Future seniors without a safety net

Breaking with the age-old traditions, the family in Greece will in the future be less able to perform the role of safety cushion, taking care of the elderly when they can no longer live independently, due to demographic trends.

At the same time, the number of seniors in Greece and Europe will continue to increase in relation to the general population in the coming years as a result of the rise in life expectancy and infertility.

"The welfare state will be called upon to meet the needs of the elderly as the close family for many will not exist and the earnings of the elderly will not be able to cover their increased needs privately," stressed Byron Kotzamanis, professor of demography. 

The last hundred years have seen significant changes in the course of the main demographic components - mortality, fertility and family formation (marriage) - in Greece.

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