In this briefing, Drs. Sergio Díaz-Briquets and Elaine Acosta
González assess the rapid aging of... more In this briefing, Drs. Sergio Díaz-Briquets and Elaine Acosta González assess the rapid aging of Cuba’s population as a result of declining fertility and death rates, as well as massive emigration to the United States and other countries. The authors examine the multiple demographic and social implications of the growing share of elderly Cubans. The island already has one of the highest proportions of people over 65 years of age in Latin America (estimated at 16.8% in 2023, only surpassed by Puerto Rico at 24.2%) and is projected to have the twelfth oldest population in the world (27.1%) by the year 2050. Drs. Díaz-Briquets and Acosta González provide a sobering analysis of the current and future predicament of Cuba’s older citizens. Among the most pressing issues are the financing of the island’s retirement pension system; the deterioration of the public healthcare system; the difficulty of meeting the elderly population’s basic nutritional and housing needs; the declining State investment in social welfare policies; and the need to coordinate State interventions with the care and resources provided by nongovernmental organizations. The authors’ critical conclusion is that “existing institutional and social policies designed to serve elderly needs are inadequate and insufficient.” They end their essay with several recommendations for urgent public policy changes in Cuba.
In this briefing, Drs. Sergio Díaz-Briquets and Elaine Acosta
González assess the rapid aging of... more In this briefing, Drs. Sergio Díaz-Briquets and Elaine Acosta González assess the rapid aging of Cuba’s population as a result of declining fertility and death rates, as well as massive emigration to the United States and other countries. The authors examine the multiple demographic and social implications of the growing share of elderly Cubans. The island already has one of the highest proportions of people over 65 years of age in Latin America (estimated at 16.8% in 2023, only surpassed by Puerto Rico at 24.2%) and is projected to have the twelfth oldest population in the world (27.1%) by the year 2050. Drs. Díaz-Briquets and Acosta González provide a sobering analysis of the current and future predicament of Cuba’s older citizens. Among the most pressing issues are the financing of the island’s retirement pension system; the deterioration of the public healthcare system; the difficulty of meeting the elderly population’s basic nutritional and housing needs; the declining State investment in social welfare policies; and the need to coordinate State interventions with the care and resources provided by nongovernmental organizations. The authors’ critical conclusion is that “existing institutional and social policies designed to serve elderly needs are inadequate and insufficient.” They end their essay with several recommendations for urgent public policy changes in Cuba.
Uploads
Policy Papers by Sergio Diaz-Briquets
González assess the rapid aging of Cuba’s population as a
result of declining fertility and death rates, as well as
massive emigration to the United States and other
countries. The authors examine the multiple demographic
and social implications of the growing share of elderly
Cubans. The island already has one of the highest
proportions of people over 65 years of age in Latin America
(estimated at 16.8% in 2023, only surpassed by Puerto
Rico at 24.2%) and is projected to have the twelfth oldest
population in the world (27.1%) by the year 2050.
Drs. Díaz-Briquets and Acosta González provide a sobering
analysis of the current and future predicament of Cuba’s
older citizens. Among the most pressing issues are the
financing of the island’s retirement pension system; the
deterioration of the public healthcare system; the difficulty
of meeting the elderly population’s basic nutritional and
housing needs; the declining State investment in social
welfare policies; and the need to coordinate State
interventions with the care and resources provided by
nongovernmental organizations. The authors’ critical
conclusion is that “existing institutional and social policies
designed to serve elderly needs are inadequate and
insufficient.” They end their essay with several
recommendations for urgent public policy changes in Cuba.
González assess the rapid aging of Cuba’s population as a
result of declining fertility and death rates, as well as
massive emigration to the United States and other
countries. The authors examine the multiple demographic
and social implications of the growing share of elderly
Cubans. The island already has one of the highest
proportions of people over 65 years of age in Latin America
(estimated at 16.8% in 2023, only surpassed by Puerto
Rico at 24.2%) and is projected to have the twelfth oldest
population in the world (27.1%) by the year 2050.
Drs. Díaz-Briquets and Acosta González provide a sobering
analysis of the current and future predicament of Cuba’s
older citizens. Among the most pressing issues are the
financing of the island’s retirement pension system; the
deterioration of the public healthcare system; the difficulty
of meeting the elderly population’s basic nutritional and
housing needs; the declining State investment in social
welfare policies; and the need to coordinate State
interventions with the care and resources provided by
nongovernmental organizations. The authors’ critical
conclusion is that “existing institutional and social policies
designed to serve elderly needs are inadequate and
insufficient.” They end their essay with several
recommendations for urgent public policy changes in Cuba.