Your summary of the demographic challenges facing the world thankfully avoided the usual negative economic narrative about the “burden of dependency” (Editorial, 16 June).
The Scandinavian experience demonstrates your point about family-friendly policies being welcome in their own right. Extensive public childcare provision was introduced to further gender equality in the labour market, not to boost the birthrate.
One challenge missing from your list, though, is how to ensure that older people remain full participants in society, including the labour market. The UK’s employment rate among those aged 55 to 64 is falling, while in comparable countries it is rising.
The key to continued social and economic inclusion in later life is threefold: prevention of ill-health and disability; a major effort to combat age discrimination; and generous lifelong learning and reskilling provision.
Alan Walker
Emeritus professor of social policy and social gerontology, University of Sheffield
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