A national commission for active ageing has been set up to confront the challenges created by a population that will comprise more elderly people than children and adults by 2060.

This has huge implications in terms of future jobs as well as the sustainability of health systems and social welfare

The commission, made up of eight gerontology experts, will draft the National Strategy for Active Ageing 2014-2020.

Parliamentary Secretary for Active Ageing Franco Mercieca said yesterday that the commission will target the changing demographics with a holistic social policy.

He pointed out that the working population is expected to decline when the cohort of baby-boomers retires.

While five working people currently sustain the pensions of two elderly, by 2060 it would be three elderly.

The population of people aged 65 and over stands at 14 per cent. By 2060 it will shoot up to 32.4 per cent. In the case of those aged over 80, the numbers will triple from 3.2 per cent to 11.8 per cent.

“This has huge implications in terms of future jobs as well as the sustainability of health systems and social welfare, which are facing an ever increasing discrepancy between public expenditure and income from taxes and contributions,” Dr Mercieca said.

The Government, he said, believes active ageing to consist primarily of three factors.

The first is helping the elderly remain active in the labour market through benefits.

The second is to facilitate active citizenship by having structures in place to make the most of the elderly’s contribution to society.

The third is to enable the elderly to live a healthy and independent life, partly by allowing them to live in their homes as long as possible.

The board will be chaired by Marvin Formosa and its members will be Stephen Abela, Stephen Lungaro Mifsud, David Mamo, Josette Rapa, Anthony Scerri, Tracy Schembri and Stephanie Xuereb.

Dr Formosa said the elderly should not be perceived merely as recipients of treatment or as weak or passive people. A social policy for active ageing should have a positive approach and look at age from a biological, social and psychological perspective.

He added that the commission will shortly be organising a national seminar that will serve as consultation on the issue.