Age: Heterogeneity—Individuality

Abstract

This chapter focuses on different aspects of the heterogeneity of aging populations. Careful analysis of demographic data demonstrates that beyond the increasing number of adults around the world who are aged 60 and over, health inequalities exist everywhere: between high- and low-resource countries, between already-old and growing-old countries, and between life expectancy and disability-free life expectancy. This large population heterogeneity is mainly explained by various life-course trajectories, with differential accumulation of risks from conception through childhood and midlife, explaining why it is nonsensical to consider old age separately. Moreover, aging individuals live in a range of multiple cultures that exacerbate the initial existing heterogeneity, and even worsen it when age discrimination negatively intervenes. One excellent means to challenge these multiple aspects of aging is better education in gerontology and geriatrics for all categories of healthcare professionals.