Over 60s world health issue
Wednesday January 4th, 2012
The health of people over the age of 60 is set to come under the spotlight this week.
The
globe's growing population of elderly people is the focus of World Health
Day on Saturday - the 7th.
The World Health Organisation says the number of elderly people is set to overtake the number of children under the age of five within a few years.
It says the main threat to their health is so-called non-communicable diseases, which include heart disease and cancer.
It is also calling for a change in social attitudes to ageing - creating respect and value for older people.
Its four "key actions" also involve tacking problems of chronic disease through detection and high quality care.
WHO ageing expert Dr John Beard said: "Healthy lifestyles from the very beginning of life is key to a healthy and active old age."
Writing in The Lancet today, a British expert condemns "stereotyped and generalised" depictions of elderly people.
Dr Peter Lloyd-Sherlock, of the University of East Anglia, Norwich, says ageing populations will lead to a crisis in health and welfare services unless social attitudes are challenged.
He writes: "Many older people continue to make substantial social, economic, and cultural contributions, which can be enhanced by measures that improve their health and functional status."
Tags: Elderly Health | UK News | World Health
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