Prompt: Challenges of an ageing population In the developed world, average life expectancy is increasing. What problems will this cause for individuals and society? Suggest some measures that could be taken to reduce the impact of ageing populations.

Owing to the rapid advancement of technology in the the modern world, the average length of life for people is growing at a fast pace. Although the increase in elderly people causes a negative long-term impact on both individuals and society, some steps can be taken to tackle these problems. Ċ Ageing populations around the world have led to disastrous consequences. Rising life expectancy might not be beneficial for old people, as longevity is usually accompanied by deteriorating health and illnesses. Old age is not desirable for not only the elderly but also working adults who have to work more to provide food and medical treatments for the elderly dependents. Moreover, ageing populations result in a fall in productivity in industry and economic downturn, because of the lack of young workforce which is full of economically active people. It will also pose some problems to the government such as the inability to provide enough health care and welfare to meet the needs of pensioners. Ċ There are various suggested methods to deal with these issues. The first method would be raising the retirement age, so that healthy elderly people can enter the workforce. Secondly, raising income tax to pay for pensions and health care might be an effective solution, despite some oppositions form working-age adults. Finally, to have more productive young workers, the government should attract economically active migrants from developing countries and encourage families to have more children. Ċ In conclusion, society and individuals should cooperate to mitigate the problems from constantly growing numbers of elderly people worldwide.