ABSTRACT
This chapter demonstrates the role of space and place in the geographies of ageing research in order to build a more comprehensive understanding; one powerful enough to inform both explanation as well as policy. It presents an overview of ageing in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), followed with a case study of ageing in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), home of the fastest-growing ageing population on the planet. The chapter argues that geographers must theorize the full complexity of ageing in LMICs to properly expose the geospatial dynamics and long-term effects of global ageing. Issues related to population ageing–social security and pensions, health financing, long-term care–have been the subject of public and policy debate in high-income countries for decades. In contrast, limited consideration has focused on ageing in LMICs, even though the absolute numbers of older adults in many LMICs are expected to double or even triple.
