There are many older people in the world and there will be many more. A little-known fact is that over 60 percent of the older people live in developing countries. According to the World Health Organization, by 2020 there will be 1 billion, with over 700 million living in developing countries. It is a surprising fact that the population ageing is particularly rapid in developing countries. For example, it took France 115 years for the proportion of older people to double from 7 percent to 14 percent. It is estimated to take China a mere 27 years to achieve this same increase. What are the implications of these increased numbers of older folk? (77) One of the biggest worries for governments is that the longer people live, the more likelihood there is for diseases and for disability (残疾). Attention is being paid to the need to keep people as healthy as possible, including during old age, to lessen the financial burden on the state. (78) Another significant problem is the need for the younger generations to understand and value the older people in their society. In some African countries, certainly in Asia, older people are respected and regarded as the ones with special knowledge. Yet traditions are fading away daily, which does not ensure the continued high regard of older people. As society changes, attitudes will change. Much needs to be done to get rid of age discrimination (歧视) in employment. Lifelong learning programs need to be provided to enable older people to be active members in a country's development. Social security policies need to be established to provide adequate income protection for older people. Both public and private schemes are vital in order to build a suitable safety net. The proportion of older people ______.