Global AgeWatch Index 2014 ranking 96 countries according to the social and economic wellbeing of older people
1 October 2014
Norway tops the list, Latin America leads pension revolution, life expectancy continues to rise
HelpAge used the United Nations International Day of Older Persons to launch the Global AgeWatch Index 2014, representing 91 per cent or nine out of ten people over 60 across the world. It measures wellbeing in four key areas: income security, health, personal capability and an enabling environment.

Globally Norway (1) tops the Index this year, closely followed by Sweden. Apart from Japan (9) all the top 10 countries are again in Western Europe, North America and Australasia. Five new countries have been added – Bangladesh, Iraq, Mozambique, Uganda and Zambia.

The worst place for an older person is Afghanistan (96). Just above it come Mozambique (95), West Bank and Gaza (94) and Malawi (93).

All regions are represented in the lowest quarter, with African countries making up half of those with low income security rankings and poor health results. Venezuela (76), Serbia (78) and Turkey (77) are included in this section in similar position to countries in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.

Chile (22) leads a cluster of Latin American countries including Uruguay (23), Panama (24), Costa Rica, (26) Mexico (30), Argentina (31), Ecuador (33) and Peru (42) which do well in the Index particularly on income security.

There are currently 868m people over 60 – nearly 12 per cent of the global population. By 2050, it’s predicted to rise to 21 per cent, nearly as many people aged 60 or over as those under 15 – 2.02 billion compared with 2.03 billion.

The Index tells us that economic growth alone will not improve older people’s wellbeing and specific policies need to be put in place to address the implications of ageing. More than one third of countries trail significantly behind the best-performing countries.

The report this year focuses on pension policy and how this is being managed across the globe. Only half the world’s population can expect to receive even a basic pension in old age and although policies supporting people in later life exist they need to be implemented faster and more systematically.

Full report: https://helpage.box.com/s/dns35q1ndbm561v1pum4