Belgium not among 20 'best places to grow old'

Switzerland is the best place in the world to grow old, according to the annual Global AgeWatch Index. Belgium is in 24th place in the 2015 list, just behind Estonia and the Czech Republic.

The list of the world's 'best places to grow old' - an initiative of HelpAge International, an NGO that helps older people challenge discrimination - is composed of various criteria such as income, health, life expectancy and facilities for people over 60. Data for the index is collected from various organisations including the World Bank, the World Health Organization and UNESCO.

Topping the list of the 96 countries surveyed are Switzerland, Norway, Sweden, Canada and Germany. The Netherlands is in sixth place, At the bottom of the list are a number of African countries, and Afghanistan comes in last place in the list.

Belgium, in 24th place, scores well in terms of older people's satisfaction with civic freedom and public transport. However, life expectancy is slightly lower than the regional average, and employment and financial security after retirement are lagging behind comparable countries, according to the index.