Responding to the European Commission’s Green Paper on Ageing, published yesterday, Lily Parsey, Global Policy and Influencing Manager at the International Longevity Centre UK (ILC), said:
“The Commission’s Green Paper is a promising step towards a concerted European response to ageing. Alongside other major trends like climate change and COVID-19, population ageing is one of the defining issues of our time, touching on all aspects of society, from how we plan the future of health to the high street and how we design the workplaces of the future.”
“While often painted as a cost or drain on public resources, we know that longer lives could yield significant economic returns. A growing older population could mean more older workers, more older consumers and more older people contributing to society through volunteering and caring. There really could be a longevity dividend for us all.”
“Older people’s social and economic impact is significant and growing. But it could be much higher. And avoidable barriers, like poor health, are blocking too many of us out of working, spending, caring and volunteering as we age. COVID-19 has only served to reinforce this.”
“The Green Paper calls for a much-needed focus on preventing poor health at all stages of life. And this will be vital when planning for an ageing society in the long term and building back out of the post-pandemic recovery in the short term. We know that prevention works. We know that it’s cost-effective. And we know that health equals wealth. But for too long, preventative services in health have been the first to be cut and the last to receive investment. In an ageing world, this needs to change.”
“We welcome the Commission’s Green Paper, which puts an important spotlight on the need for an international response to population ageing. Now we need member states and governments around the world to translate this into action.”
