According to the Public Relations and International Affairs Department of the State Welfare Organization of Iran, Ahmad Delbari, Senior Advisor to the Head of the Organization on Elderly Affairs, speaking at a one-day training seminar for senior managers and provincial directors held at the organization’s headquarters, highlighted the rapid pace of population aging in the country.
“We do not have a successful record in the field of aging, and very soon the country will face a steep wave of aging,” Delbari said, noting that Iran is currently the fastest country in the world entering the aging phase. “Over the past 40 years, the proportion of elderly has doubled, and this trend will repeat in less than the next two decades. Estimates show that by 2051, one in three Iranians will be elderly, while the infrastructure to face this reality is still lacking.”
He added that in the past, the organization’s focus was primarily on elderly persons with disabilities, but under the Seventh Development Plan, the National Secretariat for Aging has been assigned to the State Welfare Organization. For the first time since the revolution, the Supreme Council on Aging was established under the leadership of the First Vice President, and a special aging committee has also been formed within the Vice Presidency.
Delbari further explained that four scenarios have been designed for the future of aging in Iran — ranging from “successful aging,” as seen in countries like Japan, to “risky aging,” which Iran is currently heading toward. “Unfortunately, we still lack a long-term plan. Cross-sectoral policymaking is very weak, and the country does not have a comprehensive law to support the elderly,” he stressed.
According to Delbari, more than 90% of elderly Iranians suffer from at least one chronic disease, 75% live with two chronic conditions, and 50% face three chronic illnesses. “Based on global standards, we should have around 2,500 geriatric specialists in the country. Currently, we have fewer than 25, and less than 30% of elderly people have supplementary insurance,” he noted.
The senior advisor also raised concerns about the growing challenge of caring for elderly individuals without family support. “Currently, 15,000 elderly people are housed in care centers, 4,800 of whom are abandoned seniors. With rising marriage ages, declining fertility rates, and family difficulties, these numbers are expected to increase in the future,” he said.
Delbari emphasized the need to promote a culture of healthy, active, and dynamic aging through “Mehr and Dialogue” centers and to provide training for self-care skills among the elderly.
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