Some Thoughts on the Economics of Ageing, Geriatrics and End-of-Life

The purpose of this note is to explore some recent significant trends concerning the ageing of the global population and to discuss some of the economic implications therein; and to proffer some ideas on where fruitful research might be conducted by the health economist given these trends. Populations in many countries are ageing. Many countries are experiencing a shift in the distribution of their population towards older ages, caused by rising life expectancy, declining birth rates, or a combination of both. Population ageing is occurring most rapidly in the countries of Europe and North America. Between 1950 and 2015, the percentage of the populations that are age 65 or older has grown from 8% to 18% in Europe, and from 8% to 15% in North America (Figure 1). The United Nations forecasts populations’ continued shift towards older ages through 2055 (Figure 1).