ABSTRACT

First Published in 2004. The Asia-Pacific region is now clearly witnessing the rapid ageing of many of its nations and Asia is already the region with, relatively, the largest number of older persons. This book focuses on the challenges that this demographic trend poses to economies and societies in the region, and the policies that have evolved to date to meet new demands. It looks forward over the coming decades to consider how societies and economies will deal with ageing and the necessary structural and behavioural changes that this will entail. The book is organized into two main sections. The first introduces the key features, demography, research and long-term care issues of the region, and provides region-wide context and analysis. The second section offers in-depth case studies of thirteen countries, including China, Japan, Korea and Indonesia. As well as providing a wealth of original research material, the book also offers valuable comparative analysis: while the larger economies have had to develop policies to maintain their social and economic successes in the face of demographic ageing, developing countries must find ways to build their economies around an ageing population. With contributors drawn from a range of academic and professional disciplines, including many practising social gerontologists, this book will be of interest to scholars in economics, sociology, social policy, health policy, politics and development studies. With its particular emphasis on the future, it will also be an essential reference for anybody with a professional interest in policy-making in the region.

chapter 1|34 pages

Ageing in the Asia-Pacific region

Issues, policies and contexts

chapter 6|20 pages

Ageing in Japan

Retirement, daily lives, pensions and social security

chapter 8|16 pages

Ageing in Hong Kong

chapter 9|20 pages

Singapore’s ageing population

Social challenges and responses

chapter 12|20 pages

Ageing in Korea

Issues and policies

chapter 13|24 pages

Ageing in Thailand

An overview of formal and informal support

chapter 14|17 pages

Ageing in the Philippines

An overview

chapter 15|15 pages

Ageing in Malaysia

Issues and policies

chapter 19|15 pages

Ageing in Cambodia

Tradition, change and challenges