Asian populations are experiencing a much faster rate of ageing compared to western countries. Western countries such as France and the United States took 115 years and 69 years respectively for the percentage of population aged 65 years and over to rise from 7% to 14%. In contrast, it is projected that countries such as South Korea, Singapore, Thailand and China would experience this increase within a much shorter time frame of 18 to 26 years. In Singapore, the percentage of population aged 65 years and over is projected to increase from 8.4% in 2005 to 18.7% in 2030. Accordingly, the period that Singapore has to respond to the demands of a rapidly ageing population in terms of socio-cultural changes and healthcare system is much shorter.
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