Health is wealth! Is wealth health?

Current demographic analyses of the world population show a considerable increase in life expectancy of the general population in nearly all regions of the world. Consequently, "Health Economy", defined as "Provision and marketing of goods and services in order to support the maintenance and restoration of health", has become the megatrend of the millenium. This holds true not only for national economies and GDPs, but also - in qualitative terms - for the elderly generation. Guestimates on the purchasing power of the elderly generation show a threefold higher figure compared to the actual working population, at least in the Western hemisphere. A globally organized wellness industry will profit from this situation. However, the increased morbidity of the elderly generation requires enormous financial endeavours to provide resources not only for healthcare programmes, such as disease prevention, healthcare education and improvement in quality-of-life pattern, but also for the development of sophisticated medical devices and therapies which are closely adapted to the needs of the elderly. The notion "Wealth is health" is valid indeed and so is "Health is wealth". Wellness, not just sickness, will determine the lifestyle of coming elderly generations.