Elderly couple in Japan, Source flickr.com, Author Jordi Sanchez, Teruel (CC BY-SA 2.0 Generic)
Developed countries are experiencing a significant population decline [1].
The size of the workforce in developed countries is shrinking, while the proportion of older men and women is rising due to longer life expectancies, lower fertility rates, and lower birth rates (this last attributed in part to a rise in LGBTQ identification). Reliance on social services by an aging population is meanwhile on the rise.
This is impacting national economies, defense, housing, education, and culture [2]. There is, also, a potential impact on child abuse/neglect, domestic violence, and elder abuse.
Japan
Japan’s population has been shrinking for the past 15 years [3][4]. The stress of urban life is taking a heavy toll. Technology can only replace human beings in certain labor sectors.
A growing number of businesses in Japan now cater to parties of one: restaurants, bars, karaoke clubs…even wedding chapels. So called “alternative romance” is highly in vogue among the young, with robots replacing human beings in relationships and marriage to inanimate objects seen as acceptable.
Meanwhile, the elderly are being left behind in the digital revolution [5]. There is a widening rift between tech-savvy youth and digitally challenged seniors. Only 54.2% of Japanese aged 65-74 use smartphones, compared with 85% of American seniors. Only 7.2% of Japanese over age 80 use the internet, compared with 44% of Americans of similar age.
This is greatly increasing social isolation among the elderly, as well as a deepening the generational divide.
United States
Japan is not alone. The United States population is, also, declining [6][7][8]. As an illustration, the age of the average American farmer is 58 [15]. Fully 1/3 of American farmers and ranchers are 65 or older, and their children are unlikely to take over for them.
The tendency of young people to move to urban areas in search of better employment or educational opportunities frequently causes older people to feel excluded and to lose their support systems.
Impact on Child Abuse and Neglect
A decline in the rate of population growth should, theoretically, lead to fewer children exposed to child abuse and neglect.
But a decline in absolute numbers does not necessarily reflect a change in prevalence [9]. And the number of law enforcement personnel, psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers trained in dealing with abuse and neglect are expected to decline, as well.
Impact on Domestic Violence
As with child abuse and neglect, a declining population rate should decrease the instances of domestic violence. There has, in fact, been such a decrease lately. This is attributed to a decline in marriages and domesticity overall; better access to domestic violence shelters; and the improved female economic status [10].
Unfortunately, the rate of domestic abuse does not consistently decrease as a population ages [16]. Abusers, in other words, do not stop abusing as they age.
Impact on Elder Abuse
Elder abuse and neglect are among the primary public health problems linked to global demographic changes [11A]. They increase the rate of illness/injury, hospital admission, institutionalization, and mortality among seniors.
The global rate of elder abuse is estimated at 14.3% [12]. Rates of elder abuse and neglect vary from 2.6% in the United Kingdom to 10% in the United States, and 26.3% in Spain [11B][13A][14]. However, in the United States that rate rises to 16% in nursing homes [13B]. Older people with dementia are at much higher risk.
“The silver-haired head is a crown of glory, If it is found in the way of righteousness” (Prov. 16: 31).
God, of course, loves us at any age. The young are encouraged to care for the elderly, and not abandon them (Ex. 20: 12).
—
[1] World Population Review, “Countries with Declining Population 2025”, https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/countries-with-declining-population.
[2] Wikipedia, “Population decline”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Population_decline.
[3] CBS News, 60 Minutes, “Japan’s Population Crisis”, https://www.cbsnews.com/video/japan-population-crisis-60-minutes-video-2025-08-17/.
[4] Tokyo Weekender, “Tokyo’s Population Crisis: Why the Country Could Lose 80 Million People” by 4/30/25, https://www.tokyoweekender.com/japan-life/news-and-opinion/japans-population-crisis-why-the-country-could-lose-80-million-people/.
[5] Medium, “The Silent Crisis: Japan’s Elderly Left Behind in the Digital Revolution” by Akinobu Ishihara, 7/15/24, https://medium.com/@JapanUnveiled/the-silent-crisis-japans-elderly-left-behind-in-the-digital-revolution-7ef2a4f7c2e2.
[6] Peter G. Peterson Foundation, “US Population Growth Is Slowing Down – Here’s What that Means for the Federal Budget”, https://www.pgpf.org/article/u-s-population-growth-is-slowing-down-heres-what-that-means-for-the-federal-budget/.
[7] AP News, “US population projections shrink from last year because of declining birth rates, less immigration” by Mike Schneider, 1/15/25, https://apnews.com/article/population-projections-congressional-budget-office-946a81a89908c44bb6b7df1ad8b5d57c.
[8] American Survey Center, “What’s Behind the Rapid Rise in LGBTQ Identity?” by Daniel Cox, Jae Grace, and Avery Shields, 3/6/25, https://www.americansurveycenter.org/newsletter/whats-behind-the-rapid-rise-in-lgbtq-identity/.
[9] Child Welfare Monitor, “Declining child abuse? The misuse of data in child welfare”, 1/26/21, https://childwelfaremonitor.org/2021/01/26/declining-child-abuse-the-misuse-of-data-in-child-welfare/.
[10] National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine, National Center for Biotechnology Information, “Domestic Violence” by Martin Huecker et al, 4/9/23, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499891/.
[11A and 11B] National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine, National Center for Biotechnology Information, “Elderly Abuse and Neglect on Population Health: Literature Review and Interventions from Selected Countries” by Ahmad Alias et al, 8/29/23, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10667074/.
[12] The Lancet, “Elder abuse prevalence in community settings: a systematic review and meta-analysis” by Yongjie Yon et al, 6/26/15, https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(17)30006-2/fulltext?rss\u003dyes\u0026code\u003dlancet-site.
[13A and 13B] Senior Living, “Elder Abuse Statistics for 2025”, https://www.seniorliving.org/research/elder-abuse-statistics/.
[14] The BMJ, “Elder abuse in the UK: out of the shadows and on the agenda” by Carolyns Stephens et al, 11/25/21, https://www.bmj.com/content/375/bmj.n2828.
[15] US Senate Special Committee on Aging, “America’s Aging Farm Workforce”, 2025, https://www.aging.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/2025_aging_farm_workforce_report.pdf.
[16] EvoStudies, “Does Domestic Violence Decrease as Women Age? Understanding the Patterns of Domestic Violence in India” by Kriti Sinha and Summer Mengelkoch, May 2024, https://evostudies.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Sinha-Mengelkoch-2024-NEEPS-XVI-Vol14Iss1.pdf.
FOR MORE OF MY ARTICLES ON POVERTY, POLITICS, AND MATTERS OF CONSCIENCE CHECK OUT MY BLOG A LAWYER’S PRAYERS AT: https://alawyersprayers.com
ANNA WALDHERR A Voice Reclaimed, Surviving Child Abuse 
Increasing pressure and demand for paperless household matters affairs certainly a challenge for so many of us elders. Techies don’t seem to care they are leaving millions of elders, esp alone and no assistance, out of loop even just for personal paperless only household and medical management. I’m feeling increasingly helpless. Non-tech-out – of -the-loop is causing disasterous consequences. The real heavy helplessness is intensified because you can’t remedy out-of-loop issues without being in-the-loop.
I fully agree, Carl.
I suspect the demographic changes will bring with it a tidal wave of consequences we can hardly imagine. This is just one that I hadn’t considered.
–Scott
And we are rushing headlong into the arms of AI w/o considering the consequences. SMH. Wishing you well, Scott.
I think it’s safe to say that most, if not all, all of the potential societal negatives you mention can be traced back to man’s independence from God. In many cases, especially among the young, technology is their god. This can be seen by the way so many are rendered helpless without their devices close at hand. I’m not what to call it, whether it is an obsession or possession, but clearly something is wrong when we cannot function apart from them.
The world as it is now is vastly different than just one generation ago, leaving one to wonder how deep into the “wilderness” man will fall should the Lord delay His coming. As you point out Anna, the rise in abuse and neglect is an indicator that basic human decency is a trait we are losing, and God help us all should this trend continue.
One thing is certain though, and that is that the evidence is clear that despite his best efforts, man has failed to create the Utopia he once envisioned for himself. For that, we must return unto the Lord.
So right, Ron.
I know very little about “Alternative romance”. Nothing shocks me anymore. Very interesting article, Anna. Thank you. God bless you, Anna!
God bless you, too, Cindy. ❤
I so appreciate this, Anna. Thank you! One of my frustrations in life is trying to talk about meeting the needs of people in our changing culture and it’s nearly impossible to even discuss when so many people are obsessed with alleged (and now demonstrably false) population explosions. When public health, government, and assorted other players are all busy trying to curb the population and therefore reduce global warming, it makes for challenging circumstances.
Sadly, wars, illness, and starvation have been all too effective in keeping populations in check over the long haul. Though populations may be on the increase in developing countries currently, I expect that will change.
Thank you for linking to that last article in your footnotes, Anna. It saddens me that even as India becomes more “advanced” economically and technologically, it continues to hold on to its pagan hierarchical and domestic values. This can only be solved with a change of heart as is true in the West where “advanced” technology/education doesn’t always translate into less violence, domestically or societally. Thus our universal need for the gospel of God.
Some time ago, I saw a television report about a daycare in a U.S. city where, for budgetary reasons, the local authorities were compelled to merge a children’s daycare with a senior home. The results were surprisingly positive: the seniors felt reinvigorated by the children’s presence, and the children, in turn, delighted in absorbing the elders’ experience and quiet wisdom.
It sounds like a lovely idea, especially since families have become so fragmented these days.