Number of senior citizens rising - state official

The number of senior citizens, those above 60 years, has risen to about 18 percent, according to provisional findings of the 2024 Census of Population and Housing, showing an increase from 12.4 percent in the 2012 census, a senior government official said.

- 

"Our preliminary report states that the total population increased to 21.7 million in 2024, while the growth rate declined to 0.5 percent from 0.7 percent in 2021. The 'feminisation of ageing' trend for those over 70 years in the 2012 census continued in the 2024 census," said Dr.

W.A. Chandani Wijebandara, Director (Statistics), Department of Census and Statistics.

She was speaking at a discussion titled 'Elderly issues and the way forward' organised by the Sunrise Senior Foundation (SSF), a prominent not-for-profit organisation working in the interests of senior citizens, on 21 July in Colombo. The discussion brought together high-level government officials and civil society representatives aimed at charting policy formulation on senior citizens.

Reiterating that in Southeast Asia, Sri Lanka has the fastest ageing population, Ms. Shiranthi Rathnayake, DirectorGeneral, Department of National Planning, Ministry of Finance, spoke about giving the maximum benefit of the 'silver dividend' to the 'Silver Economy' of the elderly.

A social protection policy is being developed not just taking into account the elderly but across the whole lifecycle, she said, explaining that in the social protection strategy the social insurance/security pillar is very important.

Ms. Rathnayake said: "One out of four persons by the year 2040 will fall into the elderly group. We need to consider this Silver Economy and have proper planning for health, life education, geriatric care and labour market development.