Georgia’s population is ageing. The process has been advancing steadily for years, and we are standing at a decisive moment. Today, almost one in every six people in the country is 65 or older. By 2030, the share of the population aged 65 and over will exceed 20 per cent. This demographic transformation demands not only technical solutions but deep cultural and political shift. How we respond today will determine the well-being, dignity and social participation of generations to come.
The signs are unmistakable. Georgia’s population is ageing rapidly, driven by increasing life expectancy, falling birth rates and the emigration of people in their reproductive age. The consequences are far-reaching and will touch many areas of public life: the pension system, labour markets, healthcare, long-term care services and even the question of how cohesive and mutually supportive we will remain as a society. Yet despite the clarity of the challenge and the urgency of responding to it, population ageing has still not emerged as a top national policy priority. While certain aspects of population ageing are addressed within existing national policy frameworks, the absence of a comprehensive, human rights-based strategy on ageing remains a significant challenge. Such a strategy is critical to ensure the rights, well-being, and dignity of older persons throughout the life course. Its absence not only limits progress toward achieving dignified and healthy ageing outcomes for individuals but also weakens society’s capacity to respond effectively, inclusively, and sustainably to ongoing demographic changes and population ageing trends.
This is not a challenge unique to Georgia. It is a global trend, and many countries have already implemented coordinated, strategic policies on population ageing. Georgia cannot afford to fall behind.
The good news is that starting from scratch is not necessary. The international community has already developed guiding frameworks for national action.
The UNECE Rome Declaration on Ageing (2022), adopted recently and endorsed by Georgia, calls for a life-course approach to ageing, one that ensures people can age with dignity and remain active members of society. The Declaration identifies three priorities: promoting active and healthy ageing across the full span of life; ensuring access to long-term care services; and supporting the participation of older people in all areas of public life. It also calls on countries to combat ageism and to make health and social systems more responsive to the needs of older people.
The UN Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021-2030), led by the World Health Organisation, sets global objectives in the same direction. The WHO defines healthy ageing not merely as the absence of disease, but as «the process of developing and maintaining the functional ability that enables wellbeing in older age.» The initiative’s four core areas of action are: combating ageism, creating age-friendly environments, improving integrated care, and strengthening long-term care systems.
Despite these global commitments, their implementation at the national level in Georgia remains inadequate. Fragmented initiatives are not enough. What is needed:
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Population ageing must be recognised as a national priority. Demographic change should be reflected in public discourse, a cross-sectoral strategy must be developed, and sufficient resources must be allocated to ensure that systems are responsive to the rights and needs of older people.
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Health and social systems must be reformed so that services become geographically and financially accessible and are adequately tailored to older people. This includes, among other things: strengthening services for chronic disease, palliative care, and mental health; integrating a gerontological component into primary healthcare; improving the accessibility and quality of long-term care; supporting informal caregivers; developing community-based alternatives to institutional care; and coordinating health and social services.
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Shifts in social attitudes must be actively encouraged. Ageing is too often perceived as a burden; many people either fear it or ignore it entirely. This framing must be rejected. Life is not a sprint; it is a marathon. Healthy ageing depends not only on how we live in old age but also on how we prepare for it throughout our lives. What kind of old age do I want? Perhaps, the answers to that question can guide both personal choices and collective decision-making. Investment in health, prevention and education should begin early in life and continue into older age. Older people must be seen not as passive recipients of care but as valued members of society, mentors, and citizens.
As the Rome Declaration puts it: «Our societies are stronger, richer and more resilient when they enable and empower people of all ages.»
Change is possible. Many countries around the world are implementing innovative approaches that place the dignity, autonomy and active participation of older people at the centre of ageing policy. These efforts go beyond traditional care; they reflect a broader understanding that ageing should not be framed as a problem, but as a natural stage of life that deserves support and recognition.
Japan offers a compelling example. Home to one of the world’s oldest populations, Japan has developed community-integrated care systems that enable older people to remain in their own homes and communities for as long as possible, without needing to transition to institutional care. These systems bring together medical services, nursing support, home assistance, meal delivery, social activities and mental health care, all coordinated at the local level. The emphasis is on preserving independence, reducing isolation and tailoring care to the individual. As a model that combines care, compassion and efficiency in equal measure, Japan’s approach has become a global benchmark in ageing policy.
Poland’s approach is oriented more strongly towards social engagement and intergenerational solidarity. Cities such as Kraków host an annual Senior Festival, including a joyful «Hat March» in which older residents parade through the city in colourful, creative headwear. But the effort extends well beyond symbolic gestures: Poland also invests in activity centres for older adults, lifelong learning programmes, and platforms that connect young people and older adults, enabling knowledge, experience, and values to be shared across generations. These initiatives challenge age-based stereotypes and foster mutual understanding between generations.
What these examples make clear is that healthy ageing is not only about medicine or infrastructure, it is about a sense of belonging, of contributing to community life, and of individual dignity. When older people are empowered to remain engaged, connected and active, the whole of society benefits.
Georgia can learn from these approaches and develop its own model, shaped by its own realities.
Positive examples already exist within Georgia. The municipalities’ 60+ Healthy Lifestyle Clubs show how local governments can support active ageing and intergenerational dialogue. But initiatives like these must grow from isolated projects into a unified national programme.
A Society for People of All Ages
How we treat our older citizens reflects the values of our society. A society that respects age, that plans and acts to strengthen its resilience in the face of demographic change, and that ensures the well-being of all people, young and old, will be more just, more resilient and humane. The will to act is what is needed now. Every citizen, young and old alike, should have the opportunity to live not only longer, but better.
