The Costa Rica News (TCRN) – Humans are living longer than ever and the there is an increasingly long list of centenarians in the world. But a new report makes one thing clear: few countries have reason to celebrate longevity. “Thanks to improved diets, better sanitation, medical advances, and greater prosperity, the world’s population live longer,” says Silvia Stefanoni, interim president of HelpAge International.
The Global Index Monitoring of Aging, which published the report with the Help Age International organization , is the first study to rank countries according to social and economic welfare of the elderly. They found that the income of a country has nothing to do with the welfare of the elderly.
The survey was conducted in 91 countries and analyzed the benefits that each provided in terms of pensions, reliable transportation, employment, community spirit, and health services for populations over the course of 60 years for 900 million people.
The countries were classified according to four factors: income security (including pension, per capita income, poverty rate), health status (medical wellness, life expectancy, and psychological well-being), employment and education, and social welfare (social, physical security and access to safe public transport).
In Latin America there is good and bad news. Among the 91 countries, Chile ranks 19, standing out as the best in the region, followed by Uruguay (23), Argentina (26), Costa Rica (28). Honduras ranks last (82) in the region with the worst conditions for the population over 60 years, the foregoing Guatemala (75) and Paraguay (72).
The authors note, however, that the objective of the Index is not simply to show the best and worst places to grow old, but it is “a tool to encourage countries to face the challenges of their aging populations.”
The Costa Rica News (TCRN)
San Jose Costa Rica
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