Social Protection Analyst at the Planning

Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), Camille Graham, is underscoring the need for

greater planning at the national and individual levels to deal with the

implications of an increasing ageing population.

“You need to consider the future and it has

to take place from the individual, to the broader society and at the policy

level. That conversation must be had if we are to avoid the experience of

ageing becoming an overwhelming challenge,” she said.

Graham, speaking at the St. Ann leg of the

PIOJ’s ‘Dialogue for Development Series’ at the St. John’s Anglican Church in

Ocho Rios on Thursday (December 5), noted that there are various socio-economic

and personal financial implications linked to an ageing population.

“We can see the potential increasing expenditure

burden that may come about as a result of greater spending on social services

and various forms of social assistance for the elderly,” she said.

‘An ageing population comes with more demands’

She argued that the extent to which persons

make their individual plans and preparations will ultimately impact how the

country’s resources are allocated.

“If you think it through, as the proportion

of the elderly population increases, there will be increasing pressure on the

Government to commit greater resources to that segment of the population.

“Therefore, if fewer persons plan for

retirement, for example, it creates greater resource demand for the provision

of social services to maintain an acceptable standard of living,” she pointed

out.

Graham emphasised the need for increased

dialogue to bring greater awareness across all age groups and better prepare

individuals to “take advantage of where we are as an ageing population”.

She noted that there is opportunity for

stakeholders in the public and private sectors to capitalise on the demand for

goods and services that will be created across various markets.

For his part, Senior Demographer at the

PIOJ, André Richards, said that the population ageing is poised to become one

of the most significant issues of the 21st century.

He said it is projected that by 2050, 18.5

per cent of Jamaica’s population will be over the age of 65, which indicates a

higher dependent elderly populace compared to the child population.

Richards further contended that the issue

poses implications for all sectors of society, noting that greater

consideration must be given to the impact on public services and healthcare.

The Dialogue for Development Series under the theme ‘Ageing and Development: Exploding Myths, Exploring Opportunities’, is intended to examine the correlative social, economic and environmental implications of ageing on sustainable development, and facilitate discussions on how ageing can influence policy formulation across various sectors.

— JIS