Ageing Preparedness in an Age of Robotization: Which Countries Are Better Prepared to Grow Old?

Bernardo L. Queiroz , Universidade Federal De Minas Gerais
Vegard Skirbekk

The current indicators assessing preparedness for aging primarily focus on aspects such as demography, health disparities, fiscal sustainability (including old age dependency ratios), the prevalence of chronic diseases, disability rates, and the provision of pension and healthcare services. Unfortunately, they often overlook critical intersections, including the impact of illness, poverty, and limited skills on inequality assessments. Moreover, many of these indicators do not sufficiently consider combined trends in demographics, the economy, health, and skill sets. They also tend to neglect the effects of technological advancements, changing labor requirements, and a lack of insight into how different cohorts transition in terms of health and skills. Our objective is to develop a more comprehensive approach to understanding the diverse experiences of older populations in various countries. This approach takes into account factors like their participation in the workforce, their skill proficiencies, their health status, familial structures, and the educational and work backgrounds of women. We propose the creation of "DemReady," a new demographic indicator designed to assess the extent to which countries are well-prepared for the challenges and opportunities presented by aging populations. This indicator will provide a more holistic view of a nation's readiness to address the multifaceted aspects of aging.

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 Presented in Session 3. Ageing and its Consequences