Aging in Mexico

Although Mexico is still a relatively young country by OECD standards, its population of people age 65-plus is projected to more than triple by 2050, largely driven by a declining fertility rate. The government has been slow to prepare for the demographic transformation and has lagged in investing in the support systems to address the challenges of an aging society. Families are, for the most part, left to assume the responsibility for providing care and economic security for their aging family members. The country’s massive informal economy has contributed to the highest poverty rates for older adults compared to all OECD countries; the average income for the 65-plus group is 40 percent below the relative poverty line. In recent years, the government has strengthened public policies to improve the quality of life of older adults, including creating the Program for the Well-being of the Elderly, which provides a non-contributory pension and assistance services. Other agencies, including The National Institute for the Elderly (INAPAM), seek to raise awareness about the needs of older adults in the realms of human rights, economic security, social protection, and active aging.