In many countries, people are now living longer than ever before. Some people say an ageing population creates problems for governments. Other people think there are benefits if society has more elderly people. To what extent do the advantages of having an ageing population outweigh the disadvantages?

The

population

in most parts of the world is ageing;

people

are living longer and there are fewer younger

people

in many places as birth rates fall.

This

phenomenon has pros and cons, but

this

essay will contend that, on balance, the advantages of having an older

population

outweigh the negatives. The first issue that occurs to many

people

when considering the ageing

population

is the expense. If

people

live longer, they may have more than 30 years of retirement and may need to be supported financially by the government or their families. If they experience age-related illness,

this

impacts the health system and takes up resources needed by other

people

in society. What's more, when older

people

are financially independent, it might be hard for younger

people

if they have to compete to get a foot in the door of the housing market or gain employment. That being said, older

people

have a lot to contribute in terms of wisdom, experience and skills. Many

people

are active and productive for longer than their counterparts were 50 years ago and are an asset to the economy and society well into their old age. They are able to work for longer and after retirement they contribute in many ways too,

such

as by doing charitable work, spending money as consumers and supporting their families. Grandparents often care for their young grandchildren, making it easier for both parents to work.

While

it is true that an ageing

population

poses challenges for governments,

it is clear that

these are outweighed by the significant benefits that elderly

people

bring to society.