The elderly are taking over the world. That is, more of the world’s population is age 65 or older than ever before, and this increase is only going to double by the year 2050. At the midpoint of this century, it’s projected senior citizens will be 17% of the total global population, up from 8.5% today.
This steady increase in the number of elderly worldwide is not the primary contributing factor to the growing human population in general – that’s mostly attributed to a boost in births and reduced infant mortality rate across the globe. However, unlike children, seniors are not tomorrow’s human resource, they’re yesterday’s, and therefore society’s increased responsibility to care and look after the elderly presents challenges in terms of consumption vs. contribution.
It’s no question that elderly men and women who worked their entire lives are owed this social security in the twilight of their lives. The challenge is not in doling out what’s owed, but the amount which is being doled out; for several generations, it was generally understood the elderly were unlikely to live past the age of 75 or so, and thus the entitlements granted to them starting in their early 60s was not a strain on society. Nowadays, seniors are reaching 80 and beyond with ease.
In essence, we’re running out of room and resources for everyone and part of the challenge stems from more elderly living longer than ever before. So what are we going to do about it? The return to multigenerational households is by far the most popular solution in terms of simplicity, affordability, and capability.
Rather than grandparents, parents, and young adult grandkids living in three different dwellings, they live together under one roof. Adding an easyclimber.com stair lift and finished basement is inherently more sustainable than the energy and cost demands of multiple households. Better yet, such additions can continue to serve the next generation or two in line for getting older.
Another option is to have elderly members of a family housed in a “granny pod” on the property of the primary residence. These cozy dwellings could be defined as ultra-efficiencies and provide just the right amount of space and amenities for seniors. In fact, there’s no reason younger generations couldn’t benefit from such an arrangement. Again, this setup consumes far fewer resources than instances where multiple generations are living in multiple homes.
These solutions serve to highlight the role increased elderly populations play in the proliferation of sustainable living practices and products worldwide. Simply put, seniors are faced with their fixed incomes strained by a rising cost of living despite entitlements matching inflation, and this is especially the case considering the average elderly individual is living a much longer life than one from even 20 years ago. Thus, they are a demographic demanding energy efficiency, consolidated living arrangements, et cetera.Companies are quick to serve this demand with products and services aimed at reducing the overall costs of living for senior citizens.
Of course, this is only one cog in the wheel of progress toward a sustainable future. While the generations nearing retirement age today were some of the first to take recycling seriously, invest in energy efficiency, and take steps against pollution, the younger generations need to carry that torch to new horizons. While it’s true millennials are more likely to say, donate old clothes, such eco-friendly habits need to be amplified with a revolution in efficiency and waste processing at the point of manufacture. This is a shift which has not yet occurred, but must if the world population continues to grow at the present rate.
Nearly every inch of fertile earth and livable landscape has long since been settled by humankind. Therefore it’s no surprise that as the global population grows, people live longer, and more senior citizens require social security and the resources guaranteed therein, challenges grow in ensuring everyone is provided for – Mother Nature included. It’s a golden opportunity for innovative industries focused on offering products and services to support this more effective balance of resources, yet for everyone else, it’s likely destined to be the greatest challenge faced this century.
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