Aging population is rapidly expanding. The dramatic increment on elderly’s population growth rate reported in recent years is a global phenomenon.
As for Malaysian context, based on Jabatan Perangkaan Malaysia (2013) report on Population Projection and Annual Population Growth Rate, 2010–2040 released on 2010 and updated on January 18, 2013, there are 28.6 million Malaysian populations in 2010 and the number is projected to increase by 35% growth from 10 million to 38.6 million in 2040.
During the duration, elderly population for the age 65 years and over is expected to increase by 6.4 percentage and increase more than three folds of the 2010 population. The increase will lead Malaysia to become an ageing population in 2021 when the population aged 65 years and over reach 7.1 per cent.
The ageing phenomenon is happening globally. Reports said that is it due to how longevity has really improved in our modern living culture, practice and environment.
According to United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Ageing Report published on 2012, “Increasing longevity is one of humanity’s greatest achievements.
People live longer because of improved nutrition, sanitation, medical advances, health care, education and economic well-being” (UN, 2012).
The ageing issue is related to fertility factor as well, as reported in the recent global study by UN where the population ageing which happened in nearly all the countries of the world was resulted from decreasing mortality and declines in fertility.
Ageing population growth has led to a relative reduction in the proportion of children, and to an increase in the share of people in the main working ages and of older persons in the population (UN, 2013).
In addition, there will be almost 400 million people aged 80 years or older by the year 2050 and the majority of middle-aged adults will have living parent (WHO, 2012).
Image source: The Malay Mail Online
1. Jabatan Perangkaan Malaysia (2013). Unjuran Penduduk Malaysia, 2010 – 2040 (Kemas kini: 18/01/2013).
2. United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and HelpAge International (2012). Ageing in the Twenty First Century_A celebration and a challenge.
3. United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2013). World Population Ageing 2013. ST/ESA/SER.A/348.
4. WHO. (2011). 1 October: International Day of Older Persons. Older people – a new power for development.