Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
style changes. The problem of coping with this wave of new cases will be hardest
in the developing world, where there are less resources to deal with the problem,
especially in cities where there are likely to be fewer family or long term friends to
help with care.
Although increases in the elderly population is a growing problem in most de-
veloped and middle income countries, there are marked spatial inequalities in this
effect, with aging in Japan occurring more rapidly than in other developed coun-
tries. It is creating one of the most severe current problems, but also provides a
warning to other countries. The population over 65 years of age in Japan reached
23 % of the total in 2011 and is projected to be 38 % by 2050 with the population
declining by a third from the current 127 million in 50 years. It is estimated that
by 2035 there will be 69 persons over 65 years of age in Japan compared to 100
in the working population (25-64 years), up from 43 in 2011, whereas the world
today has only 16 in the over 65 age category. Some of the effects of the aging trend
may be reduced by raising fertility rates and by people working longer. But these
skewed future rates will not only require more health care but will lead to potential
GDP losses unless labour is replaced by capital and more immigration is allowed,
which in the case of Japan, has never been a policy palatable to the majority. Since
caring for this aging population is now a major problem, and many villages and
small towns will soon be dominated by old people, Japan instituted a long care
elderly insurance scheme. This is funded by compulsory taxes on people over 40
years of age and other taxes. Few other countries or cities facing aging populations
are making such provision. Indeed in some countries, such as the U.K., government
cutbacks since the 2007 financial depression has led to major cuts in the budgets
of local authorities and care for the aged is falling at a time when there is greater
need. However in some cities there is a gradual realization of the need to plan
for this aging process. For example, in many American cities, such as New York
and Cleveland, there are now Departments of Aging in the municipal organization,
which are designed to prevent elder abuse and also to provide programmes to assist
the elderly, especially by creating on-line websites that list the various services that
seniors can access and use to obtain help. A more general approach to mitigate the
effect of aging occurred with the WHO's establishment of the Global Network of
Age-Friendly Cities and Communities in 2006 (GNAFCC). Initially based on 33
cities in 22 countries the network is designed to provide guidance to other cities
wishing to implement policies that promote healthy and active aging by creating an
active and accessible urban environment. Key components are the involvement of
seniors in the discussions and policy formulation and to provide indicators to mea-
sure progress as well as evaluations of their effectiveness in subsequent years. Eight
domains of city life have been identified in a guide for age-friendly cities, as well
as communities, within urban places (WHO
2007
). These domains are in the fields
of: transportation; respect and social inclusion; outdoor spaces and buildings; social
participation; housing; information and communication; community support and
health services; civic partnership and employment opportunities. Historically many
churches, and neighbourhood networks based on long residence, as well as families
have provided fellowship and help for seniors. But in a more mobile and secular
