Ageing In The Asia Pacific Region

This book demonstrates that there are wide-ranging potential challenges in addressing issues associated with ageing populations in both developed and developing countries of the region. This book brings together local, national and regional perspectives on the ageing population and sustainable development nexus in selected countries in the Asia Pacific region. The countries selected in this book include a mix of developed and developing economies that all reflect strong trade, investment and migration linkages. While the Asia Pacific region is forecast to enjoy high growth in the coming decade, a recurring common policy challenge is addressing the ‘demographic time bomb’ posed by ageing populations and workforces (Montague et al., 2017). Consequently, this book focuses on strategic policies and practices of multiple stakeholders, primarily: governments, industry and education systems, together with, the range of aged care services providers – in more effectively addressing these key socio-economic challenges associated with the ageing population for sustainable development.

First Published in 2004. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

The Asia-Pacific region is undergoing profound and rapid population changes. All countries in Asia and the Pacific are in the process of ageing at an unprecedented pace, although the timing and pace of this transition varies across the region. The Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA) is the global guiding document on population ageing, and with its round of third review and appraisal, this publication explores the progress made by countries in implementing MIPAA, addressing the challenges and issues faced by different countries.

In the coming decades, challenges and risks associated with rapid population ageing will be paramount in Asia-Pacific. Examining key trends, dilemmas and developments with reference to specific nations, the book draws conclusions and policy recommendations that apply to Asia-Pacific as a whole. Individual chapters focus on the impact of population ageing, along with urbanization and industrialization, on the lives of people in the region. The book shows how leaders in Asia-Pacific – political, community and others – need to respond to changes in family and social structures, disease pathology, gender roles, income security, the care of older citizens and the provision of social and health welfare.

The case studies in this book focus on the emergence, extent and nature of national policies on ageing and associated strategies to address long-term care needs. Key opportunities for and constraints on policy are identified in this first round of regional studies.

In many countries across the Asia Pacific region, people are adapting to the new demographic shift, but there is nonetheless much concern. This book documents the various educational approaches rendered by both public and private sectors to enable elderly individuals in their own countries to re-engage in society more inclusively, to stay longer in the labour market, and to become less dependent on the state or their families. In order to produce active, healthy, and productive aging citizens, the experiments showcased by this book highlight how adaptive action is needed across many policy areas, with emphasis on shaping structural differences in the composition and organisation of higher education systems that can better foster lifelong learning among elderly citizens. The book is a great venue to underline the interplay of the theory and practices of vastly complex challenges.

This book brings together the emerging body of work on age-friendly neighbourhoods in Singapore, the Asia-Pacific region, Europe and North America. It begins with an overview chapter on the current state of policy, practice and research on age-friendly neighbourhoods in Singapore. This is followed by an annotated bibliography of published materials on age-friendly neighbourhoods in the above-mentioned countries and regions, encompassing theoretical work and empirical research reported on in journal articles, books and conference proceedings. The annotations for Singapore also map the grey literature, including unpublished dissertations and theses. The aim is to provide a sense of the scope of, issues in, and discourse on age-friendly neighbourhoods, the development of which is increasingly being recognised as a key strategy to support healthy ageing and enhance quality of life in ageing societies.

It is estimated that the number of people aged 60 years and over in Asia as a whole will more than double from 322 million in 2000 to about 700 million in the year 2025, a figure which is likely to account for nearly 15 per cent of the population. This report examines the major socio-economic implications of population ageing in Asia and the Pacific region, and considers case studies of approaches adopted in Australia, India and Singapore to address the policy challenges arising from population ageing.