Rapid Urbanization and Living Arrangements Of

The world’s population is ageing and this presents a major policy issue in the developing world (United Nations, 1991). In Asia, the crisis is an immediate one (World Bank, 1994); China stands out as the most rapidly ageing society, and its population structure will be closer to that of the developed regions by 2025 (United Nations, 1999a, 1999b). In Africa, ageing is a crisis that is just beginning to reveal its shape; at present, it is a family crisis (Apt, 1995; Apt and Greico, 1994). In demographic terms, the proportion of Africa’s population aged 65 and over stands at 3.1 per cent (United Nations, 1999a, 1999b). Although sub-Saharan Africa’s older population is not as large in size as in other regions of the world, it must still be considered as a potential cause for concern since Africa is ageing at a time when its resources are being depleted. Tables 1 and 2 show the growth in the population aged 60+ and 65+ in the regional areas of Africa from 1950 to 1995 and the projected growth in the 60+ and 65+ populations to 2050.