ABSTRACT
With the significant progress in medical science and health care, the average life expectancy
has increased by nearly three decades over the last century (1). The old (O65 years) and the “oldest” (O85 years) age groups are the fastest growing subpopulation in the world, especially in industrialized societies referred to as “aged societies.” World Health
Organization (WHO) figures indicate there are currently about 580 million people in the
world aged 60 or older, and this figure is expected to rise to over a billion within the next
20 years (2).
