Understanding of population ageing by Russian students

Nadezhda Galkina, Moscow State University
Natalia Kalmykova, Moscow State University

Problem of negotiations between generations in terms of ageing is not only a question of intergenerational transfers, but also a matter of perception of the elderly community. This issue is exacerbated by the fact that at the moment the Russian society, including the business community perceives the elderly in accordance with the negative stereotypes emerged under the influence of advertising images.To test the hypothesis about inadequate perception of the elderly among children the authors offered 550 school students of 8 – 11 classes (14-17 years old) to answer the questions about positive and negative effects of population ageing in the social, economic and other spheres of life for their generation. The problem of intergeneration negotiation is important today because in Russia population decline is accompanied by ageing, as well as in other developed countries, but virtually the main cause of ageing in Russia is the birth rate decrease. In the next 20 years the number of people 65 and older is expected to increase by 8 million to 40.8 million. The process of ageing has a strong impact on all aspects of life. Economic growth, labor markets, taxation, social support system and intergenerational transfers are the first things to suffer. Unfortunately, young people are afraid of ageing and older people are perceived inadequate to their status and role in society. Key words: ageing, Russia, intergenerational negotiation