The greying will change American politics once ageing baby-boomers begin draining government pensions (Social Security) and health care (Medicare) and adding to the tax burden on younger Americans.

ECONOMIST: The Hispanicisation of America

The Health White Paper, published by Health Minister Deputy Anne Pryke, sets out ways the island can change to cope with an ageing society.

BBC: Jersey politicians express concern over health plan

Rising treatment prices, an ageing population and ongoing fiscal austerity mean that it will have to change if it is to keep pace with expectations.

ECONOMIST: NHS reform

Both countries have ageing populations, a bloated capital stock, and vested interests opposed to change.

ECONOMIST: Lands of the cautiously rising sun

Stand back, Dr Pangloss: such demographic change still brings new issues and new problems, notably of ageing populations, even in the poor world.

ECONOMIST: A Survey of the 20th Century

"There's an ageing population, and people's need are changing so services need to adapt and change, and it's inevitable as technology advances in the 21st Century that services need to be organised a little bit differently, " she said.

BBC: Chief medical officer Ruth Hussey: No simple answers

Yet everyone involved with them, including the prime minister and his deputy, failed to communicate why the NHS needs to change in a hurry to respond to the pressures of increasing health costs, rising expectations and an ageing population.

ECONOMIST: Two years of the coalition