The effects of a silver future
Longevity, in general, will increase through better health care and lifestyle. The challenge that faces us in the future is that we will be supporting an aged population with limited means. This phenomena of a disproportionately larger elderly population compared to all age groups will be most marked in urban centres as city dwellers tend to have shrinking birthrates. So how do we deal with the dilemma of this social time bomb that is ticking inexorably towards detonation?
Policy makers are experimenting with extending retirement ages and retraining elderlies, as well as encouraging less age discrimination at work. With longer employment periods, the knowledge and experience held by older workers can be retained and applied. Physically and physiologically, the elderly today are in better shape than their forbears and, with decent amounts of disposable income at their fingertips, can keep active by engaging in more leisure and travel activities.
The psychological challenges to this population, however, are more onerous. Research has shown that lack of mental stimulation readily leads to degeneration of the mind followed rapidly by physical deterioration. Furthermore, with advanced ageing comes the possibility of dementia and frailty. Dementia is a sad manifestation of brain degeneration and is best attended to through family support, but with less adult children and dislocated family units, this proves to be a difficult task. Governments can help by, in a reversal of roles, making children responsible for their parents followed by subsidies to build intergenerational communities. Dealing with the onset of frailty on the other hand has to be addressed by the individual sufferer by opting to remain independent and self-reliant. There are tools and technologies to assist this. For example, there is a growing market for devices which can track and monitor elderly people and emerging innovations such as smart clothes with built-in sensors, which will be able to measure bodily functions and alert wearers when medication or human repair is needed. With the advancement in biomaterials, better and cheaper options are possible for implants to replace worn out parts such as teeth and bones or even organs in the future. In addition, as there are likely to be more long-lived females than males, these technologies can be gender-specific.
Relocating to elderly homes is a convenient resort for all except the ones being moved. Ageing in place as an alternative requires reconfiguration of living conditions and lifestyles, so homes should age as gracefully as their occupants. This means adjustments such as less stairs, accessible toilets and avoiding potential risks such as slippery bathroom floors and sharp edges in rooms. There are a number of elegant solutions such as voice activated lights, padded flooring and walls, motion sensors to detect if someone has fallen over and specially adapted touch pads for arthritic fingers.
In the end, the challenge is affordability. Government can encourage more savings and pension schemes to provide financial security for the elderly in the future. The private sector stands to also gain through providing homes, infrastructure, leisure services and health care. An integrated approach is called for involving private investments channeled by shrewd and forward-looking government policies and measures. The future is silver.
Dr. Thomas S.K. Tang (sk.tang@aecom.com) is corporate sustainability director of AECOM in Asia. He manages a number of projects for public- and private-sector clients, and promotes and develops the company’s position and role as a sustainability leader in the region.
LinkedIn: Thomas Tang