Anshu Banerjee, head of WHO‘s section on maternal, child and adolescent health and aging, emphasized the need to rethink the way care is provided to the elderly.
“We all need support to care for ourselves at some point in our lives, but we are more likely to need care the longer we live,” he said.
“However, Evidence shows that care and support systems around the world are not yet ready to meet the needs of older people.”
Alarming statistics
According to the WHO analysis, unmet health care needs persist among older adults regardless of where they live.
By 2030, one in six people worldwide will be over 60, and by 2050, 80 percent of older people will live in low- and middle-income countries, underscoring the global priority of healthy aging.
The latest data also points to alarming challenges ahead, including “age-related” stereotypes that poor health is an inevitable part of aging, leaving many older adults unable to receive necessary care.
It also found that only 25 percent of reporting countries have sufficient resources to implement integrated care, and only 16 percent of low-income countries offer training programs for informal caregivers who form the backbone of support in many regions.
A majority of them are family members and almost always women.
Radical change needed
Dr. Banerjee noted that transforming healthcare systems is not only essential for older adults, but also for improving care across all age groups, making it a valuable investment for the future.
“The UN Decade of Healthy Aging underlines this A radical change in the way we value and deliver care is needed to promote healthy aging – and WHO stands ready to support countries committed to making this change,” he said.
The agency’s recommendations for transforming healthcare systems include delivering person-centred care that focuses on individual needs and preferences, integrating health and social care services across settings, and providing equitable support to healthcare providers.
It also emphasized the need for greater cooperation between national governments, local authorities, civil society and the private sector to enable these changes.
International Day of Older Persons
The call, which coincided with the International Day of Older Personscame when the world was the center of the UN Decade of Healthy Aging (2021-2030) on combating age discrimination, creating age-friendly environments and improving integrated and long-term care.
The theme for this year’s International Day of Older Persons is: Aging with dignity: the importance of strengthening care and support systems for older people worldwide.