Third Agers

Ted Glinski, 82, piano player for dementia patients.

The 21st century has been called the Century of Ageing.

Our world is ageing rapidly. By 2050 more than 1 in 5 of us will be over 60.

For the first time in human history there will be more over 60s than children under 15.

Most of the world's older people live in developing countries. Yet definitions, expectations, and the problems of old age are changing rapidly.

So what is it like to be old in today's world?

In this four part series, Jane Little meets Third Agers from four continents to find out.

Programme three:

Even in poor countries, older people can usually support themselves as long as they're able to do some work.

But what happens when they become frail, or develop one of the dreaded diseases of old age, like dementia?

As populations age around the world, these issues become more acute.

In this programme, Jane Little hears from a man in the final stages of Alzheimer's, and his wife - and why they both think that despite the havoc wreaked by the illness, he still has moments of joy.

We also discover how China is preparing for its expected bulge at the top of the demographic pyramid - and what challenges lie ahead in long-term care.

In the US, we meet the man who exported his ageing parents to India to give them the best possible care.

And Jane gets to grips with a cutting-edge, if rather moody, robot which may one day replace a human nurse in caring for the elderly.

First broadcast Monday 16 March 2009