Population Aging: How Much Time Do We Still Have?

Most of the developed world today is facing an aging population, and Slovenia is no exception. Moreover, Slovenia is a country with one of the highest average ages of the population in Europe. According to the EUROSTAT forecasts from 2015, the number of inhabitants in Slovenia is projected to decrease absolutely over the next 50 years. This entails altering the relationships that today’s population perceives as more or less acceptable socio-economic circumstances in which they fulfill their living and their life needs and aspirations. The cause of these changes—decreasing population growth—occurred many years ago and gradually, which resulted in it not being adequately perceived by society and addressed in a timely manner. The consequences, particularly the structural imbalances in the functioning of society, are challenging to eliminate within a short period of time. Taking a long-term perspective on the demographic transition and its resulting consequences for the structure and functioning of society is crucial. As a result, it becomes necessary to describe social interdependencies in a tangible and quantitative manner, considering the long-term perspective.