Global AgeWatch rankings omit 98 countries due to failure of governments to keep track of wellbeing and poverty rates among elderly people
the Guardian – Elderly people are “invisible” in many countries because of poor monitoring of their wellbeing, according to an index that ranks countries based on the ability of senior citizens to access pensions, healthcare, employment and further education.
A total of 98 countries were excluded from the 2015 Global AgeWatch index, which was released by HelpAge International on Wednesday, because governments did not collect enough data on the quality of life of older people, defined by the study as those over 60.
“Millions of older people are invisible, living their lives in countries where information on the quality of older age is missing from international data sets,” said Toby Porter, chief executive of HelpAge International, an NGO that promotes the wellbeing of elderly people.
“Countries that do well in the index … have data on older men and women and consult them on targeted approaches to meet their needs and build on their experience and skills,” he added.
Switzerland, Norway and Sweden (pdf) came top of the index, reflecting strong social and economic provisions for elderly citizens.
Afghanistan ranked at the bottom of the index for the third year in a row, followed by Malawi and Mozambique.
Where is it best to be old?
2015 Global AgeWatch Index ranks quality of life for elderly people based on access to pensions, healthcare, employment and further education – Click here for see the data
Elderly people living in the 10 countries at the top of the index live an average of 7.3 years longer than those living in the 10 nations ranked at the bottom, HelpAge International said.
This gap in life expectancy has deepened since 1990, when older people in countries with good social and economic provisions for the elderly lived 5.7 years longer than those with poorer safeguards.
Porter warned that this trend could worsen due to a lack of information about older people in many countries, particularly those with inadequate provisions.
“Poverty rates in old age are missing from international data sets in at least 93 countries.