Demographic perspective
The National Statistics Office said that there are about 600 million people aged 60 years and over worldwide. This figure is projected to double by 2025 and is expected to hit the two billion mark in 2050.
As far as Malta is concerned, just over 17 per cent of the total population fell in the 60+ age bracket in 2003, while the number of those aged 65 and over came up to 13 per cent. By 2050, the former is projected to be around 31 per cent and the latter, 21 per cent.
Ninety years ago, an ordinary Maltese man was expected to live just over 43 years while female life expectancy was nearly 45 years. Today, these expectations have nearly doubled – 76.4 for men and 80.4 for women
Life participation
The indications are that an encouraging number of older people remain active in various sectors of life. According to the ETC, the number of full-time gainfully occupied people over 65 years stood at 577 for men and 157 for women in May 2004. Last year, just over 700 senior citizens registered for courses at the University of the Third Age, 72 per cent of them women. Those who had topped the 60-year mark and were involved in sport numbered some 1,400 men and 485 women. On the other hand, participation in the state day-care centres is relatively low – just over 1,000 in 2004. That said, these figures do not account for older people who attend parish and private day-care centres.
In 2002, a considerable proportion of men in the same age bracket – 71 per cent – held a driving licence. It is interesting to note that 38 per cent of men aged 90 and over still hold a driving licence, although the same figure for women was a low three per cent. In the same year, traffic casualties involving people aged over 60 accounted for 10 per cent of all casualties in this category.
Cultural usage
The Kultura 2000 survey carried out by the NSO revealed pronounced swings in information usage by the older Maltese. While 74 per cent of 65+ people replied that they listen to the radio daily, 22 per cent said they regularly read books and 12 per cent said that they watched television for more than five hours a day. By contrast, less than five per cent said that they regularly visit a library while a low of 0.7 per cent responded positively to a question on personal computer use. In 2003, there were 8,375 people in this age bracket who made use of Telecare, constituting 16 per cent of the 65+ population.
Vital statistics
Eighteen elderly persons decided to tie the knot in 2003 – 15 bridegrooms and three brides.
Five men in the 60-64 age bracket were registered as fathers.