The world population is aging. What can we learn from Japan, a country with a super-aged society? The Rathenau Institute asked Fiona Wood, an innovation strategy analyst from Australia, to write an essay on ‘It’s not a crime to be old’. Read the summary below and follow the link to the essay.
In short:
- The global trend of ageing entails a complex political, social and fiscal challenge for societies.
- Most countries invest in different projects, technologies and collaborations to improve the experience of ageing.
- Super-aged society Japan serves as an example for social, healthcare and economic innovation.
Trilogy – Careful use of technology for ageing societies around the world
Worldwide populations are ageing, albeit at a different pace. Important factors that determine successful ageing of people are proper lifestyle, housing that fits people’s needs, a decent income, firm social structures, and access to good health care. However, the costs of health care are rising, the health care workforce is declining and informal caretakers are growing old themselves.
Our digitized society is becoming less inclusive for older people. At the same time, digital technologies such as telecare, robots, smart houses and smart cities hold a promise for solutions. The Covid-19 pandemic, requiring social and physical distancing, has put pressure on the application of these technologies, revealing their opportunities and downsides.
In this trilogy of articles we reflect on the role of technology in providing solutions to the challenges that ageing societies face. We use insights from our own research and research done with colleagues around the world. We also learn from Japan, a super-aged society that is at the forefront of investigating the potential of technology that promotes health, wellbeing ánd inclusion of the elderly.
The global demographic trend of ageing societies brings a range of economic and social challenges. Nevertheless, important international authoritative organisations such as the OECD, WEF, EC, G20, WHO and the Global Coalition on Aging are urging to change the mindset towards this ageing trend: ageing should be a driver of economic growth rather than a source of economic decline. These organisations also call for significant investments to improve the quality of the ageing experience.
An example of this inclusive economic growth strategy can be found in the EC’s priorities for 2019-2024 – particularly “working for social fairness and prosperity” and “empowering people with a new generation of technologies”. Many nations are looking to the world’s first super-aged country Japan for leadership and solutions to create a society in which the ageing experience is positive: where elderly are still included in economic development – as employees, experts or consumers – and technology is used to meet the needs of older people, but always in a human-centred manner.
This also means taking into account that older people are a heterogeneous group, with changing needs and preferences as they age. The Japanese approach has been an inspiration around the world. The EC for example has a number of initiatives promoting smart cities and communities, with the elderly being part of a connected community rather than being grouped together in huge apartment buildings.
The second article of our trilogy Careful use of technology for ageing societies around the world gives inspiring examples of societies that apply technology to build inclusive, sustainable, caring communities for elderly to live in. It also gives international up-to-date key facts (statistics, definitions, important bodies and initiatives) on the topic of ageing.
This is part 2 in the trilogy Careful use of technology for ageing societies around the world. Part 1 Growing old with dignity: which role for eHealth? was published at 20 November.
