Aging is a process that encompasses virtually all aspects of life. Because the speed of population aging is accelerating, and because the data needed to study the aging process are complex and expensive to obtain, it is imperative that countries coordinate their research efforts to reap the most benefits from this important information. Preparing for an Aging World looks at the behavioral and socioeconomic aspects of aging, and focuses on work, retirement, and pensions; wealth and savings behavior; health and disability; intergenerational transfers; and concepts of well-being. It makes recommendations for a collection of new, cross-national data on aging populations—data that will allow nations to develop policies and programs for addressing the major shifts in population age structure now occurring. These efforts, if made internationally, would advance our understanding of the aging process around the world.

Table of Contents


Front Matter
Executive Summary
1. Introduction
2. Our Aging World
3. Work, Retirement, and Pensions
4. Private Wealth and Income Security: International Comparisons
5. Intergenerational Transfers
6. The Health of Aging Populations
7. Well-Being: Concepts and Measures
8. Conclusion and Major Recommendations
Appendix A: Learning From Cross-National Research
Biographical Sketches of Committee Members and Staff
Index