Global Scans · Seniors · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: Between 2000 and 2050, the proportion of the world's population aged over 60 will double from about 11 per cent to 22 per cent.

• [New] By 2030 there will be a 67% increase in new cases of cancer among elderly people. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] The combined effects of rising life expectancy and the long-term impact of various birth restriction policies like one-child policy in China, are expected to result in a significant increase in the elderly population, coupled with a decline in the younger cohorts. Nature
• [New] With the global elderly population expected to reach 2.1 billion by 2050, there is an urgent need for a well-defined framework that integrates lifespan, healthspan, and economic sustainability. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] CVD remains a leading global health challenge, with projections estimating a 73.4% increase in crude mortality by 2050 due to the rising ageing populations and escalating risk factors such as hypertension and obesity. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] Old age insurance in particular will face financial challenges, as the number of potentially retired persons (aged 65 and older) per 100 people aged 20-64 is expected to grow from 36 in 2020 to 53 by 2050. / Switzerland PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] By 2050, the old-age dependency ratio in Mexico will have risen to 29 older adults per 100 working-age persons from 9.8 per 100 today (Department of Economic and Social Affairs & World, 2015). PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] Data privacy risk and financial scams pose a challenge as seniors may not understand consent or security. Outlook Money
• Europe will face a significant demographic imbalance, with more elderly people dependent on a shrinking working-age population. The Population Project
• The median age in China will rise above 50 by 2050, meaning that there will be fewer young workers to support an increasingly elderly population. The Population Project
• WHO projects Southeast Asia's 60+ population will rise from 12.2% in 2024 to 22.9% by 2050, while the broader region's elderly population will nearly triple to 1.3 billion, or 25% of the total population. Persistence Market Research
• The rising demand for services and an ever growing elderly population projected to be nearly 30% of Europe's population by 2050 is facing chronic illness and mobility issues that require continued physical therapy. Persistence Market Research
• Closer to home, the UK's Centre for Ageing Better projects that over a quarter of England's population will be aged 65 and over by 2065, and more than half will be at least 50. Positive News
• While China leads in overall size with a projected $42.2 trillion economy by 2030, its ageing population and rising debt are challenges. MIT OpenCourseWare
• $100 T longevity economy emerges: AI fintech, longevity bonds ($200 B - > $1 T by 2035), and geroscience ($200 B by 2030) offer growth opportunities. Ainvest
• Global dependency ratio increasing; by 2050, for every 100 working age people, there will be 20 seniors to support - up by 63% from 2025.The world is becoming more urban; by 2050 circa 77% of global population will live in cities. Passle
• Medicare's dedicated trust fund that pays for inpatient and other hospital-related services is projected to become insolvent in 2033, threatening the availability and timely provision of crucial health care benefits for millions of elderly and disabled Americans who depend on Medicare. The Conference Board
• Australia is heading into a demographic riptide - a rapidly ageing population, a shrinking taxpayer base, and a ballooning Age Pension bill projected to more than double by 2050. Eventbrite
• Many countries face severe caregiver shortages - a Global Coalition on Ageing report projected a shortage of 13.5 million care workers by 2040 across OECD countries. AI Insider
• India's current elderly population of 153 million is expected to reach a staggering 347 million by 2050. Precedence Research
• India and China are anticipated to occupy maximum amount of elderly population pool in the world. Precedence Research
• The FDA has authorized the updated COVID-19 vaccines for seniors and younger people with at least one risk factor for severe illness such as asthma, obesity, or diabetes. Time
• There are policies that governments could use to stabilize strained state pension and protection programmes, such as by raising the Social Security tax cap in the United States. Scientific American

Last updated: 17 September 2025