Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-mkpzs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-24T00:19:22.997Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

9 - POLICY IMPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 October 2015

Get access

Summary

It was stressed in the early part of this report that ageing is a gradual process, and that by the end of the century (fifteen years from now) only Singapore and the non-Malay population of Malaysia will be reaching levels of ageing comparable to those of the least aged Western countries today. The other ASEAN countries will be ageing only gradually, although the absolute numbers of aged will be increasing very rapidly and their ageing process will accelerate in the early decades of the twentyfirst century.

Ageing, therefore, should not be considered an unmanageable process, particularly in view of the fact that overall dependency ratios will be falling in ASEAN countries, even though the aged dependency ratio will be increasing. A positive emphasis on harnessing the potential of old people to assist in development and community welfare is more appropriate than stressing the burdens imposed by an ageing population.

It cannot be denied, however, that ageing takes on some problematic dimensions in the context of social and economic trends in the region. The most basic dilemma is to decide, in a context of scarce resources and government dedication to the goal of raising rates of economic growth in the interests of the community as a whole, how many resources should be devoted to a group who cannot be viewed as human capital for development, as their working and childrearing life has largely ended.

The most worrisome problems facing the elderly in the region appear to be ill health and financial difficulties, with loneliness a problem faced by many. These are the problems, then, that public policy must seek to address.

Cultural preference as well as budgetary limitations in most ASEAN countries ensure that care of the elderly (both financial and material) will be left largely in the hands of families.

Type
Chapter
Information
Ageing in ASEAN
Its Socio-Economic Consequences
, pp. 103 - 106
Publisher: ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute
Print publication year: 1989

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×