The Health of Older People in Switzerland - The Health of Older People in Switzerland - Open Access Pub

Over the past century, the proportion of Swiss residents aged 65 or older rose from 5.8% to 17.8%; during the same period, the proportion aged over 80 rose from 0.5% to 5.0%. Although the majority of older people in Switzerland enjoy good health, disease prevalence rises with age. Almost half (49%) of people over 65 living at home report at least one chronic illness. Among the 65- to 79-year-olds living at home, 25.2% suffer from several chronic diseases; among people in the 80s, this figure reaches 41.3%. People aged over 80 are also particularly at risk for falls (30%). In addition, between 15% and 25% of the elderly suffer from at least one mental illness. Close to 30% of healthcare costs are attributable to people over the age of 75, who make up only 8% of the total population. Given the public health importance of the issue a health promotion project targeting the elderly – the VIA Project -, based on successful local programs, is being implemented throughout the country. The overall goal of the VIA project is to promote the health of older people and to strengthen their self-determination and independence. DOI10.14302/issn.2641-4538.jphi-18-2426 Demographic Ageing in Switzerland As in all high-income countries, the population of Switzerland is ageing1 Over the past century, the proportion of people under the age of 20 has decreased from 40.7% in 1900 to 20.2% in 20142. During the same period, the proportion of people aged over 65 rose from 5.8% to 17.8%, and those over 80 from 0.5% to 5.0%. Demographic ageing results from rising life expectancy and declining fertility rates. In just over a century (from 1900 to 2015), life expectancy in Switzerland nearly doubled, from 46.2 to 80.7 years for men and from 48.8 to 84.9 years for women2,3,4. This impressive increase in life expectancy can be explained by declining rates of mortality in childhood and in old age: since 1900, infant mortality has dropped from approximately 140‰ to less than 4‰5, 6. The age of death has also changed: in 1970, 50% of women died after age 76, and 50% of men after 70 years; in 2003, 50% of women died after age 84, and 50% of men after 78 years7,8. Since 1900, fertility rates have decreased from nearly 4 children per woman to less than 29. As a result, the Swiss population will continue to age. In absolute terms, the population over 65 is projected to rise from 1.3 million in 2008 to 2.1 million in 2030 and 2.7 million in 2045, an increase of 66% and 108%, respectively6. The rising number of people over 65 will significantly affect the so-called old-age dependency ratio. By