Experts Gather to Discuss Sustainability in Aging Societies

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Nov 01, 2015
by Heather Jaber
Experts Gather to Discuss Sustainability in Aging Societies

60 leaders, practitioners, and innovators will gather to address and rethink conceptions of aging and its impact on social welfare

With demographics shifting on a global scale, questions of economic constraints and social protection have risen to the forefront. Still, aging is not considered comprehensively on international or local agendas. In the session Aging Societies: Advancing Innovation and Equity, 60 thought leaders, practitioners, and innovators from countries experiencing demographic shifts and developed welfare systems will gather from November 1-5 to discuss the impact of aging societies.

Shifting migration, demographic, and urbanization patterns are inevitably causing increasing pressures on societies, in the way of inequality and social structure as well as economic concerns of debt and low growth rates. Some countries face greater challenges due to low income levels and the vulnerability of their economies. Still, these shifts offer potential for rethinking personal welfare and may foster innovative policy reforms. 

Participants will tackle issues like the economics of aging, the sustainability of welfare systems, and the transition of work and technology as populations age. They will also touch on the image of aging and its intersection with other forms of identity, such as gender, sexual orientation, social class and power, religious, and ethnic minority status. In addition, participants will examine best practices for the economic and societal pressures of aging societies.

“Very often we think about aging as medical care,” said co-chair Janice Chia, founder and managing director of Ageing Asia PTE Ltd, touching on the perception of aging in society. “I think that it’s also about making our society more ageing aware.”

This thought was echoed in the opening session's panel, which touched on growth and prosperity in aging societies. "We need to move from thinking about aging as a chronological and backward process to also being a prospective and forward concept," said Peter Vanhuysse, a speaker at the session and professor of comparative welfare state research at the University of Southern Denmark. "How many birthdays have I had and how many birthdays will I have?" 

Apart from moderated discussion, the practitioners and thinkers will also engage in country and region-based work. Working groups will provide a forum for focusing on key points of discussion and more in-depth knowledge exchange.

The session will not only foster compelling discussion, but will create a global network of participants from various sectors and therefore more informed methods for applying best practices in their own countries. A “Salzburg Statement” will also be published to provide priorities and recommendations for aging networks.

The co-chairs of the session are Janice Chia, founder and managing director of Ageing Asia PTE Ltd, and Alexandre Kalache, president of International Longevity Centre Brazil in Rio de Janeiro. The session is part of a multi-year series, Designing a Social Compact for the 21st Century. Past sessions have tackled challenges of aging societies, welfare systems in Asia, and sustainable growth for the future.


The Salzburg Global session Aging Societies: Advancing Innovation and Equity is part of the multi-year series Designing a Social Compact for the 21st Century. The session is being hosted in partnership with Wirtschaftskammer Österreich and is sponsored by TIAA-CREF Financial Services and Tsao Foundation. More information on the session can be found here: www.salzburgglobal.org/go/540. For more information on Designing a Social Compact for the 21st Century, please visit: socialcompact.salzburgglobal.org