A demographic revolution is transforming the world we live in, warns United Nations report

The United Nations has called upon the global community to recognise an ageing population as one of the key challenges of the twenty-first century, with secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon calling upon developed nations to achieve a “society for all ages”.

The report ‘Ageing in the Twenty-First Century: A Celebration and A Challenge’, published by the United Nations and produced in collaboration with HelpAge International, defines population as a “major trend with global implications” and, despite celebrating that mankind is achieving increased longevity, demands that governments recognise the need for a proactive approach to safeguarding the well-being of older people.

Ban Ki-Moon writes: “Population ageing can no longer be ignored. Globally, the proportion of older persons is growing at a faster rate than the general population. This reflects tremendous and welcome advances in health and overall quality of life in societies across the world. But the social and economic implications of this phenomenon are profound, extending far beyond the individual older person and the immediate family, touching broader society and the global community in unprecedented ways.”

Most significantly, Ban-Ki Moon defines the major challenges nations face as being “the sustainability of pension funds and the ability of already overburdened health-care systems to serve much higher numbers of people.”

In achieving a positive future for older people, nations need to ensure that ageing issues are incorporated into key national development plans and poverty reduction strategies. At the same time Ban-Ki Moon has warned that “abuse, neglect and violence against older persons are much more prevalent than currently acknowledged” and nations are challenged to implement stronger prevention schemes and to ensure the rights of an ageing population are protected by stronger legislation.

Executive director of the United Nations Population Fund, Babatunde Osotimehin, comments: “Population ageing is a major trend with global implications.

“With one in nine persons in the world aged 60 years or over, projected to increase to one in five by 2050, population ageing is a phenomenon that we can no longer ignore.”

Focusing on access to quality healthcare, the report states that: “Older persons must have access to age-friendly and affordable health-care information and services that meet their needs. This includes preventive, curative and long-term care. A lifecourse perspective should include health promotion and disease prevention activities that focus on maintaining independence, preventing and delaying disease and disability, and providing treatment. Policies are needed to promote healthy lifestyles, assistive technology, medical research and rehabilitative care.

“Training of caregivers and health professionals is essential to ensure that those who work with older persons have access to information and basic training in the care of older people. Better support must be provided to all caregivers, including family members, community-based carers, particularly for long-term care for frail older persons, and older people who care for others.”

In doing so, the report does not rule out that population ageing and healthier lives should mean “greater opportunities and lower costs to older persons, their families and society.”

Chief executive of the English Care Community Association, Martin Green, believes that the UK government cannot ignore the urgent need for a fresh outlook on care sector resources, commenting: “The United Nations recent report clearly shows that the world's population is ageing and this creates a number of challenges for our society.

“If we are to be ready for the future, the United Kingdom needs to start investing in the development of the care system so that it is ready to meet the demands of an increasingly ageing population. The future can be secured by forward planning and there must be no more excuses, the Government must start putting enough resources into the care sector, so it can meet the challenges of today's population and be ready for the even greater challenges of the future.”