What problems could a country with a higher elderly dependency ratio face?

Explanation:

I'm one of the people that you are talking about. I'll be 81 this December. I can think of a pile of problems that could happen. Two countries that you should likely study are Japan and China.  Both depend to some extent on the families to care for the Elderly.

Most involve entitlements. Entitlements are government granted rights. If you are an American, you can think of Medicare and Medicaid. The medical system is overloaded with expenses. We are kept alive by the wonderful advances that have taken place over the last 4 decades. But they are not cheap.

I stay in a manner for the elderly. I take the fewest number of pills of anyone in here (3). My table mate has a list of 15 different drugs -- some very expensive.  She can take care of herself, but of the 18 people in here, only my table mate and I can take care of ourselves. Bubble packs are expensive: Someone has to make them up. You are paying about 130 dollars (Canadian) an hour to do that. And that's only in a small manner and that doesn't represent what would happen in a bigger place.

There's xrays, specialists, MRIs, lab work for most of us. I get my blood drawn every two weeks. My pension, housing (I can't take care of myself) meal preparation, cleaning (I can do some of that -- most of the others can't).

The question is: who's going to pay for all this? When I began working 15 people were taken care of by income tax and other taxes. I think the ratio is now six to take care of us.

I think you get the picture. I hope so. Don't get me wrong -- I'm very grateful for what I get.

answer(c) carved on a babylonian clay tablet that showed earth as a flat circular disk;