Community Development Minister Winston Peters says elder-care professionals are needed more than ever as the ageing population increases.
Speaking at the Geriatric Adolescent Partnership Programme (GAPP) Level II graduation ceremony at Naparima Bowl, San Fernando, on Wednesday, Peters said the 120 graduates were now advanced professionals in the field of elderly care.
Noting that October 1 was the United Nations-declared International Day of Older Persons, he said by the year 2050, it is expected that there will be more people over 60 than children in the world.
Noting that the UN defined a country as having an ageing population when ten per cent or more of its population was over 60, he said he fell into that bracket, since he celebrated his 62nd birthday a few days ago.
“According to the CentralStatistical Office, at present, the elderly population of T&T is 12 per cent,” he said.
“This means a significant portion of our population comprises the ageing.”
He said it was predicted that the percentage of people 60 years and over would be over 17 per cent in 2025 and that was expected to grow to 30 per cent in 2050.
“This means that your services will be needed more than ever as we move forward as a nation.
“You have a serious mission to face as you practise what you have learnt through Level II of GAPP.”