A Comprehensive Look at Ageing

at Ageing Growing Old in India: Voices Reveal, Statistics Speak by Ashish Bose, Mala Kapoor Shankardass; B R Publishing Corp, New Delhi, 2004;
APARAJITA CHATTOPADHYAY Fertility decline has already started ringing alarm bells at the top of the age pyramid, indicating the increase in the number and proportion of the grey population. It is a matter of pride for the whole human race to have delayed death through spectacular medical progress. But additional life will bring little cheer if it is burdened with sickness and suffering. Contrary to the long held belief, ageing is turning out to be a major population issue, more so in developing countries because of the deteriorating conditions of the elderly, in the context of an unavoidable demographic transition, a large aged population and rapid societal transformation. Unlike the west, the mechanism that enhanced the ageing of the population of the developing world is somewhat induced. Thus, the designs of ageing policies of countries like India are not supposed to alter the basic process of population ageing, but should be directed to issues that arise from it. The developed world is dealing with the aged by providing adequate social security. Developing countries are on the verge of entering an ageing society, where economic resources are inadequate and modernisation is in progress. Consequently, unlike the so-called first world, developing nations are destined to face neo-ageing problems and thus need to find new paths for a better future. Otherwise, ageing is bound to enhance the gap between developed and developing nations.