| The market for wheelchairs and mobility scooters is | | | | money spent on pensions for disabled people |
| rapidly increasing? Why? Because the general | | | | accounted for 0.9% of GDP in 1980, but by 2000 |
| population of developed countries is aging and more | | | | money spent on disability pensions nearly tripled to |
| money is being spent to take care of them and their | | | | 2.6% of GDP. |
| age related illnesses. | | | | With an expanding market for products for disabled |
| In the 1900's only half of the population was expected | | | | people and more money available for disability |
| to survive until the age of 50 years old. However more | | | | products it is not surprising that there are more and |
| people are now living and are active well past that | | | | products such as wheelchairs and mobility scooters on |
| age. According to Wikipedia the overall median age of | | | | the market. |
| people in developed countries rose from 29 years in | | | | Accessibility is improving and people with disabilities |
| 1950 to 37.3 years in 2000, and is forecast to rise to | | | | want to be mobile. The Americans with Disabilities act, |
| 45.5 by 2050. | | | | which was enacted in 1990 and further amended in |
| In other words in 1950 half of the population was under | | | | 2009 has helped to bring down barriers to mobility. |
| 29 years, and half were older. By 2000, half of the | | | | People with disabilities are in a better position than ever |
| population was under 37 and half were older. In the | | | | before to demand equal rights and equal access to |
| year 2050, half of the population will be more than 45.5 | | | | society. |
| years old | | | | People with disabilities can get around more easily than |
| As the population ages, there are more and more | | | | ever before. Therefore, products which help people |
| people with age related illnesses. For example, in the | | | | with disabilities to be more mobile are in greater |
| USA over 30 million Americans have disabilities and | | | | demand. With the population aging and the likelihood of |
| Americans with disabilities constitute the third-largest | | | | even more people with disabilities demanding even |
| minority. | | | | great access to society, we can expect to see more |
| With the aging of the population and the expanding | | | | products for disabled people, more companies |
| population of disabled people, there is more spending | | | | competing to take a share of the expanding market |
| on products for disabled people. According to | | | | and as a result, we will see more and better mobility |
| Wikipedia the costs of disability pensions are steadily | | | | scooters and wheelchairs than ever before. |
| growing in Western countries. For example In the UK, | | | | |