International development and population ageing

Population ageing and the lives of older people are often framed by a number of stereotypes and generalisations. It is often misconstrued to be ‘problematic’ for development. However, given the complexity and diversity of development experiences, any claims about the effects of population ageing or experiences of later life must be based on firm, specific evidence. As will be evident in the succeeding chapters, the research study contends that population ageing must be seen as an integral part of development rather than an external threat to it, and that the processes of development are complex and highly variable, giving rise to diverse patterns of population change which lead to diverse experiences of later life.