News from International Federation on Ageing

Written by ActiveAge, UK, a recent article spoke to the importance of measurements regarding the age-friendly concept. Given the considerable global interest over the last few years, growing concerns were raised over a lack of standard metrics, preventing stakeholders to properly measure the success of their age-friendly initiative.

As a result, the WHO is currently developing standardized metrics for  age-friendly-cities, while cities and organizations are also developing their own assessment tools. However, numerous difficulties slow down the process, such as the need to have tools capable of accommodating differences in culture and ease of use. In 2009, a small number of stakeholders in the field of ageing gathered and discussed the possibility to adapt an assessment tool developed by the University of St Andrews to age-friendliness, creating an Age-friendly Index capable of measuring the impact of any age-friendly actions, as assessed by older people.

Despite those encouraging progresses, ActiveAge raises another concern about the sustainability of age-friendliness: it remains on the fringes of city economic life. Without an economically focused agenda involving businesses and without the metrics to demonstrate the positive impact of age-friendliness, the age-friendly city initiative could wane. To address this issue, the City of Newcastle designed an Age-friendly Capacity Framework setting out important conditions required for any city to lead an age-friendly campaign and to embed it successfully into the economic and social ecosystem of the city.

Finally, another important aspect of age-friendliness should be taken in account by every stakeholder: age-friendliness is multidimensional and will evolve. ActiveAge believes that a truly multi-generational approach to the planning and implementation of age-friendliness is crucially important.

Click here to read the full Active Age Discussion paper, and learn more about what has been done regarding age-friendliness.

Population ageing has for too long been ignored as a major developmental issue. One of the major challenges is a lack of data and evidence. Global AgeWatch aims to reduce this gap by providing statistics on population ageing and life expectancy.

The first phase of Global AgeWatch comprises national report cards for 195 countries providing internationally comparable statistics on population ageing.  Countries are ranked according to life expectancy at birth and at age 60 — core indicators for human development. Information on the existence of social pensions and policies on ageing is given.

The report cards are complemented by graphics which illustrate the current demographic transition and analysis of key trends and the implications of population ageing for development policy frameworks, such as the post-2015 agenda.

This is the foundation of the Global AgeWatch Index, a dynamic programme led by HelpAge International, which will be further developed to monitor the social and economic wellbeing of older people around the world. It will be published annually.

Click here to go the Global Age Watch Website.   

NGO Action on Ageing in Ghana- Appealing for funding to open new branches for the elderly

Action on Ageing Ghana is a non-governmental organization working with older people in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. They work to identify productive ageing and recognize the contribution of older people in society. In addition, they implement educational and social initiatives to promote an active healthy life while reducing loneliness. The organization has 320 members.

One of their main initiatives is the Active Ageing Week organized from the 2nd to 5th of December 2012 at Kwadaso Agric college conference center, with a seminar entitled «MANY JOURNEYS MANY DESTINATIONS». After the seminar, some concerns of members were addressed. The seminar was well attended close to 150 members.

The next day, there were indoor games of playing cards, Ludu, draft and physical exercises for the participants. The last day was dedicated to oral examination on pario dental diseases for the aged in need.

Appeal for funding

Action on Ageing Ghana is applying for funding in order to open new branches for the older adults. They are on the verge of opening a new branch at HOHOE in the Volta Region, about five hundred miles away from where they are operating now and wish to create a new clinic.

Please support Action on Ageing Ghana, which is working everyday on social and economic justice for older people and research, and advocate and develop public policies to improve the quality of life of older people in Ghana.

1 in 10 older adults are victims of elder abuse and this number increases to 1 in 2 for those with dementia. The Ageless Alliance works to raise awareness on this societal problem that could directly or indirectly affect everyone in our society and connects people of all ages worldwide who stand united for the dignity of older adults and for the elimination of elder abuse. They also provide support for the victims and their family members and are part of the community involvement in elder justice activities.

They have launched the Ageless Alliance on World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 2012, on June 15.

Please find below an update of what’s happening within Ageless Alliance:

— Dr Kerry Burnight, UC Irvine Gerontologist and Co-Chair of the Ageless Alliance Orange County coalition was a guest expert on the Dr. Phil show (click here).

An entire episode was dedicated to elder abuse, and the organization will update its website when the video will air on television. Go to the «Get Involve» page and take a look at the ideas for actions.  

— Ageless Alliance updated its website with new contents. They can provide you information and resources and how people can be involved in the fight against elder abuse. Click here. 

The Scottish Older People’s Assembly 2012 connected with older people in all parts of Scotland, particularly Inverness, Aberdeen, and cities in Europe and Australasia to bring the conference programme to a wider audience.

Scottish Older People’s Assembly took place on 2 November 2012 in the city of Edinburg, an annual conference organized by older people for older people to discuss and share ideas about elderly issues.

The theme of this year’s Assembly is the older person’s experience of care, which could be in the person’s own home, a centre, hospital or care home. The program  highlighted issues around compassionate care as well as preventive care to be encouraged older people to be socially connected in the community. Also discussed was the role that older people took to care for others.

The video from the website shows us how the social participation of an older person is important in her life, especially to prevent social isolation and depression. The video give us the case of a woman who was in a vulnerable situation her entire life and felt so much more isolated when she retired. The Scottish Older People’s Assembly shows an example of social participation of older people.  

Click here to watch the video.

One of the most important issues related to population ageing is the situation of mature age workers who face many difficulties in finding a job.

Surveys of 3000 mature-age Australians found that age discrimination, superannuation, workplace flexibility and leisure-time-trade-offs are major barriers to employment; highlighting the need to adjust to population ageing. By 2050, a fifth of all Australian workers will be a mature age worker; it means a large cohort — full of experiences, skills and knowledge — will become a precious asset for the Australian society. It is critical that government and businesses recognize the contribution of older workers in our economy and provide opportunities.

This article highlights many efforts implemented by the Australian government to support mature workers, such as the creation of programs to increase the participation of mature-age Australians, including a bonus for employers who would hire a mature age worker.

We can’t afford to forget the tremendous contribution of older person in our society and economy, and supporting mature-age workers is a way to remove the barriers and stigma.

Click here to read the entire article. 

Santa is not only for children. He can also give to seniors a smile this year with «Be a Santa to a Senior Campaign» organized by Home Instead Senior Cares and intended for more than half a million older people who will be spending Christmas alone in front of their television. Surveys reveal the depth of isolation affecting many over-65s, whose wellbeing is at greater risk during the winter.

This program helps spread holidays cheer and distributing gifts to lonely or financially challenged seniors at Christmas. 60,000 volunteers over the past six years were involved in distributing 1.2 millions gifts to more than 700,000 seniors.

To implement this program, Home Instead Seniors Cares which provides non-medical in home-care for seniors, builds partnership with local non-profit and community organization to identify and help seniors who might no receive gifts during the holidays season because they have no family or are isolated. The gifts they get from the program are often the only gift they get for Christmas. Volunteers put together packages for seniors in need and bring them directly to their care centers.

The Bath Charity Golden Oldies and Dr Afroditi Stathi from the University of Bath in UK, are working in partnership and created «the Active Song Program», a good way to help older people benefit mentally, socially but also physically since it encourages them to be more mobile by integrating simple exercises while singing.

Golden Oldies in an organization founded to implement initiatives that encourages isolated and lonely older adults to participate regularly in activities that promotes their health and well being.

Dr Stathi said: «A lot of older people say that they have problems getting around and reaching things and these exercises help them to be able to perform everyday activities.»

Dr Stathi hopes that this program will urge governments and policymakers to implement policies and programs toward isolated and lonely older people to maintain their independence, their social participation and improve their quality of life.

Click here to watch the video of Golden-Oldies Charity «Active Song» and here to learn more about this initiative.

Closing Note

Dear Readers,

If you are interested in submitting an article for a future edition of the IFA eNews or wish to make comments or recommendations on how we might improve this publication please email Greg Shaw (gshaw@ifa-fiv.org) or Marie Louvet (mlouvet@ifa-fiv.org) You can contact us by telephone +1 416 342-1655 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            +1 416 342-1655      end_of_the_skype_highlighting.