On 15 December, the United Nations General Assembly passed a Resolution declaring 2021-2030 the Decade of Healthy Ageing.
The UN Resolution follows recent endorsement of the Decade by the World Health Assembly, whilst also expressing concern that despite the predictability of population ageing and its accelerating pace, the world is not sufficiently prepared to respond to the rights and needs of older people.
The Resolution calls upon the World Health Organization (WHO) to lead the implementation of the Decade, in collaboration with the other UN bodies, as well as encouraging national governments, civil society, academia etc. to support the Decade’s goals.
Initiatives undertaken as part of the Decade will seek to:
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Change how society thinks, feels and acts regarding age and ageing
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Facilitate the ability of older people to participate in and contribute to their communities and society
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Deliver integrated care and primary health services that are responsive to the needs of the individual
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Provide access to long-term care for older people who need it.
In addition, the Resolution acknowledges that ageing demographics impact upon health systems and many other aspects of society, including financial markets, demand for goods and services, including long-term care, social protection etc.
Furthermore, the WHO and UN are seeking inputs from all interested stakeholders to contribute to a collaborative platform where knowledge on ageing can be accessed, shared and produced in a single place.
More information on the Decade of Health Ageing can be found at: https://www.who.int/initiatives/decade-of-healthy-ageing
