In Italy, as elsewhere, population ageing seems destined to create a series of daunting difficulties. However, as the new e-book edited by Daniele Vignoli and Gustavo De Santis shows, with some flexibility and adaptation, the future may not be as gloomy as most observers believe.
This open access e-book presents a selection of the most pressing population challenges facing Italy and other ageing societies today. It explores the demography of ageing, including fertility (Ch. 2 and 3), longevity and health (Ch. 4), and migration dynamics (Ch. 5 and 6); the growing focus on frailty and resilience in later life, examining how to assess and mitigate vulnerability (Ch. 7); the demography of care, analysing how families, institutions, and communities can respond to this growing issue (Ch. 8); the silver economy, where older adults play active roles as workers, consumers, and innovators (Ch. 9); and the question of intergenerational justice, concerning fairness between younger and older generations (Ch. 10).
Each of these topics is discussed with particular attention to their policy implications. The goal is to translate demographic knowledge into actionable insights for a sustainable ageing agenda. This involves rethinking traditional indicators – such as the old-age dependency ratio – which too often convey an overly pessimistic picture, and instead developing measures that better capture improvements in health, education, and life expectancy. It also entails identifying strategies that combine adaptation – preparing for the realities of an ageing population – with mitigation – addressing the underlying drivers of demographic imbalance, such as persistently low fertility or unequal access to care.