According to a new report from the Veneto Chapter of the Italian Society of Gerontology and Geriatrics (SIGG), the northern Italian regions of Veneto and Trentino-South Tyrol have the highest life expectancy in the country, but this places extra costs on their healthcare systems.
These two regions, with a combined population of approximately 5 million, have seen a growth of around 2,000 people per year in the population over the age of 90.
SIGG reported that life expectancy in Veneto is 81.0 years for men and 85.0 for women, while in Trentino-South Tyrol it is 81.5 years for men and 86.0 for women, making them the highest in Italy. The country itself is globally ranked for high life expectancy.
According to a SIGG official, a combination of healthy and low-stress lifestyles, as well as a strong healthcare system, is contributing to the longer life expectancy in these regions.
However, the increase in the elderly population is creating additional challenges for the healthcare systems, with more than 600,000 people (over 1 percent of the population) over the age of 65 suffering from two or more chronic illnesses, and 180,000 elderly residents unable to live on their own.
The growing healthcare costs are being shouldered by a decreasing population, a result of the combination of higher life expectancy and declining birth rates.
Italy’s National Statistics Institute (ISTAT) has projected a decline in the country’s population from 59.0 million in 2020 to 45.8 million in 2080.
