Türkiye’s active aging index falls behind EU average: TÜİK

ANKARA

Türkiye's active aging index has shown a modest increase over the past year, though the country still lags behind the European Union (EU) average, according to figures from the country’s statistics office

A key measure of how effectively the elderly population navigates the aging process, the active aging index in Türkiye has increased from 28.7 in 2023 to 29.7 in 2024, while still falling behind the EU average of 36.8, the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) said on April 25.

The active aging index is developed to measure four key components: The employment of older individuals, their social participation, their ability to live independently, healthily and safely and the capacity for active aging in a supportive environment.

The elderly population is defined as those aged 65 and above.

In 2024, Türkiye's active aging index for men was 34.5, falling short of the EU average of 38.5, while the score for women stood at 25.3, significantly lower than the EU average of 35.3.

The Eastern Black Sea region recorded the highest score at 33.3 percent, while the Southeastern Anatolia region had the lowest index value, reaching only 26.9.

Among the four components of active aging, Türkiye's score for social participation remained relatively low compared to the EU average, with an index value of 12.5. Istanbul achieved the highest score in this category at 17.

Türkiye outperformed six EU countries on the employment component, with the employment index for older people rising to 27.6 in 2024 from 25.9 the previous year.

Looking at the health and independent living component, Türkiye's score declined slightly from 65.5 to 65. This component assesses physical activity, health care access and overall safety.

Finally, Türkiye’s score for the capacity and environment for active aging component reached 46.1 in 2024. It measures the support available for elderly individuals to live independently and maintain a good quality of life.

The Eastern Marmara region recorded the highest score for this component, achieving an index value of 51.1.

Highlighted by the nation’s declining birth rate, Türkiye’s elderly population has increased by 20.7 percent over the past five years, rising from 7.5 million in 2019 to 9.1 million in 2024. Looking ahead, the elderly population is projected to keep growing, reaching 13.5 percent of the total population by 2030 and rising to 33.6 percent by 2100.