Seyyed Javad Hosseini, the head of the Welfare Organization of the country, reported that there are nearly 11 million elderly people in the country. He announced that individuals over 60 years old make up about 13 percent of the country's population, indicating Iran's entry into the aging phase.
The Status of Aging in Iran
Hosseini emphasized that currently the country is not in a precarious aging situation, but attention must be paid to the rapid growth of this population. According to him, compared to countries like Japan, where over 28 percent of their population is elderly, Iran is still on the threshold of entering aging.
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Challenges of Aging in Iran
The Secretary of the National Elderly Council referred to two key issues related to aging: the multi-layered nature of aging and its speed. He noted that Iran is among the top 5 countries in the world in aging growth, and it is predicted that by 1430, between 31 to 33 percent of the country's population will be elderly. In this regard, Hosseini emphasized that if a country's elderly population exceeds 27 percent, that society is considered severely aged.
Growth of the Elderly Population and Future Planning
Hosseini also pointed out the difference between the growth rates of the general population and the elderly population, stating: "While we have a 1.24 percent growth rate in the general population, the growth rate of the elderly population is over 4 percent." This means that aging in Iran is increasing significantly faster than the general population growth, thus necessitating preparation and planning for this trend.
The head of the Welfare Organization concluded by referring to the transformative shifts of this organization regarding aging, noting that the goal should shift from precarious aging to healthy aging. He emphasized that if this issue is neglected, it will pose serious risks to society, but with proper planning, it is possible to move towards healthy aging.
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