How we are old

Nitin Desai United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs

Last year I turned 60, and had not one but several birthday parties to celebrate. The festivities were not unusual. In my culture, it is a great accomplishment for anyone to reach 60.

Worldwide, we must recognize that the fact that we are living longer is not a problem; it is an achievement.

This will of course involve some attitude shifts. Revered and protected in some places, in others older persons are looked down upon, warehoused, neglected and abused -- physically, psychologically, and financially.

Marginalizing older people is going to be less of an option anyplace on the planet in the coming years, however. According to United Nations demographers, in about 50 years it is quite likely that for the first time in history there will be more persons over 60 than children under 15. Whereas now one in 10 persons is 60 or older, by 2050 it will be one in five. The numbers of those over 80 (the "oldest old") are expected to increase five-fold.

UN analysts have been tracking and spelling out the ramifications of these trends in different environments, economic situations and regions. In the more developed regions as a whole, older persons already outnumber the young.

Although the developed world has aged gradually over the past century, the demographic transformation in the age structure still poses challenges relating to the projected declines in the ratio of working age to non-working older persons, for pensions, social security systems and health care.

In developing countries, the pace of ageing is more rapid; Their older population is expected to quadruple during the next 50 years. These countries will face major resource constraints as they grapple with the simultaneous challenges of development and population ageing. It is clear that in the richer as well as in the poorer countries, the demographic revolution will influence all aspects of daily life and affect every man, woman and child.

The UN raised awareness about this revolution during International Year of Older Persons, in 1999. The focus that year was on the need to create "a society for all ages", one in which attitudes, policies and practices at all levels and in all sectors will enable people to age with security and dignity, to continue to participate in their societies as citizens with full rights, and to contribute fully to and benefit equally from development.

The Second World Assembly on Ageing, which the UN will be holding in Madrid from April 8-12, takes this a step further. At the Assembly, countries from around the world will adopt the International Plan of Action 2002. This negotiated Plan, while not legally binding, will provide guidance to policy makers on the changes required to bring about the "society for all ages". Its point of departure is that the global trend of people living longer is an historic achievement, one which must be reflected in the ways our economies are run and our societies are organized.

The Plan covers a broad gamut of possible policy measures. A number of them relate to the protection of the rights of older people. They include removing whatever excludes or discriminates against them in their respective societies. In the labor sphere, for instance, this might involve policies which extend employability, adjustments in the workplace such as work or job sharing, flexible scheduling or gradual retirement plans (while maintaining acquired pension rights).

Secure ageing, the struggle against poverty among the older, is a prime concern. Older persons deserve decent incomes or pensions. Special attention must be paid to older women, who are the majority of the elderly. Often they are less able to build up pensions due to their lower incomes and interrupted work histories. They may also have been victims of harmful traditional and customary practices which have undermined their economic empowerment.

Poverty eradication programs must take account of the needs of older persons in rural settings, where most of the elderly in developing countries live today. The needs of older people living alone, and the special needs of those with disabilities must be addressed as well.

The Plan also highlights the need for health care, not just for older persons, but throughout the lifecourse, the result of which is healthier older people. Better training of caregivers for older persons is needed in all parts of the world. Greatly expanded education and training programs in geriatrics will be required to cope with the demographic revolution, as well as improved technologies in this field.

A key goal is to find the ways and means of embracing the potential of older persons as a basis for the future development of societies. The continued integration of older people in their communities is essential. Initiatives are needed to promote mutual, productive exchanges between the generations, focusing on the older person as a resource.

The Plan of Action to be adopted at the forthcoming UN meeting in Madrid covers many more political, economic and social strategies. Not every strategy will fit every circumstance. It is hoped that national policy makers will select those policy tools most appropriate to their country's realities, and place the ageing issue prominently on their national agenda.

According to the Chinese proverb, "It is not how old you are but how you are old which matters". For the world as whole, as well as for each person in it, "how we are old" matters vitally.