TEHRAN – The Nursing Organization of Iran plans to hold the first startup weekend on senior care, ISNA reported on Wednesday.

Supported by the vice presidency for science and technology and Abr-e Zendegi accelerator, the event will be held on June 13-14 in Tehran.

Companies active in website designing, software, video games, applications and smart systems will participate in the event.

Senior care is an ever-evolving industry and a natural fit for startups looking to improve the life and livelihood of people in their golden years.

In December 2018, the national council of the elderly announced that the older person’s population will grow three-fold within the next 30 years in Iran, as some 700,000 people are added to the aging population of over 60 each year.

The population of senior citizens currently exceeds 8 million in Iran and the annual growth rate of the country's aging population is about 3.8 percent.

According to the World Health Organization between 2015 and 2050, the proportion of the world's population over 60 years will nearly double from 12 to 22 percent. By 2020, the number of people aged 60 years and older will outnumber children younger than 5 years old.

The pace of population ageing is much faster than in the past. In 2050, 80% of older people will be living in low- and middle-income countries.

All countries face major challenges to ensure that their health and social systems are ready to make the most of this demographic shift.

SB/MG