Health, for every 100 people of working age 38 elderly dependents, ‘planning longevity’

Italy is one of the longest-living countries in the world, this extraordinary result, in terms of life expectancy, also involves challenging aspects from a socio-economic point of view, if we consider that already today the share of residents over 65 exceeds that of the youngest, and that for every 100 people of working age (15-64 years) there are 38 elderly dependents. “This value will grow to 63 by 2050, when the over 85s will represent 7.2% of the population, while the active population (15-64 years) will decrease from 63.5% in 2024 to 54.4% in 2050, increasing the dependency of the elderly”. The data from ‘Scenario Longevità. Rapporto 2024’ take stock. The second edition of the Silver Economy Network research, developed in collaboration with the Assolombarda Study Center, Lattanzio Kibs and Iqvia, highlights the positive dynamics linked to demographic change, but also the areas to intervene on, promoting awareness in favor of national policies and public-private cooperation.

“Today, people are living longer and increasingly often in good health: in Italy, the average age has increased from 41.9 in 2002 to 46.6 in 2023, almost 5 years more in the space of about twenty years, while life expectancy at birth has grown from 80.0 years in 2002 to 83.1 in 2023, with a gain of three years. Life expectancy ‘in good health’ at birth has also increased, from 56.4 years in 2009 to 59.2 years in 2023, but continuing to invest is essential to protect the youngest and most fragile – the experts analyze – There remain large areas of improvement from this point of view if we read the data from the Iqvia Health Observatory according to which 70% of Italian adults suffer from at least one chronic condition, a third of the population has a cardiovascular disease, and 42% of over 75s live with 3 or more chronic diseases. In addition, 70% have risky lifestyles, including excessive alcohol consumption (40%), smoking (24%), poor diet (24%), sedentary lifestyle (23%), and 45% are overweight or obese, while stress (21%) and sleep problems (28%) further complicate the picture”.

“Prevention, healthy lifestyles, vaccination adherence among the older age groups should therefore be increased through awareness campaigns and greater investments: today only 5% of the resources of the National Health Fund are allocated to prevention. The adoption of telemedicine could also reduce the distances between citizens and the health ecosystem, promoting better health profiles among the over 65s. However, despite 60% of Italians declaring themselves in favor of its use, the availability of services of this type is still very fragmented across the territory – the report highlights – It should also not be forgotten that longevity makes it necessary to also enhance relational and social aspects, which can promote cohesion and inclusion, make life more fulfilling and reduce the risk of isolation, which brings with it negative consequences on health. The over 65s who live alone are almost a third of the total of the respective age group, and this share is destined to grow”.

“Mental health, also related to isolation, represents a growing challenge for young people and the older population: states of anxiety and depression affect all age groups across the board, with a peak of 26% in the 18-24 age group, while in the over 55s the percentage of those who declare they suffer from anxiety stands at 12%. Mental well-being – the report underlines – represents for Italians a fundamental factor for healthy aging: for 92% of Italians, mental health is crucial for the quality of life in the long term. To date, however, there is a great difficulty in orienting oneself among mental health support services (48%) and an improvement in access to services is expected in various directions, reducing costs (55%), increasing free services (47%) or shortening waiting lists (46%)”.

“On a social level, the phenomenon of aging is not considered a strategic factor – warns the document – In Italy, in fact, those stereotypes that portray silver as refractory to change, in difficulty with technology, essentially ‘seated’, persist. These stereotypes, if rooted, in addition to leading to exclusion from decision-making processes, validate a reading that is no longer current. In fact, if we look at the economic data presented in the first edition of Scenario longevity, the over 65s represent a very important source of income (over 300 billion euros) and consumption (about 185 billion euros), making them a driver for the development of new supply chains of products and services, therefore an important engine for employment.

According to the data collected in the new edition of the Report, 48% of the interviewees believe that the development of alliances between public and private entities for innovative projects is the most effective measure to promote these values, but 28% require the promotion of an intergenerational pact that strengthens the alliance between young people, adults and seniors, to ensure the well-being of future generations. “Social cohesion is a priority for addressing demographic aging, which is why we wanted to dedicate a reflection on the culture of giving and intergenerational collaboration, which must be supported through interventions capable of influencing the culture of our society, starting from young people up to seniors. Managing the demographic transition requires systemic reasoning, capable of bringing attention to the entire life path of the population. Investing in prevention, promoting mental health, promoting public-private partnerships to make the health and welfare system quicker in responding to citizens’ needs, promoting inclusiveness and new career models in the world of work: these are some of the fundamental steps so that the aging of the population can transform itself into a development opportunity for Italy and Europe”, concluded the president of the Silver Economy Network, Mariuccia Rossini.