Author Description

"From Red to Gray: The "Third Transition" of Aging Populations in Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union looks at the distinctive challenges of aging that the transition countries face. All aging societies run the risks of slower growth and unsustainable fiscal burdens. For the transition countries in the region, however, these doomsday scenarios are not inevitable; the only dangers lie in complacency and inaction." "The authors present policies to address potential slowdowns in growth in these economies - such as increasing low levels of labour force participation, deepening financial markets, and increasing productivity. They also propose reforms to manage rapid increases in public spending on old-age pensions and health care - from transforming pension systems that are generous but cover fewer workers to urgently planning for the provision of long-term care for the aged." --Book Jacket.