The Challenge of Living Better in an Aging Panama.
Living longer does not always mean living better, and in times when the population is living longer, the challenge of adjusting our societies to that reality is ever greater.
In Panama, the estimated average age of the population for 2026 is 30.6 years and the aging index is 61.5, meaning that for every 100 people under 15 years of age there are approximately 61.5 older people.
Although there are still more children and adolescents in the population pyramid, according to projections from the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC) for the year 2035 this indicator would rise to 104.
Another important piece of data for understanding the demographic transition the country is undergoing is the dependency ratio. Currently, that ratio is 52.75 dependents for every 100 people of working age, and it is estimated that by 2050 that ratio will rise to at least 70.
The 2023 Population Census clearly demonstrates, in absolute numbers, that the challenge is significant: 563,641 people aged 60 and over were registered. According to projections, that number will increase to 690,666 in 2026 and 962,468 in 2035.
Of the total number of older adults surveyed in the Census, 43.4%, or 244,902, were retired or receiving a pension, although the average monthly pension income was $554.59; 13.1% live with a disability, and only 38.5% have social security. Furthermore, 73.9% are not economically active.
