Climate change and its impacts on elderly road users in Malta : a call for new policies?

Abstract

Malta has a high elderly population. This increased rapidly throughout the years and is projected to further accelerate in the future. In 2011, the elderly population in Malta (60+) was of 98,786, representing 24% of the entire population. The number of elderly females exceeded that of the males (Figure 1). However, the increase between 2005 and 2011 was higher for males: +31%. This is an indication that due to several health improvements, life expectancy of elderly in Malta is increasing. Indeed, the Maltese elderly population is healthier than the EU-27 average. In 2010, the healthy life year indicator showed that on average, men and women in Malta at the age of 65 are expected to live a further 12 and 11.9 years respectively in a healthy condition (PwC, 2012).