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Our Approach to Aging

The Hidden Economic Cost of Ageism

Systematic exclusion produces systematic loss.

The 50+ population contributed $45 trillion to global GDP in 2020. By 2050, that figure is projected to reach $118 trillion.
Source: AARP Global Longevity Economy Outlook (2022)
If the silver economy were a country, it would be the world's third-largest economy — after the United States and China.
Source: Brookings (2024) / AARP
The EU Silver Economy will reach €5.7 trillion by 2025.
Source: European Commission (Silver Economy Study)
By 2050, the global population aged 60+ will reach 2.1 billion — twice today's figure.
Source: WHO Ageing & Health Fact Sheet
By 2030, the 60+ population will reach 1.4 billion, surpassing children under 10.
Source: UN Decade of Healthy Ageing Proposal
Turkey's 65+ population reached 9.1 million in 2024 — 10.6% of the total population.
Source: TUIK 2024
Silver Network
Turkey's aging population grew 20.7% in five years — from 7.55 million in 2019 to 9.11 million in 2024.
Source: TUIK 2024
Turkey is undergoing in 27 years the demographic transition France experienced over 115 years.
Source: WHO / TR Healthy Ageing Action Plan
25.3% of households in Turkey include at least one person aged 65 or older.
Source: TUIK 2024
Turkey's median age was 34.4 in 2024 — projected to reach 45 by 2080.
Source: TUIK 2024
The 50+ population accounts for more than half of global consumer spending — $35 trillion.
Source: AARP (2022)
In the US, adults 60+ control 70% of disposable income.
Source: Nielsen / BoomAgers
US Baby Boomers account for 49% of CPG sales — $230 billion.
Source: Nielsen / BoomAgers (US CPG data)
Every day, more than 100,000 people celebrate their 60th birthday.
Source: WHO calculation
Silver Network Silver is the New Green
Only 5–10% of marketing budgets target the 50+ audience.
Source: HBR (2020) / AARP
Only 15% of digital ads target audiences aged 50+.
Source: AARP Media Solutions
Healthy aging increases workforce participation by 20%.
Source: IMF / Live Long & Prosper
A 70-year-old today has the cognitive capacity of a 53-year-old in 2000.
Source: Live Long & Prosper / IMF
Every $1 invested in healthy aging yields $9–$20 in economic returns.
Source: Live Long & Prosper (Bloom)
Three-quarters of aging's negative impact can be offset through healthy aging policies.
Source: Live Long & Prosper / IMF
While per capita income increased 7× over the last 100 years, the value of life extension increased 20×.
Source: Silver Economy combined / Live Long & Prosper
The per capita macroeconomic value of life extension exceeds $1.2 million.
Source: Silver Economy combined / Live Long & Prosper
Unpaid care work equals 9% of global GDP — $11 trillion.
Source: ILO Care Work (2018)
60.1% of households with aging individuals in Turkey live in buildings without elevators.
Source: TUIK Building Characteristics 2021
The 50+ population contributed $45 trillion to global GDP in 2020. By 2050, that figure is projected to reach $118 trillion.
Source: AARP Global Longevity Economy Outlook (2022)
If the silver economy were a country, it would be the world's third-largest economy — after the United States and China.
Source: Brookings (2024) / AARP
The EU Silver Economy will reach €5.7 trillion by 2025.
Source: European Commission (Silver Economy Study)
By 2050, the global population aged 60+ will reach 2.1 billion — twice today's figure.
Source: WHO Ageing & Health Fact Sheet
By 2030, the 60+ population will reach 1.4 billion, surpassing children under 10.
Source: UN Decade of Healthy Ageing Proposal
Turkey's 65+ population reached 9.1 million in 2024 — 10.6% of the total population.
Source: TUIK 2024
Silver Network
Turkey's aging population grew 20.7% in five years — from 7.55 million in 2019 to 9.11 million in 2024.
Source: TUIK 2024
Turkey is undergoing in 27 years the demographic transition France experienced over 115 years.
Source: WHO / TR Healthy Ageing Action Plan
25.3% of households in Turkey include at least one person aged 65 or older.
Source: TUIK 2024
Turkey's median age was 34.4 in 2024 — projected to reach 45 by 2080.
Source: TUIK 2024
The 50+ population accounts for more than half of global consumer spending — $35 trillion.
Source: AARP (2022)
In the US, adults 60+ control 70% of disposable income.
Source: Nielsen / BoomAgers
US Baby Boomers account for 49% of CPG sales — $230 billion.
Source: Nielsen / BoomAgers (US CPG data)
Every day, more than 100,000 people celebrate their 60th birthday.
Source: WHO calculation
Silver Network Silver is the New Green
Only 5–10% of marketing budgets target the 50+ audience.
Source: HBR (2020) / AARP
Only 15% of digital ads target audiences aged 50+.
Source: AARP Media Solutions
Healthy aging increases workforce participation by 20%.
Source: IMF / Live Long & Prosper
A 70-year-old today has the cognitive capacity of a 53-year-old in 2000.
Source: Live Long & Prosper / IMF
Every $1 invested in healthy aging yields $9–$20 in economic returns.
Source: Live Long & Prosper (Bloom)
Three-quarters of aging's negative impact can be offset through healthy aging policies.
Source: Live Long & Prosper / IMF
While per capita income increased 7× over the last 100 years, the value of life extension increased 20×.
Source: Silver Economy combined / Live Long & Prosper
The per capita macroeconomic value of life extension exceeds $1.2 million.
Source: Silver Economy combined / Live Long & Prosper
Unpaid care work equals 9% of global GDP — $11 trillion.
Source: ILO Care Work (2018)
60.1% of households with aging individuals in Turkey live in buildings without elevators.
Source: TUIK Building Characteristics 2021

Research conducted by the World Health Organization across 57 countries and 83,000 individuals revealed that nearly half of the global population is exposed to ageism. This discrimination has infiltrated economic decision-making mechanisms: in business, in marketing strategy, in product design.

The Accelerated Aging Cycle

Ageism is not merely a perception problem — it is a measurable health threat. Research by Becca Levy of Yale University shows that negative beliefs and attitudes about aging shorten average lifespan by 7.5 years. An individual's own perception of aging directly influences the biological aging process.

This cycle operates through self-efficacy: the belief that "I'm old, I can't do this anymore" accelerates real functional decline. Social exclusion, early withdrawal from the labor market, and passivity in consumer behavior form the links in this chain.

Source: Yale/Levy

What Do the Numbers Say?

$850B
Annual productivity loss caused by ageism in the United States
$63B
Additional healthcare costs linked to ageism in the United States
1.7M
Preventable patient cases resulting from ageism in the United States
50%+
Global consumer spending share held by the aging population
2%
Potential GDP contribution if ageism were eliminated
7.5 yrs
How much longer people with positive aging attitudes live vs. negative ones

The Passivized Consumer

Ageism creates a strange paradox in business: the demographic segment with the greatest purchasing power is the least visible in marketing strategies. Only 5–10% of marketing budgets target audiences over 50; only 15% of digital advertising targets this group.

Beyond this, the imagery used in advertising predominantly portrays aging individuals as passive, dependent, and disconnected from technology. This representation both negatively shapes consumers' own perception of aging and renders a real market segment invisible to companies.

An Unpriced Risk

In the world of sustainability reporting, carbon risk has been tracked for years: companies' exposure to climate change is priced in and factored into investment decisions. Demographic aging risk, however, remains largely outside these reports.

Yet demographic aging is also a business risk: productivity loss driven by employees' caregiving responsibilities, being caught unprepared by the aging of the customer base, product design misaligned with changing user capacity. The fact that these risks remain unpriced gives first movers a decisive advantage.

What Can Be Done

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