Europeans are extremely lucky. Not only can they expect to live longer than most people born anywhere else in the world, they can also expect to enjoy most of their lives in relatively good health.
The Persistence of Poverty across Europe
More than 120 million Europeans, the inhabitants of one of the wealthiest regions of the planet, still live in poverty.
Seventeen years have elapsed since the 3rd IFA Conference was held in Durban, South Africa in 1997 and the 12th IFA Conference takes place in Hyderabad this June.
ILC Global Alliance ‘line-up’ at International Federation of Ageing Conference
The next annual conference of the International Federation of Ageing (IFA) in Hyderabad approaches rapidly, and the ILC Global Alliance is delighted to be participating, continuing its strong relationship with the IFA, and its history of featuring strongly in past conference programmes.
Ageing included at UN post-2015 meeting
Earlier this month, I attended the intersessional meeting between civil society and the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals (OWG) in New York. The OWG is the group of UN member states that is leading the process towards a global framework beyond 2015. The session included a presentation on ageing for the first time ever.
ILC-UK and the case for adult immunisation
In 2011 the International Longevity Centre – UK along with a host of leading European public health advocates formed SAATI – the Supporting Active Ageing Through Immunisation partnership.
Housing for older people globally: What are the best practices? An ILC Global Alliance e-dialogue
This Discussion Paper below collates the findings of 10 ILCs within the ILC Global Alliance on the subject of housing for older people.
Younger and older employees have much in common. They are devoted to their work; most of them are capable and usually see their work as meaningful. So it’s very strange that employers and employees, the younger as well as the older generation, think that younger employees outperform older ones.
Value-building of India’s Greatest Resource – Children. An ILC-I Initiative.
Young India going Old: The population of India is more than 1 billion- a very well-known fact. India is the second most populous country in the world, again a well-established statistic.
Singapore elders graduate from self care program
About 150 older people were recognized in a graduation ceremony for the Self Care on Health for Older People in Singapore Program (SCOPE) last February 26, 2013. SCOPE has been implemented by ILC-Singapore since June 2010 as a community development intervention that enables older people to practice self-care and manage chronic diseases better with the long-term goal of helping sustain good functional status and quality of life.
Long term saving across Europe
Europe continues to suffer from a savings crisis which could blight the lives of future generations of older people.
No housing policy for older persons. Only political opportunism.
South Africa has no policy on housing for older persons. Only social pensioners in need of 24-hour nursing care may be admitted to a state-subsidised old age home, but the number is capped at 2 per cent of the older population.
Are you 60 years old, healthy and productive? We need your help!
If you are retired, aged 60 years or older, please take a few minutes to answer our questionnaire.
Disseminating “Productive Aging” to the world – From Salzburg to Tokyo
The average life expectancy for Japanese people is now over 80, and healthy life expectancy is 75 which is the world’s longest. The portion of the population over 65 is expected to be more than 30% in 2025 causing Japanese society to go through something that humanity has never experienced before. What will the society be like when a third of the population is elderly?
The European Union’s massive 2012 Ageing Report, published on 15 May and promptly endorsed by national governments, warns darkly of the impact of demographic change in driving up age-related public expenditure, and undermining the sustainability of government finances, in the context of the current financial crisis.
Ageing, well-being and development
It is often assumed that as people grow older, they become poorer and less satisfied with life. However, new research in South Africa and Brazil suggests the opposite.
Guest blog: Peter Barnett - Italy’s baby retirees leave a costly legacy
In a March 2011 circular for the ILC Global Alliance called Retirement Age [1], Craig Berry from ILC-UK commented that in response to population ageing, exacerbated by long-term budget deficits in many countries, governments around the world are seeking to raise retirement ages, or the age at which state pension payments are available to citizens.
Guest blog: Peter Barnett – Revisiting vaccination
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and control (ECDC) has published its Annual epidemiological surveillance report [1].
Guest blog: Peter Barnett - Lonely Planet or Lonely People?
The impact of demographic change on social attitudes and employment are the subject of a recent article by John Cacciopo [1].
Medicine for older age: training for the future, not the present
Today sees the launch of a new report from the Economist Intelligence Unit [1], supported by Pfizer, examining healthcare provision for an ageing European population.
Guest blog: Peter Barnett – World Aids Day – ‘Getting to Zero’
World AIDS Day is about increasing awareness, fighting prejudice, improving education and working together to achieve universal access to HIV prevention, treatment and care.
Guest blog: Stephen Burke - Austerity brings us together
Families faced by the biggest squeeze on their finances are facing some tough choices. So how are we responding to austerity? Well, the USA is seeing a big growth in multigenerational households - that is homes where three or more generations of the same family are living together.
UN High-Level Meeting on Non Communicable Diseases
On 19-20 September 2011 the United Nation held a High-Level Meeting on Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs). This meeting witnessed the recognition of neurological diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias...
Older people and natural disasters: the Japanese tsunami
The recent tsunami that hit Japan represents one of the deadliest natural disasters of our recent times. With a death toll of over 10,000 and 13,000 people still missing...
Health at a Glance: Europe 2010
A recent special edition of Health at a Glance (1) reveals new evidence about the growth in average life expectancy across Europe, whilst painting a picture of health inequalities.