Are you living in one of the top 10 countries in which to grow old? Sadly not, according to Age International’s 2015 Global AgeWatch Index.
Australia ranks 17th in the overall list of countries where it’s better to grow old. The lowly ranking is due mainly to the alarmingly high rate of poverty among older Australians.
However, Australian National University sociologist Peter Whiteford said that if a broader view was taken on the measure of wealth, the report would be more favourable to Australia, which ranked 62nd on this measure alone. “Once you take account of housing and financial wealth, Australia’s ranking would improve dramatically,” he said. “Rather than ranking 62nd out of 96 countries, we are likely to be in the top 20.”
There is good news, though, with Australia ranking 4th in regards to health.
With 12.3 per cent of the world’s population aged 60+ (901 million people), and with this to grow to 16.5 per cent (1402 million people) by 2030, knowing where is best to grow old might help you make important decisions.
These are the top 10 countries in which to grow old:
1. Switzerland
2. Norway
3. Sweden
4. Germany
5. Canada
6. Netherlands
7. Iceland
8. Japan
9. United States
10. United Kingdom
Find out more at Helpage.org
