Study: Ticino residents embrace the idea of growing old

Growing old appears to be much more important for residents in southern Switzerland than in the rest of the country, a survey shows. A study financed by the health insurer Sanitas found that 59% of people in canton Ticino in Italian-speaking Switzerland believe it is important to live to a ripe old age. In German-speaking Switzerland, the figure was only 42% and slightly higher in French-speaking Switzerland (44%). Statistically, there are more elderly people living in Ticino than in the rest of the country. For every 100,000 inhabitants, 42 people in Ticino are 100 years old or older. The average for Switzerland is 22. In all, 43% of respondents under 30 said that it was important or very important to grow as old as possible. The figure was slightly higher (45%) among the over-60s. Ageing has a bad image According to the survey, ageing generally has a bad image in Switzerland. Significantly more people (56%) said they were not looking forward to getting old. The situation in ...