Expert group meeting on population ageing and living arrangements of older persons: Critical issues and policy responses

United Nations Population Bulletin, Special Issue Nos. 42/43, 2001

Overview

Population ageing is expected to have a major impact on life in the twenty-first century. Concerned by the looming pension crisis, many Governments are promoting more self-reliance in income security for older persons and greater family responsibility for providing care. Consequently, patterns of care-giving and co-residence are emerging as pre-eminent issues related to the well-being of older persons.

To discuss the most pressing issues related to population ageing, living arrangements of older persons and possible Government responses, the Population Division organized a meeting of experts from 8-10 February 2000. Among the issues addressed were the historical and cultural contexts of population ageing and living arrangements, the social processes through which living arrangements of older persons influence the demand for formal and informal support systems and how governments respond to these perceived needs. The meeting also aimed to improve the knowledge base, identify priorities for future research and raise the long-term visibility of ageing-related issues.

Proceedings of the meeting

• Preface and notes

• Agenda

• List of participants

• List of documents

• Report

Agenda

Background papers

• Barry Mirkin and Mary Beth Weinberger. The demography of population ageing

• Alberto Palloni. Living arrangements of older persons

• Steven Ruggles. Living arrangements and well-being of older persons in the past

• Jay Sokolovsky. Living arrangements of older persons and family support in less developed countries

• Jenny de Jong Gierveld, Helga de Valk and Marieke Blommesteijn. Living arrangements of older persons and family support in more developed countries

• Paulo Murad Saad, Population Division. Impact of pension reform on the living arrangements of older persons in Latin America

• Vladislav V. Bezrukov and Natalia A. Foigt. Political, social and economic crises and living arrangements of older persons: the case of Ukraine

• Zeng Yi and Linda George. Extremely rapid ageing and the living arrangements of the elderly: The case of China

• Nana Araba Apt. Rapid urbanization and living arrangements of older persons in Africa

• Emily Grundy. Living arrangements and the health of older persons in developed countries

• Mohammed O. Rahman. Living arrangements and the health of older persons in developing countries: Evidence from rural Bangladesh

• Peter Lloyd-Sherlock. Living arrangements of older persons and poverty

• Mapule F. Ramashala. Living arrangements, poverty and the health of older persons in Africa

• Victoria A. Velkoff. Living arrangements and well-being of the older population: Future research directions

• Douglas A. Wolf. Note on statistical analysis and microsimulation for studying living arrangements and intergenerational transfers