The demographics of aging in the Americas are well known. The United Nations has published projections showing that by the middle of this century, Latin America and the Caribbean will have 112 persons 60 years and older for every 100 persons 15 or under. North America will have 148 older persons for every 100 persons 15 or younger. While those numbers are impressive, the phenomenon itself represents more than just numbers.
Population aging has an impact in every dimension of life: the family, the economy, health services, and the general fabric of society. Longevity offers families the gift of multiple exchanges among three and four generations. At the same time, longevity challenges societies to adjust the cycle of work and retirement, and it impels institutions to make the necessary investments so that social service agencies and health care providers have the knowledge and skills needed to offer vital assistance across the life course.
Knowledge-based public health will need to rely on scientific knowledge that looks beyond child development and well-being of the young in order to provide the foundations for maintaining quality of life and function in old age. Planning for an aging society requires data on interrelated domains of life in old age (health, work, income, social relations) in order to guide public health functions and services in meeting the needs of an older population.