Growing Senior Citizens Population Creates Challenges For Policymakers

Elderly women play a card game of rummy at the Mireille Mathieu senior citizens' center on September 20, 2017 in Berlin, Germany. According to government staistics the overall population of approximately 82.3 million in Germany is predicted to decline over coming decades, while the country's population of those aged 67 and older is predicted to rise from 15.1 million in 2013 to 21.5 million by 2040, or 42%. This trend creates huge challenges for policymakers, who must adapt Germany's employment, welfare, senior care, health and pension systems to cope. The Mireille Mathieu center is one of many community centers across Berlin that offer programs, including physical exercise, language courses, computer classes and other activities for the elderly. (Footage by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)