Demographic challenges

In Italy, as population ages, the combination of high life expectancy (the highest in Europe) and low birth rate yields a disproportionate ‘elderly to working age population’ ratio, with the rate of people over 65 as a percentage of the working population (15-64 years) estimated to rise from 35% in 2019 to 64% in 2050.  
Population aging has multi-faceted health, social, political and economic implications. As people age the incidence of diseases reducing their independence rises together with their need for care. In addition, although people live longer in Italy compared to other European countries, their quality of life in the final years of their lives is lower than the EU average. To respond to demographic challenges, many countries have put forward new policies geared to improve quality of life for the elderly, facilitate a better life-work balance, increase services for families, encourage more births, support mobility, and promote repopulation and revitalization of rural areas.

Philanthropic challenge

Providing support in a changing society: mitigating the adverse effects of demographic trends by developing innovative solutions in medicine and research as well as in the environmental, cultural and social spheres.