This occurs in both developed and developing nations, for both men and women. Family feel the squeeze. Burden shifts from developed to developing countries. Developed countries are currently home to the majority of those age 80 and older, or about 36 million people. By 2015, however, the balance will switch, with the majority of those 80-plus residing in developing countries, projected to be about 63 million people.
Developed nations favor institutional caregiving.
Institutionalization of the elderly ranges from 1 percent to 10 percent in developed nations, but is less than 1 percent in most developing nations. As developed nations cope with the phenomenal growth of their older population, global trend watchers can expect to see developing nations borrow many of the age-related programs, policies, and services designed by developed nations. This profile was produced by the Census Bureau's International Programs Center, with the support of the U.S. National Institute on Aging. See related articles in the AgeVenture archives. Call almost any customer service number, and you can expect to hear at least a few bars of insipid elevator music before an operator picks up.