France's workspan and economic resilience in ageing societies

Europe’s aging burden far less than US or China! Graying Europe has long been considered an outlier in global demographics – but the rising cost to its governments in terms of bills for pensions and health care are more manageable than assumed and less than in rival economies in the United States and China. In a detailed report on the rising cost to the public purse from Europe’s aging population, Brussels-based think Breugel this week outlined the trajectory through 2070 using the latest country-by-country data from the European Commission. Familiar problems and necessary remedies recur – pressure on budgets caused by longer life spans, the need to raise retirement ages gradually and for better-funded pension and care systems and more targeted employment-based inward migration. Indeed one eye-catching line from the report is that it now looks likely that the baby boomer generation will have experienced longer retirement than either their parents or their children. But perhaps the most remarkable takeaway was how relatively contained Europe’s fiscal burden appears in aggregate. That’s not to put a gloss on a worrisome problem – one raising the prospect of falling workforces, weighing on the continent’s potential growth and with little hope of a reversal of alarming birth rate declines. But the context of where Europe fits into the global picture – at least in terms of its fiscal exposure – is certainly very different from prevailing gloomy narratives. Whether you’re looking to broaden your horizons or stay informed on the latest developments, “Viewpoint” is the perfect source for anyone seeking to engage with the issues that matter most. Breugel’s report calculates that on average the European Union’s 27 members’ aging-related costs will rise by just over 1 percent of gross domestic product over the next 45 years – with categories including pensions, long-term care, health care and education. Curiously but intuitively, the projected baby bust means falling education costs register as a saving for the whole bloc.

The Longevity Imperative at the Lords: Turning ageing from fiscal drag to national strategy - Turning longer lives into a global growth strategy Britain should stop treating ageing as a looming liability and start treating longevity as a source of growth. That was the blunt message from London Business School professor Andrew J Scott at a House of Lords event, The Longevity Imperative: Health, Productivity, and Prevention in an Ageing Society, held on 14 October, where he argued that prevention, skills and age‑friendly work are the fastest route to higher productivity and lower health pressures. Hosted by LBS alumnus, Lord Jitesh Gadhia (MSc, Management), through the Oliver Wyman Forum, with additional hosting by Rupal Sachdev Kantaria, Partner and Head of UK, Oliver Wyman Forum, the session was moderated by journalist Kamal Ahmed who paired Scott with GSK chair Sir Jon Symonds the timing was deliberate: life expectancy revisions are edging upwards, the government is reviewing the State Pension Age, the NHS has a new ten‑year plan prioritising prevention, and heavyweight economic bodies, the OBR, OECD and IMF, have each flagged the GDP gains from healthier, more engaged ageing. “Demography isn’t destiny,” Scott told the room, stressing that the real story is not the number of older people, but how we age, and whether systems nudge people to stay healthy, skilled and in work. He contrasted a “silver economy” stereotype, cruises and care homes, with an “evergreen economy” built to sustain healthspan and participation across the life course. Scott’s case has two planks. First, behaviour and incentives change when lives get longer. The UK’s official statistics office expects about half of today’s newborns to reach their early nineties; for those already in their sixties, the chances of reaching eighty have risen from around forty per cent to roughly three‑quarters over recent decades. With more future years likely, individuals and institutions have to invest earlier and differently, in health, in skills, in finances. Second, the macro upside is material if the UK keeps people healthy and employed longer. Most job growth in advanced economies already comes from over‑fifties. Halving the fall‑off in work between fifty and sixty‑five, Scott argued, could be worth around four per cent of GDP a year, gains hard to find anywhere else in macroeconomics. He was equally direct about the health system: “We’ve built a brilliant system for keeping us alive when we’re ill, but not for keeping us healthy.” Waiting lists are the wrong target, he said; policy should set measurable health outcomes and allocate resources to achieve them. That requires shifting from hospital‑centric, late‑stage care to prevention and early intervention, and tying health decisions more explicitly to economic outcomes. #Longevity #Wellbeing #GDP #Intervention #LongerLives https://lnkd.in/e64gpZsV

The longevity economy isn’t only about healthcare — it’s about business models that link economic security, culture, and health. And those who build them will lead a $15 trillion market by 2050. 📊 By 2050: – 1 in 6 people will be over 65 – Life expectancy ≈ 77 years Healthy ageing depends as much on financial preparedness as it does on medicine. When systems rely on out-of-pocket spending, older adults delay care, lose autonomy, and costs rise. Yet most strategies copy Western institutional models — ignoring local cultural frameworks. In much of Africa, Asia, and Latin America, family enterprises and informal careers still act as safety nets. Concepts like Ubuntu (“I am because we are”) place elders as mentors and mediators, not dependents. 🔑 Three tangible opportunities: - Financial tools for informal workers — pensions, micro-insurance, savings - Support systems for caregivers — tech, services, and incentives - Culturally aligned care models — family succession, community clinics, intergenerational housing “Healthy ageing is the next frontier of resilience.” At Kaleidoscope, we help executives and investors translate demographic shifts into scalable, sustainable business models. #LongevityEconomy #HealthyAgeing #FutureOfWork #InclusiveFinance #EmergingMarkets #CultureAndCare #Sustainability

✨ 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗮𝘆 𝗚𝗮𝗽 — 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝟰𝟬% 𝗣𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗚𝗮𝗽 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗼𝗼 ✨ Last week, I attended the Financial Health summit hosted by Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association Amsterdam (marking their 5 year anniversary!), featuring thought-provoking insights from inspiring speakers including Adda van Zanden, Marica Wismeijer, and Fraukje Panis. The conversations shed light on systemic challenges women face in the Netherlands on financial health — and, more importantly, how we can drive change. Key takeaways that stayed with me:   • Policy shapes inequality — not individual choices. As Adda van Zanden highlighted, the persistent gender pay gap (13%) and pension gap (40%) are not just personal outcomes but results of political and policy decisions.   • Healthcare isn’t equally designed for women. Gender bias leads to unequal access, higher costs, and heavier burdens for women.   • Financial independence matters — deeply. Marica Wismeijer urged women to understand their pensions, identify gaps, and take action early. The Netherlands may have one of the most advanced pension systems, but it doesn’t equally serve caregivers — often women.   • Transparency is coming. Fraukje Panis shared updates on the EU Pay Transparency Directive, which must be implemented by June 2026. Companies will need to prepare for greater pay clarity and fairness.   • Start the conversation — and build your network early (before you need it!). Leadership, money, and healthcare are often whispered about but rarely discussed openly. We need to talk, share, and support one another. Valuable advice shared by Saraswati Khan, Lydia Tacx, Eleni Menegatou and Chantal Remery! One message resonated strongly with me: Be proactive about your financial future. Understand your pension, seek advice regularly (a financial consult every three years was recommended!), and make conscious choices about independence. Ofcourse, loved also to connect again with other HBA members, especially Anne van Beek Joyshree Ganguly, PhD Jessica Kundapur Ioanna Stavrakaki Monika Matuszewska Lidia Roman Gonzalez, PhD, PMP ! #HBA #WomenInLeadership #GenderEquality #FinancialIndependence #PayTransparency #PolicyMatters

The longevity economy isn’t just about living longer. It’s about living better — and building smarter. By 2050, 1 in 6 people will be over 65. That’s over a billion people. And yet, most innovation is still focused on late-stage healthcare. But here’s the truth: 🧓🏾 Healthy ageing depends as much on financial security and cultural relevance as it does on medicine. When systems rely on out-of-pocket payments, older adults delay care, lose autonomy — and systems buckle under cost. 💡 For builders and educators, that’s not just a challenge — it’s an invitation. Because the $15 trillion longevity economy is growing fast — and the solutions can’t just be western, institutional, or top-down. In much of Africa, Asia, and Latin America: Family businesses act as pensions. Informal carers are the safety net. Elders are seen as mediators and mentors — not dependents. Too many models ignore that. So they fail. Quietly, expensively, and predictably. What can we do instead? 🔹 Build tools for the informal economy: 💰 Micro-pensions, savings, and financial tools that meet people where they actually work. 🔹 Support caregivers as infrastructure: 🧑🍼 Tech, subsidies, wraparound services — because burnout doesn’t scale. 🔹 Back culturally-aligned models: 🏡 Intergenerational housing, community clinics, family business succession tools. Because healthy ageing isn’t just the next healthcare play — It’s the next resilience play. Builders who get this right will not only extend lives — they’ll enhance their quality, and lead in one of the world’s fastest-growing markets. 👉 At Kaleidoscope, this is the kind of intersectional strategy we love to design — where social resilience and ROI grow together. #LongevityEconomy #HealthyAging #BuilderEconomy #InclusiveDesign #InformalEconomy #CareInfrastructure #SocialResilience #ImpactStrategy #KaleidoscopeEarth

Across Europe, people are living longer - and working longer. The OECD now projects that by 2060, retirement age in the EU will near 67, with some countries pushing even further. Denmark leads the way with a shocking retirement age of 74, the highest in Europe. Italy and Estonia are close behind at 71, while the Netherlands, Sweden, and Cyprus target 70. Turkey, where women can still retire at 49, will see the steepest hikes: +14 years for women, +13 for men. In 2022, the EU average was 64.7 for men and 63.8 for women. Austria and Poland still let women retire at 60-though gender gaps like that will shrink fast. Behind it all: aging populations, budget pressure-and pension systems that often replace less than 50% of income, raising fears of growing old-age poverty.

42 countries are shrinking in 2025. Europe leads the race to decline. For decades, population growth signaled prosperity. Now, decline is the new reality-at scale, and with consequences that reach far beyond demographics. Here’s what the numbers reveal: → 42 countries and territories are contracting, with the steepest drops in Eastern Europe: Kosovo (−9.69%), Moldova (−2.83%), North Macedonia (−1.97%). → Emigration is the engine: talent flows to higher wages and deeper job markets in Western Europe, accelerated by EU labor mobility and wage gaps. → Low fertility and ageing compound the trend. Fewer births, delayed family formation, and high living costs mean fewer people of childbearing age-and less room to rebound. → Large economies now join the list. Germany, Japan, China, and Italy show small percentage dips, but on a vast base, the impact on growth, labor, savings, and innovation is outsized. Why does this matter for business and policy? → Labor: Tighter talent pools drive up hiring costs and push firms toward automation and new training strategies. → Demand: Ageing populations shift spending toward healthcare, savings, and services, changing the shape of entire markets. → Public finance: Fewer workers must support rising pension and health bills-raising the stakes for reform. → Competitiveness: Countries that align migration, skills, and family policy can gain a strategic edge. What are governments doing? Attempts range from Japan’s Children & Families Agency to China’s childcare subsidies. But so far, no single solution works. Durable progress means bundling childcare, housing, work-family balance, and career security. The bottom line: Decline is not destiny. Places that align policy, migration, and innovation can still shape their future. How do you see population decline reshaping Europe’s economic landscape?

In a recently published report by Age UK 'Late Mover - How the shortage of suitable housing affects our ageing population', where they polled 4200 older people, it is good to see a specific section related to the impact of housing on women in later life. The report highlights a number of issues around housing affordability, condition and availability but also impact on different groups such as how a larger share of women, than men, express concerns about different aspects of their housing such as affordability and accessibility. This is linked to the inequity over women’s lower lifetime earnings, smaller pension savings, and longer life expectancy. Among older women (aged 66+), divorced women are especially worried about housing affordability (48%), while widowed women are more concerned about the condition of their homes. At WiRL (Women in Retirement Living) we are focussed on developing an equitable later living and retirement sector and understanding the impact women can have on the understanding and desire to change things is a key ‘super power’ many of our members hold. To that end, we are also looking at and addressing issues such as women led design on later living, the impact of climate change on women and the correlation to the lower incomes, savings and pensions and what we can do to reduce the impact amongst others. In the meantime, we would recommend reading the Age UK report as it has some great intel.

INCREASING WEALTH INEQUALITY IN THE UK We are seeing the wealth gap in the UK increasing resulting in the average worker having to save all their income now for 52 years th match the richest 10% of society This affects so many things Having to work well in to their 30's to buy a property (I was 26 when I brought mine, on my own may I add in the 1970's) Delaying starting a family or not starting one at all The drive to decarbonisation is being targeted by using the most expensive technologies, severely affecting the ability to buy equivalents or having to go without This last point is of considerable concern. Those driving the high cost technology changes appears to be by those in the higher income brackets. Turning a necessity into a personal wealth creation opportunity at the expense of those on the lowest income? Shame on all of you! Why do I say this? As an Applied Research Engineer myself I have seen many viable technologies to decarbonise including those equally effective, if not more so, but at much lower cost. But these are being blocked by? Well work that out for yourselves Unless things change we will face increasing civil unrest and lack of engagement with the public It is down to governments to prevent this exploitation but will they? There are ways to achieve this but the question is, will they even ask? An observation #technology #BEV #electricity #hydrogen #EFuels #heatpumps #wealthcreation #poverty #employment https://lnkd.in/eaZmWzx7

I am on my way back from yesterday's wonderful #LongevityEconomy workshop hosted in Mercer's New York office in collaboration with the World Economic Forum exploring the intersection of health and wealth in the longevity economy. A big thank you to all of our fantastic speakers. We were treated to a very engaging panel discussion with Ramsey Alwin of the National Council on Aging, Paul Gruenwald of S&P Global Ratings, Abby Levy of Primetime Partners, Mercer's Christine Mahoney and excellently moderated by Stacey Vanek Smith. We also enjoyed a very insightful fireside chat between Haleh Nazeri and Amal Abou Rafeh, and a great introductory key note by Mercer's Global CEO and President, Pat Tomlinson. Some key takeaways for me included: 1. The demographic transition is having a profound impact on our society, but because the ageing of our societies is happening in slow motion, we are not urgently enough preparing for the consequences. 2. To drive action by policymakers we need to build holistic business cases to demonstrate value of potential interventions at the intersection of health and wealth across silo boundaries (e.g. improving physical health outcomes will positively impact financial and mental wellbeing, and economic and non-economic productivity, as well as reducing healthcare and care costs). 3. Ageism is increasingly limiting the talent pool, as we underestimate the potential of older workers: a rapidly increasing proportion of the potential workforce. Flexibility is essential to allow people to construct their later careers in a manner to suit employers and employees 4. Housing is a critical topic to address to successfully manage the demographic transition. Our needs often change as we age (space needed, accessibility, access to socialise and independently reach local essential facilities and transportation), but it is tough moving out of a home that we have spent years saving for and making our own. There is an increasing shortage of age-suitable properties. The consequences of falls at or near the home are a major contributing factor of early deaths. Being isolated in old age is a major source of higher morbidity and mortality. 5. Prevention of non-communicable deseases needs higher priority. For example in many developed countries, a frightening proportion have diabetes or pre-diabetes and/or are obese. These are key risk factors for other conditions that significantly shorten lifespan, healthspan and therefore also workspan, and increase average medical and long-term care costs. 6. After focusing on wealth accumulation during their working years, the transition to plan for wealth decumulation in retirement can be very hard. Many people are uncomfortable spending savings, and need help and education to help them do this in a sensible manner. By improving safeguards around equity release products so people can safely access accumulated wealth invested in their own home in retirement. I would be interested to hear others' views!