Srilanka, Oct. 11 -- On the first of this month, the world commemorated the International Day of the elderly (those who are 60 years and above). The number of people aged 60 years or more worldwide has more than doubled, from around 541 million in 1995 to 1.2 billion in 2025. This figure is expected to reach 2.1 billion by 2050.
In our own country this year (2025), our total estimated population is a little above 22 million, with the elderly accounting for 12.5 percent of the population. According to statisticians, by 2050 every one in four citizens in this country will be 60 years or over.
Today, the working population in our country stands at 8,275,154.
With the breakdown of the extended family system in our land, the ageing fathers an...