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Abstract
Accelerated population ageing, long a significant issue for developed countries, is now becoming important in the developing world too. Population ageing is one of the great achievements of the past century - although it brings its own social, economic, political and cultural challenges. The quality of life of older people is strongly conditioned by their capacity to manage opportunities and risks. Social protection, both formal and informal, can be critical.
This book examines the links between well-being and development, drawing on examples from low, middle and high-income countries. It examines ageing in a number of very different development contexts - Argentina, Brazil, China, Ghana, Japan, Mexico, Thailand, Ukraine, UK and USA. It highlights the complexity of relationships between development and the way later life is experienced, identifies key priorities for policy-makers, and maps out an urgent research agenda.
Peter Lloyd-Sherlock is a Senior Lecturer in Social Development, School of Development Studies, University of East Anglia, Norwich. His publications include Old Age and Poverty in the Developing World (1997) and he is editor of Healthcare Reform and Poverty in Latin America (2000).
'An impressive range of authors discuss the major issues raised by population ageing in less developed and transition countries. It is a valuable resource for anyone interested in the critical contemporary global topics of ageing and development and deserves to be read widely.'
Alan Walker, University of Sheffield
'In examining current knowledge on ageing and development, this important book challenges some pervasive stereotypes. The bases for believing that ageing populations are only a feature of the "developed world", and that growing numbers of older people will undermine existing systems of care and social protection, are questioned.'
Mark Gorman, HelpAge International
Table of Contents
| Section Title | Page | Action | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| cover | Cover | ||
| About this book | i | ||
| About UNRISD | ii | ||
| Table of Contents\r | v | ||
| List of Tables and Figures | vii | ||
| Acronyms\r | x | ||
| Preface by Thandika Mkandawire | xi | ||
| 1 Ageing, Development and Social Protection: Generalisations, Myths and Stereotypes | 1 | ||
| Population ageing is mainly a northern phenomenon | 2 | ||
| Inevitably, older people are unproductive, are high consumers, and represent a brake on economic development | 5 | ||
| Inevitably, population ageing will place unsustainable pressures on formal social protection | 8 | ||
| The care economy can care for itself | 11 | ||
| Concluding comments | 14 | ||
| Note | 15 | ||
| References | 15 | ||
| PART I Development Trajectories, Social Change and Well being in Later Life | 19 | ||
| References | 21 | ||
| 2 Long-term Historical Changes in the Status of Elders: the United Kingdom as an Exemplar of Advanced Industrial Economies | 22 | ||
| Demographic background | 24 | ||
| Participation | 25 | ||
| Wellbeing | 31 | ||
| Social status | 35 | ||
| International comparisons | 37 | ||
| References\r | 41 | ||
| 3 Social Policy and the Wellbeing of Older People at a Time of Economic Slowdown: the Case of Brazil | 44 | ||
| Regional disparities and development trends | 45 | ||
| Ageing and wellbeing in later life | 48 | ||
| Social policies for older people | 59 | ||
| The impact of social policy on family arrangements, poverty and economic activity | 62 | ||
| Final considerations | 67 | ||
| Notes | 69 | ||
| References | 69 | ||
| 4 The Impact of Transition on Older People in Ukraine: Looking to the Future with Hope | 71 | ||
| Socio-economic transition in Ukraine and other European NISs | 72 | ||
| Demographic ageing and epidemiological problems of older people related to the economic crisis | 73 | ||
| Changes of formal social protection of older people under conditions of socio-economic crisis | 77 | ||
| The socio-economic position of older people under conditions of economic crisis | 80 | ||
| Older people’s contributions to national development go unrecognised | 83 | ||
| Aggravation of gender problems among the older population | 84 | ||
| The role of the older generation in the formation of new families | 89 | ||
| The role of older people in Ukrainian society: opposite viewpoints | 91 | ||
| Looking to the future with hope | 93 | ||
| References\r | 95 | ||
| 5 Potential Consequences of Population Ageing for Social Development in China | 97 | ||
| Population ageing in China | 97 | ||
| The diversity of socio-economic development and its impacts on older persons in China | 100 | ||
| Potential consequences of population ageing for social development in China | 106 | ||
| Conclusions | 114 | ||
| References\r | 115 | ||
| PART II Formal Social Protection and Older People | 117 | ||
| References | 119 | ||
| 6 Comparing Pension Schemes in Chile, Singapore, Brazil and South Africa | 122 | ||
| What can pensions do? | 124 | ||
| Pensions in Chile, Singapore, Brazil and South Africa | 127 | ||
| How important are pensions to older people’s livelihoods? | 132 | ||
| What protection do pension schemes provide? | 135 | ||
| Conclusions | 137 | ||
| Notes | 138 | ||
| References | 139 | ||
| 7 Ageing in Japan: An Issue of Social Contract in Welfare Transfer or Generational Conflict? | 141 | ||
| Old age in Japan | 143 | ||
| Policy solutions towards long-term care | 145 | ||
| The performance of the LTCIS | 150 | ||
| Efficiency and equity considerations in the LTICS | 153 | ||
| Conclusion: two policy challenges for rebuilding a generational care contract | 155 | ||
| Notes | 158 | ||
| References\r | 158 | ||
| 8 Health Policy and Older People in Africa | 160 | ||
| Overview: key issues affecting older people in Africa | 161 | ||
| Health sector reforms in Africa | 166 | ||
| Note | 179 | ||
| References | 180 | ||
| 9 Social Health Insurance for Older People: A Comparison of Argentina and the United States | 184 | ||
| State welfare institutions in the United States and Argentina | 184 | ||
| Affiliation and benefit structures for the INSSJP and MEDICARE | 191 | ||
| Conclusions | 202 | ||
| Notes | 203 | ||
| References\r | 203 | ||
| PART III Older People and the Care Economy | 205 | ||
| References\r | 208 | ||
| 10 Intergenerational Family Support and Old Age Economic Security in Ghana | 210 | ||
| Background: declining family support and old age economic security policy in sub-Saharan Africa | 210 | ||
| Towards formulating policy: the need for an understanding of the shifts in family support | 214 | ||
| Developing a fuller understanding of declines in family support – an example from Ghana | 216 | ||
| Nature, causes and consequences of the decline in support | 217 | ||
| Changing normative expectations as a consequence of the decline | 224 | ||
| Policy implications? Reflections and the need for further exploration | 226 | ||
| Summary and concluding remarks | 227 | ||
| References\r | 227 | ||
| 11 Ageing in Mexico: Families, Informal Care and Reciprocity | 230 | ||
| Socio-economic and demographic context | 231 | ||
| Families, households and ageing | 232 | ||
| Family support networks and patterns of informal support | 237 | ||
| Patterns of reciprocity in Mexico City | 241 | ||
| Final comments | 245 | ||
| Notes | 246 | ||
| References\r | 247 | ||
| 12 AIDS and Older Persons: The View from Thailand | 249 | ||
| Older persons as infected and affected individuals | 249 | ||
| The Thai setting | 253 | ||
| Data sources and methods | 255 | ||
| Care-giving and living arrangements | 257 | ||
| Health impacts on parents | 261 | ||
| Economic impacts | 264 | ||
| Social impact | 268 | ||
| Conclusions | 270 | ||
| Notes | 272 | ||
| References\r | 272 | ||
| 13 Care, Dependency and Social Justice: A Challenge to Conventional Ideas of the Social Contract | 275 | ||
| An acute problem of justice | 275 | ||
| The social contract perspective | 278 | ||
| Beyond the social contract | 288 | ||
| Notes | 293 | ||
| References | 297 | ||
| Appendix: The Central Human Capabilities | 298 | ||
| Notes on Contributors | 300 | ||
| Index | 303 |