Jane Scobie

Cross-national research on well-being of older people: Insights from Global AgeWatch Index Setting the scene: Population Ageing Why the Index? What is the Index? Cross-national research challenges: Multidimensional well-being framework Data Subjective indicators What’s next?

Scale and rate of global population ageing

Increases in all regions Source: UNDESA Population Division, Population Ageing and Development 2012, Wall Chart, 2012; UNDESA Population Division, World Population Prospects: the 2012 Revision, 2013

Why is the Index needed? Monitor well-being of older people across the world Benchmark countries and provide insight into areas of policy intervention Provide a guideline framework for governments and international institutions on key data to collect to develop and respond to population ageing Help identify, track and monitor key trends on ageing at country, regional and global levels Ensure the Post 2015 framework includes older people and responds to the UN Secretary General’s call for a ‘data revolution’.

What is the Index? First-ever measure of quality of life and well-being of older people around the world Uses the latest cross-national data available from World Bank, WHO, ILO, and Gallup World View Covers 96 countries representing 91% of the world’s older people

Four domains and thirteen indicators

Cross-national research challenges : multidimensional framework of well-being How to capture well-being Cultures might define quality of life differently People might assign priorities to dimensions The Index framework was developed based on Human Development Index Recommendations of the Stiglitz Commission, Madrid International Plan of Actions on Ageing, UNFPA/HelpAge International report ‘Ageing in the XXI century’ Consultations with more than 30 International experts in ageing from academia, international governmental organizations and civil societies.

Cross-national research challenges: Data We lack internationally comparable data on older people (e.g. poverty in old age, political participation, life-long learning, psychological well-being)

Cross-national research challenges: Data When data is available it might not reflect the current situation Time lag when national statistics makes it to international datasets No international agreement on methodology of measuring indicators (e.g. HALE; poverty rate: absolute vs. relative; equivalence scale; income vs. consumption based)

Cross-national research challenges: Subjective indicators Subjective indicators Important to include perspective of older people on enabling environment they live in Cross-national comparison of subjective indicators Need for better quality subjective data greater sample and age group 60+ should be part of national datasets (e.g. Eurofound Quality of life Survey 2012, EU Quality of life indicators)

Partnering for next steps Extend the Index to cover all countries Constructing separate indices for older women and men Include political and civil rights Have data broken down by groups within each country - rural areas, towns and cities, richer and poorer areas of a country, different age groups of older people Explore how new data from national sources can develop the Index further Set the standard for ageing well everywhere

Thank you!