ABSTRACT
One of the biggest challenges arising from aging societies is the threat to fiscal sustainability due to rising public expenditure in terms of pensions, health care, and other forms of long-term care. This chapter argues that cooperatives can contribute to improving the fiscal sustainability of aging communities . Firstly, cooperatives can increase tax revenues by expanding the number of taxpayers . This is achieved by increasing the number of new jobs for the retiree-age population (as well as women, migrants, and youth) in ways conventional companies cannot. Cooperatives can also help retiree populations and women join labor markets by creating part-time jobs. Moreover, cooperatives can transform non-standard jobs into standard jobs by creating open-ended employee status for members. Additionally, cooperatives can create new jobs more effectively than conventional companies in the silver industry. Secondly, cooperatives have the potential to decrease public expenditures on aging populations . They can be used as multi-purpose platforms for providing health education and health services in their communities. Furthermore, working at cooperatives contributes to a healthy aging process and dovetails with more general communal sensibilities, of which cooperatives are a part. Cooperatives can enhance social networking and volunteerism among members, not only in ‘workplaces’ but also ‘in private spaces.’
