Demographic trends: Why we need smart solutions

Abstract

One of the most fascinating trends of the twenty-first century is the fact that most of us will live a long and mostly healthy and active life. Since 1840, life expectancy in the world has increased by an extra 3 months per year, a linear trend that has not reached its maximum. This trend is seen worldwide: both the increasing proportion of older people and the individual increase in duration are offering us several challenges and opportunities. Aging, especially the years of very old age, poses key questions as to how to manage health care, well-being, social engagement, dependency, and disability. In many developed countries, there has been a tremendous rise in health-care costs, unfavorably influenced by this trend of aging. Technology can support opportunities and challenges resulting from this trend: with the help of technology, social connectedness can be preserved and also resources, skills, and health-care needs can be supplied. In this chapter, an overview of recent demographic (and other) trends and the underlying causes of these trends and their relationship with accompanying technological developments is given.