The ageing of the population--a time for action. The role of public health.

The past two decades have witnessed the growth of the over-60, "elderly" population both in numbers and life expectancy. Similarly, there has been a shift in overall morbidity from acute to chronic causes and associated lifestyle factors. The increasing elderly population provides health care planners with new challenges at a time of decreasing resources. The public health approach, which equally stresses the responsibility of the individual, the family, the community and health care providers, is suggested as the starting point for addressing the issue.