The Danish government has established a new Council for an Age-Friendly Denmark to address growing concerns about age discrimination and demographic changes. Lisbeth Knudsen, strategic director of Altinget and Mandag Morgen, will chair the council, which includes 13 prominent members from various sectors.
The council faces an urgent demographic reality. More than 1.1 million Danes are currently over 67 years old. By 2040, this number will rise to nearly 1.4 million, with 500,000 citizens aged over 80. This means nearly one in four Danes will be over 67 within two decades.
Elderly Minister Mette Kierkgaard emphasized the challenge in a statement. "We have a generation of older people who are healthier and more resourceful than ever before," she said. "That is a huge strength for our society. But the reality is that many older people today face discrimination and prejudices about what they can and cannot do."
The minister noted that society wastes enormous potential by sidelining older citizens. "We need to change that," she stated directly.
Council chair Lisbeth Knudsen described the demographic shift as historic. "Denmark needs to challenge the narrow way we talk about and perceive age today," she said. "This is an enormous societal force if we use it correctly - and a challenge if we don't."
Deputy chair Hanne-Vibeke Holst, a prominent author, criticized Denmark's youth-focused culture. "We live in a youth-obsessed culture where aging comes with a secret shame," she observed. "We talk about 'the gray helmets' as if they're a genderless, colorless mass approaching their expiration date."
Holst described how many older people feel invisible and disconnected despite feeling awake and vital. "This makes many withdraw from public debate and community life," she noted. "It wastes precious life experience and accumulated skills."
The council's composition reflects its broad mandate. Members include Bjarne Hastrup, CEO of the Danish pensioners' organization Ældre Sagen, Herning Municipality Mayor Dorte West, and television host and architect Ane Cortzen.
The timing of this initiative reflects genuine concern about Denmark's aging population challenges. Similar Nordic countries face parallel demographic pressures, but Denmark appears to be taking a more systematic approach to preparing for an older society.
The council will present its comprehensive vision for a more age-friendly Denmark next spring. It will also work to create an active public debate about preventing age discrimination and bias in Danish society. This represents a significant step toward addressing structural ageism before demographic changes become overwhelming.
International observers will watch Denmark's approach closely as many developed nations grapple with similar aging population trends. The council's recommendations could provide a model for other countries facing comparable demographic challenges.