Global Scans · Seniors · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: Between 2000 and 2050, the proportion of the world's population aged over 60 will double from about 11 per cent to 22 per cent.

• [New] Europe will face a significant demographic imbalance, with more elderly people dependent on a shrinking working-age population. The Population Project
• [New] The median age in China will rise above 50 by 2050, meaning that there will be fewer young workers to support an increasingly elderly population. The Population Project
• [New] WHO projects Southeast Asia's 60+ population will rise from 12.2% in 2024 to 22.9% by 2050, while the broader region's elderly population will nearly triple to 1.3 billion, or 25% of the total population. Persistence Market Research
• [New] The rising demand for services and an ever growing elderly population projected to be nearly 30% of Europe's population by 2050 is facing chronic illness and mobility issues that require continued physical therapy. Persistence Market Research
• [New] Closer to home, the UK's Centre for Ageing Better projects that over a quarter of England's population will be aged 65 and over by 2065, and more than half will be at least 50. Positive News
• [New] While China leads in overall size with a projected $42.2 trillion economy by 2030, its ageing population and rising debt are challenges. MIT OpenCourseWare
• [New] $100 T longevity economy emerges: AI fintech, longevity bonds ($200 B - > $1 T by 2035), and geroscience ($200 B by 2030) offer growth opportunities. Ainvest
• [New] Global dependency ratio increasing; by 2050, for every 100 working age people, there will be 20 seniors to support - up by 63% from 2025.The world is becoming more urban; by 2050 circa 77% of global population will live in cities. Passle
• [New] Medicare's dedicated trust fund that pays for inpatient and other hospital-related services is projected to become insolvent in 2033, threatening the availability and timely provision of crucial health care benefits for millions of elderly and disabled Americans who depend on Medicare. The Conference Board
• Australia is heading into a demographic riptide - a rapidly ageing population, a shrinking taxpayer base, and a ballooning Age Pension bill projected to more than double by 2050. Eventbrite
• Many countries face severe caregiver shortages - a Global Coalition on Ageing report projected a shortage of 13.5 million care workers by 2040 across OECD countries. AI Insider
• India's current elderly population of 153 million is expected to reach a staggering 347 million by 2050. Precedence Research
• India and China are anticipated to occupy maximum amount of elderly population pool in the world. Precedence Research
• The FDA has authorized the updated COVID-19 vaccines for seniors and younger people with at least one risk factor for severe illness such as asthma, obesity, or diabetes. Time
• There are policies that governments could use to stabilize strained state pension and protection programmes, such as by raising the Social Security tax cap in the United States. Scientific American
• By 2050, seniors will account for a quarter of global consumption, meaning their needs and preferences will heavily influence how housing, health care, and home technology are designed. Fortune
• Ageing is the most critical risk factor for developing neurodegenerative disorders, with Alzheimer's disease being the most prevalent of its kind worldwide. PubMed Central (PMC)
• An ageing workforce and skills gap have led to shortages, with government apprenticeships aiming to fill 5,000 positions by 2026. Immigration News Canada
• Ontario's population is aging rapidly, with over 20% of residents expected to be seniors by 2030, leading to increased needs for chronic disease management, hospital care, and home health services. Immigration News Canada
• Social Security's retirement trust fund is facing insolvency by late 2032, potentially triggering a 24% benefit cut for 62 million retirees if Congress does not act. Fox Business
• New Zealand will spend nearly NZ$3bn ($1.7bn) upgrading its ageing defence fleet, including replacing its embarrassing planes that have left multiple prime ministers grounded during international travel. The Guardian

Last updated: 10 September 2025