Socio–economic implications of ageing in Iran with specific focus on Tehran

Mohammad Taghi Sheykhi, Al-Zahra University

The paper explores the ageing population of Iran vis-à-vis quality of life, and their social and economic conditions. The author hopes that the present research would act as a beginning step to expand gerontology, which is less developed in countries like Iran. While the world is graying, Iran too is facing the same phenomenon, and the process is accelerated and intensified by the decreasing birth rate, mortality rate, and the increasing longevity. This change is affecting, and will further affect the social and economic lives of the elderly to a great extent. However, the world is not ageing uniformly. The demographic transition varies from one region to another, and from one country to another in the same region. Further, the impact of the ageing process on social and economic lives of people is different in various countries; depending on the social fabric, cultural values and economic structure of society.