“The global population is aging rapidly. Today, there are roughly 868 million people who are at least 60 years old globally, or about 12% of the world’s population. By 2050, more than 2 billion people will be 60 or older, or 21% of the projected global population. In the United States, 27% of all Americans will be at least 60 years old.

‘Generally, wealthy countries are better able to provide for their residents than poor countries. All but one of the top 10 countries had a GDP per capita of at least $30,000. At the other end of the spectrum, just one of the 10 worst-rated countries had a per capita GDP of more than $5,000.

“However, Kate Bunting, CEO of HelpAge USA, told 24/7 Wall St. that being a wealthy nation alone is not enough for a country to rate well. ‘We focus on a multidimensional look at being older,’ Bunting said. The ability of older people to continue working and ensuring that they do not feel socially isolated are examples of important factors not necessarily captured by GDP, Bunting added. Despite the challenges of crafting policies to help an older population, ‘We feel that global aging is really a triumph of development.’