Research suggests that older people have the highest quality of life in Norway
Norway tops the list in a new overview of different countries’ conditions for the elderly , and is considered well-equipped for the expected ‘baby-boom’ transitioning into an ‘elderly-boom’.
In a new ranking covering 18 ‘Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’ (OECD) countries, Norway achieved the highest results. Of a possible 100 points, Norway got 65. American researchers gathered statistics on everything from the quality of senior citizen’s pensions to how satisfied they feel.
Norway isn’t at the pinnacle of the list, looking down sympathetically at our competitors, in all categories. We are less satisfied with life than the Japanese, Spaniards and Dutchmen. In terms of active participation both inside, and outside, the labour market, we came fourth.
By contrast, Norway has the greatest economic equality spread throughout the population. Most Norwegian senior citizens can afford to eat nutritious foods every day. We also have a higher percentage of elderly people who graduated from school, or took higher education.
Tsunami of the aged
According to the researchers, this makes it easier for us to adapt to the first wave of the expected ’tsunami of the aged’. It is easier for conflicts between the generations to arise if there is a fight for resources.
The Columbia University team of project researchers, led by John Rowe, haven’t published their findings in peer reviewed scientific journals yet, so the calculations aren’t currently quality assured by other researchers.
© NTB Scanpix / Norway Today
