BBC World Have Your Say

Putting the final touches to tomorrow’s Newshour show at 1200, 2000 and 2100GMT, when Claire Bolderson will be taking an in-depth look at old age, which, as someone once quipped, is a high price to pay for maturity. It’s also a more explosive political issue than ever. In Spain, there have been mass protests this week over plans to raise the retirement age; and right across the industrialised world, the economic downturn has intensified the debate about how best to support people in old age. Occupational pension schemes face an uncertain future, government finances are in crisis, there’s a rapidly ageing population, and many young people have no retirement plans at all. So we’ll be asking: what is the best way to look after our older citizens? Does the idea of retirement have a future — or does it need a far-reaching and radical rethink? Is it right for younger workers who don’t have pensions to support older colleagues with generous retirement plans? Or should the industrialised world learn to value the elderly more, whatever the cost?