During the specialized conference titled “Aging: Challenges and Emerging Horizons,” hosted by Iran’s State Welfare Organization, officials and specialists agreed that without immediate planning, population aging could become a major national crisis. However, with proper policymaking, they said the aging population could also become a strategic asset for national development.
According to projections, by the year 1430 in the Iranian calendar (2051–2052), one out of every four Iranians will be elderly.
Aging Already Reshaping Iran’s Demographics
Speaking at the event, attended by Zia Hashemi, Deputy for Cultural and Social Affairs at the Office of the First Vice President, participants stressed that aging is no longer a distant forecast but an ongoing demographic transformation that is gradually changing Iran’s social structure.
Experts warned that unless policies evolve alongside these demographic shifts, sectors such as healthcare, employment, social services, family structures, and the economy could face serious challenges.
Hashemi stated that even if current population growth and childbearing support policies succeed, Iran’s age structure has already shifted to the point where the aging trend cannot be reversed.
He noted that Iran’s fertility rate currently stands at approximately 1.3 children per woman, well below the replacement level of 2.1, placing the country on a path toward negative population growth.
Need for a New Governance Model
Reviewing demographic changes over the past four decades, Hashemi said Iran was among the world’s youngest countries in the 1980s, with nearly half its population under the age of 17. Today, however, the average age of society is steadily increasing.
“The difference between aging and many other social issues is that time does not work in favor of policymakers,” he said. “Young people gradually enter the labor market and some of their challenges resolve over time, but aging comes with declining physical ability and growing care needs. Without preparation, it can become a widespread crisis.”
From Welfare Recipients to National Assets
A major focus of the conference was changing the traditional perception of elderly people.
Hashemi criticized approaches that treat older adults solely as recipients of pensions and welfare services.
“If our view of the elderly is limited to financial support and welfare assistance, not only will it fail in the future, but it will also push older adults toward dependency and social isolation,” he said. “The elderly should instead be viewed as a national asset capable of contributing through their experience, knowledge, and social capital.”
He added that many developed countries focus on maintaining the independence, dignity, and daily functioning of older adults rather than concentrating exclusively on medical treatment.
“Silver Economy” Seen as Development Opportunity
Hashemi highlighted the concept of the “silver economy,” arguing that demographic change can create new economic opportunities.
He identified aging-related technologies, post-retirement employment, senior tourism, innovative services, and entrepreneurship as key components of this emerging sector.
“Retirement at around age 55 no longer means the end of productivity,” he said. “Many younger seniors are still capable of contributing to the labor market, education, consulting, and economic activities.”
With life expectancy in Iran now exceeding 75 years, he said older adults could become an important driving force in multiple sectors, from tourism to intergenerational knowledge transfer.
Evidence-Based Policymaking Needed
Hashemi also emphasized the importance of data-driven policymaking, calling for the State Welfare Organization and the Secretariat of the National Council for the Elderly to become a national observatory for aging-related data.
He said fragmented information from various institutions should be consolidated to support strategic decision-making.
“The actions required to manage aging do not belong to the future—they must begin today,” he stressed.
Turning Aging Into an Opportunity
Majid Fouladian, Head of the Secretariat of the National Council for the Elderly, said the key issue is no longer whether aging is coming, but whether the country will prepare in advance or wait until it becomes a crisis.
According to Fouladian, policymakers must answer critical questions:
- Will a future elderly population comprising nearly 30% of society become an obstacle to development or an economic driver?
- What plans does the government have for this demographic transformation?
- How can new technologies improve elderly quality of life?
- Why has integrated governance on aging not yet been established?
Welfare Organization Announces New Policy Shifts
Hossein Nahvinejad, Director of the Kahrizak Charity Nursing Home, outlined five transformative policy shifts within the Welfare Organization’s aging strategy:
- Moving from support-based policies to empowerment
- Shifting from cost-centered approaches to investment-oriented policies
- Transitioning from institution-centered care to community- and neighborhood-based models
- Expanding social participation among older adults
- Advancing evidence-based policymaking
He emphasized that older adults should not merely be seen as service recipients, but as active members of society.
Changing the Narrative Around Aging
Mohsen Kermani, Deputy for Innovation and Knowledge-Based Services at the Welfare Organization, stressed that even the language used to discuss aging must change.
Referring to reports by the United Nations Economic Commission, he warned that framing aging solely as a “crisis” leads policymakers to focus only on minimizing damage rather than recognizing opportunities.
He said the silver economy demonstrates that older adults can contribute meaningfully in entrepreneurship, technology, tourism, post-retirement employment, and mentoring younger generations.
Intergenerational Programs and Medical Concerns
One institution participating in the conference announced the pilot implementation of an intergenerational program connecting elderly individuals and children in a district of Tehran.
Meanwhile, healthcare specialists warned that despite the rapid growth of Iran’s elderly population, medical education in geriatric medicine remains insufficient. They noted that specialized geriatric services also lack adequate insurance coverage.
Participants called for:
- Reviving geriatric medicine specialty programs
- Expanding university-level education in elderly care
- Strengthening intergenerational initiatives linking seniors and children
At the conclusion of the conference, Zia Hashemi pledged that the government would work with the Ministry of Health to advance geriatric medicine programs at medical universities.
The overall message emerging from the conference was clear: the aging of Iran is no longer a future possibility—it is already underway. The critical question now is whether the country can redesign its governance, economy, healthcare system, and social services before demographic aging reaches a crisis point.
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