Iran, with nearly 11 million elderly people, which is equivalent to 13 percent of the country's population, will soon become one of the world's aged countries. Seyed Javad Hosseini, the head of the Welfare Organization of the country, raised warnings about the aging status of Iran's population in this regard.
The Aging Status of Iran's Population
Hosseini referred to the aging status of the population in Iran at this ceremony and stated that currently we are not in a precarious aging situation, but if this trend continues, a worrying future awaits the country. He emphasized that the ratio of elderly people in Iran compared to other countries indicates Iran's gradual entry into the aging era. For example, in Japan, over 28 percent of the population is elderly.
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Challenges of Aging in Iran
Hosseini pointed out two fundamental challenges regarding the aging population of Iran: the multilayered nature of aging and its rapid growth. According to predictions, by 1430, between 31 to 33 percent of Iran's population will be elderly. This issue is particularly concerning when we know that if a country's elderly population exceeds 27 percent, it is recognized as a severely aged society.
The Secretary of the National Council of the Elderly pointed out the difference in the growth rates of the general population and the elderly, saying: "We have a 1.24 percent growth in the general population, but we have over 4 percent growth in the elderly population. This means that aging is occurring three to four times faster than the growth of the general population."
Preparation for Healthy Aging
Hosseini emphasized the importance of planning for the future, stating that we must prepare ourselves to move towards healthy aging instead of entering a precarious aging phase. He added: "One of the transformative shifts of the Welfare Organization is the shift from precarious aging to healthy aging."
He noted that if we neglect this issue, we are likely to head towards precarious aging, but if we have planning, we can move towards healthy aging. It is very important that all institutions and organizations, especially the Welfare Organization, must be prepared for these changes and seriously address issues related to the elderly.
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