Geriatric ConcernsIssues and Challenges

Ahmed Nabeel Alvi Executive Director TARAQUI Association for Human Development

Objective of the sessionMainstreaming Ageing through public awareness

What is Ageing?

Ageing – GLOBAL - LOCAL situation

Global and National Initiatives

Role of TARAQUI in Ageing

Way Forward!

1

What is Geriatrics

2

3

4

5

6

What is ageing?Ageing (British English) or aging (American English) is the accumulation of changes in a person over time.

Ageing in humans refers to a multidimensional process of physical, psychological, and social change.

Some dimensions of ageing grow and expand over time, while others decline.

What is ageing?

The world is in the midst of a unique and irreversible process of demographic transition that will result in older populations everywhere.

As fertility rates decline, the proportion of persons aged 60 and over is expected to increase

Every month 1,000,000 people become 60 yrs old in the world

80 percent of them live in developing countries

Key Facts about Ageing!

2 billion people will be aged 60 and older by 2050.

This represents both , a challenge and an opportunity.

Between 2000 and 2050, the proportion of the world's population over

60 years will double from about

11% to 22%.

Increase in elderly population

1980 2010 20500

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

Key Facts about Ageing!

• In almost every country, the proportion of people aged over 60 years is growing faster than any other age group, as a result of longer life expectancy and declining fertility rates.

• Due to health advancement, awareness and technology.

At a glance

• Today almost 1 in 10 people are over 60 years old

• People aged over 60 will outnumber children aged 0-14 by

2050

• Source : Help Age International

Trends in Global Ageing

8% 9%10%

12%13%

14%16%

19%

23%

25%26%

4% 4% 4% 4% 4% 5% 6%8%

10%

13%15%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

1950 1970 1990 2010 2030 2050

Developed World Developing World

Percent of PopulationAged 65 & Over: History and UN Projection

Source: UN (2005)

Ageing in Pakistan

• Based on U.N. (2002) projection estimates, the proportion of population 60 years and above in Pakistan will increase from

% increase By 5.8 20007.3 2025

12.4 2050

But the fact is

• Pakistan’s current elderly population already is 11.2 million and will triple the number by 2050.

Nature of issues affecting the aged

• Health• Income• Education and training • Social Welfare and Protection • Transportation • Gender • Human Rights

Directly leading to Psycho- Social,Socio-Economic and physical issues forelderly in Pakistan

Geriatrics 13

Multiple Concurrent Losses

• Loss of physical health• Loss of social contacts: Friends/family• Loss of financial security: Retirement• Loss of independence and power• Loss of mental stability• Loss of Respect

What is Geriatric?`

Health, diseases and their prevention for elderly relates to Geriatrics

Studying the social and psychological aspects of Ageing relates to Gerontology

Diseases we know

• Alzheimer’s Disease (AD)• Arthritis • Cardiac Disease • Chronic obstructive pulmonary

disease (COPD)• Dementia• Depression• Diabetes• Falls

• Hypertension• Hypercholesterolemia• Memory Loss• Osteoporosis• Parkinson’s Disease • Sleep Disorders• Stroke

Acceptance !

Global Initiatives on Ageing

The Vienna International Plan of Action on Aging was adopted by the World Assembly on Aging held in Vienna, Austria from 26 July to 6 August 1982.

The focus was on

1. Independence

2. Participation

3. Care

4. Self Fulfillment and

5. Dignity

• The Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA) 2002 - Discussed later

World Health Organisation

• Good health adds life to years:

Age Demands Action

Global Initiatives on Ageing

The year is intended to raise awareness of the contribution that older people make to society. It seeks to encourage policymakers and relevant stakeholders at all levels to take action with the aim of creating better opportunities for active ageing and strengthening solidarity between generations.

National Initiatives on Ageing

• Social Security offered to Working class only, • Employees Old age Benefit Institution, • Health Policy for Elderly since 2009, • slightly higher interest rates on savings certificates• A few Old Age Homes• Bait-ul-Maal .

• Senior Citizen Bill in National Assembly since 2009(pending )

Private Sector Initiatives:

• Pakistan Senior Citizens Association• Senior Citizens Advisory Council• Pakistan Senior Citizen Foundation• Pakistan National Centre of Ageing, • Old Age Homes• Edhi Foundation, • Dar-ul-Afayat,• Geriatric Care Foundation and a few associations working for the welfare of retired persons,• OPAs in Sindh and KP established with

the assistance of HelpAge Pakistan.

Issues faced by the Association

• Working informally instead of Professionally. • Work in isolation. • No national consensus. • 18th Amendment – No provincial initiative•

Madrid international plan of action on ageing

• MIPAA is a 16,000- word document calling for changes in attitudes,

policies and practices at all levels in all sectors, so that the

‘enormous potential’ of ageing in the twenty-first century may be fulfilled

The Madrid Plan lists 33 objectives and 117 concrete recommendations, grouped into

3 priorities

Together, the priorities cover

18 areas of concern to older people.

Three Priorities include

1. Active participation in society and development2. Work and the ageing labour force3. Rural development, migration and urbanisation4. Access to knowledge, education and training5. Intergenerational solidarity6. Eradication of poverty7. Income security, social protection / social security and

poverty prevention8. Emergency situations

Priority 1: Older persons and development

Three Priorities include

1. Health promotion and wellbeing throughout life2. Universal access to healthcare services3. Older persons and HIV/AIDS4. Training of care providers and health professionals5. Mental health needs of older people6. Older people and disabilities

Priority 2: Advancing health and well being into old age

Three Priorities include

1. Housing and the living environment2. Care, and support for caregivers3. Neglect, abuse and violence4. Images of ageing

Priority 3: Enabling and supportive environments

•159 Countries signed the declaration

on Ageing including Pakistan

MISSION STATEMENT

To improve the quality of life of marginalized people through community based programs with special focus on elderly population of Pakistan.

Geriatric Information Club (GIC) aims to disseminate publicawareness about several health related diseases related to old age through publications in local language and conduct awareness sessions , lectures for the benefit of elderly age.

Objectives

To raise public awareness about diseases/behavior affecting ageing population.

Raise public awareness for research and care givers. To promote positive ageing & discuss laws and policies for elderly

in Pakistan.

Activities

The program was launched in Gulshan –e – Maymar in collaboration with a local school where grandparents of children attended awareness session on osteoporosis conducted by health experts in collaboration with Baqai Medical University and Karachi University.

The program will be replicated in other schools of the community and will reach approx 45,000 elderly people

Future plans

Arrange seminars to inform communities/society about issues. Conduct researches to explore existing work in Gerontology . Form volunteer groups for providing care for older adults. Develop a comprehensive resource centre serving researchers

ENG-AGED Engaging New Generation with AGED (ENG-AGED) will work to

minimize the gap occurring between generations due to socio,

economical and technological advancements. We aim to use schools as

a vehicle for change by involving grandparents and grand children.

Activities Story Telling sessions Drawing Competition Age Awareness campaigns e.g Do you support Active Ageing?

Do you support Active Ageing?

SPEED Strengthening Partnerships for Elderly Empowerment and Development (SPEED) aims to bring in various stakeholders

of our society who are already working on elderly issues under one platform of SPEED. This will help Pakistan in achieving its goals set in the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing successfully.

IM-AGE Inspiring Moments of AGE (IM-AGE) is a program that will capture the moments of ageing through

various mediums of communication such as Pictures, Films, theatre , cartoons, illustrations etc.

PowerPoint has new layouts that give you more ways to present your words, images

and media.

PRIORITY 1 : Older persons and development

Active participation in so-ciety and

development

Access to knowledge, education and training

Intergenerational solidarity

PowerPoint has new layouts that give you more ways to present your words, images

and media.

PRIORITY 2: Advancing health and well being into old age

Health promotion and wellbeing

throughout life

Training of care providers

and

health professionals

Mental health needs of older people

PowerPoint has new layouts that give you more ways to present your words, images

and media.

PRIORITY 3: Enabling and supportive environments

Care, and support for caregivers

Neglect, abuse and vio-lence

Images of ageing

Way Forward!• Good Policy Needs Good Data – More authentic and centralized

research initiatives to be taken by universities, NGO’s , Govt etc• Enhancement of Public Private Partnerships. Consolidated

efforts needs to be taken in order to achieve MIPAA objectives in Pakistan. CSR initiatives

• Encour-age! The role of families, communities and society in dealing with elderly needs to be encouraged through volunteerism .

• Cover-Age! Promoting age as a positive change through electronic/ print media and face to face awareness campaigns. “Establishing an age friendly society”.

We will either find a way, or make one …

“The best way to predict the future is to invent it”

Allan Kay

Thank You