Envelhecimento, Pobreza e Proteção Social na América Latina

Latin America elderly population is expected to keep quickly growing in the next 40 years given to the high fertility rates in the past and the continuous reduction of mortality of the elderly population. This perspective is followed by some incertainty about capability of income generation by old people. The main objective of the paper is to analyze the process of income generation by this people and speculate about their future perspectives. Six countries of the region were selected: Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Mexico and Peru. It is assumed that the main sources of income of elderly population are the Social Security System and the labor market. The importance of the social security benefits on elderly and their families income was described. Perspectives of income generation for future elderly are not promising. Transformations in labour market have resulted in a strong reduction of the proportion of the population active that contributes for social security. It seems, therefore, that the traditional ways to finance the system will not be enough to take care of an increasing demand for social benefits in this context of reduction of contributors.