Special Eurobarometer 129: Europeans and the elderly

A Comparison of the 1992 and 1999 Eurobarometer Surveys by:
ALAN WALKER
Professor of Social Policy
University of Sheffield
Sheffield S10 2TU UK
DEMOGRAPHIC CONTEXT
One of the major successes of the second half of the twentieth century has been increasing longevity, reflecting the improved conditions of health and welfare standards of the population within the EU. Increasing life expectancy is an indicator of social and economic development; the triumph of science and public policy over many of the causes of premature death which truncated lives in earlier times. Europe can be justly proud of the fact that, in the last 50 years, its model of development has allowed increasing numbers of citizens to reach advanced old age and to do so in relative economic security.
However, extended longevity coupled with an important decline in fertility over the last 30 years, has resulted in a fast transition towards a much older population that, according to demographic projections, will last for several decades. The trend towards population ageing is bringing about profound changes for all generations and most areas of economic and social activity. As Europe enters the twenty-first century, the demographic trend towards an ageing society is becoming a highly important issue for social protection, the labour market, politics, design and technology, education and culture, in short for the whole economy and all of society.

The results by volumes are distributed as follows:

• Volume A: Countries
• Volume AA: Groups of countries
• Volume A' (AP): Trends
• Volume AA' (AAP): Trends of groups of countries
• Volume B: EU/socio-demographics
• Volume B' (BP) : Trends of EU/ socio-demographics
• Volume C: Country/socio-demographics

Researchers may also contact GESIS - Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences: https://www.gesis.org/eurobarometer