INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SHOULD BRING YOUNG AND OLD CLOSER TOGETHER, NOT PUSH THEM FURTHER APART, CONFERENCE ON OLDER PERSONS' YEAR TOLD
Press Release
HAB/151
SOC/4445
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SHOULD BRING YOUNG AND OLD CLOSER TOGETHER, NOT PUSH THEM FURTHER APART, CONFERENCE ON OLDER PERSONS' YEAR TOLD
19980429 USG for Public Information, Kensaku Hogen, Stresses Importance of Raising Awareness of Ageing and Urbanization ProblemWith the changing balance of power in information technology, with children often teaching their teachers how to use it, it was necessary "to learn how to learn from our children and grandchildren", but at the same time the wisdom of older persons must not be forgotten.
So stated the Co-Chair of the United Nations/Non-Governmental Organization Committee on Human Settlements, Robert Pollard, as he addressing the opening meeting of the International Preparatory Conference for the International Year of Older Persons, which convened this morning at Headquarters.
People should learn how to transmit that wisdom in an information environment that was unfamiliar, he said. Information technology should bring the young and the old closer together, not push them further apart. A major question in the age of modern technology was how to process the vast amount of information, with so many interrelated fields, without becoming overwhelmed. The wisdom of older persons could be brought to bear in that area, where an objective look could be very helpful. "We cannot abdicate that role to the whizz-kids in Silicon Valley", he stressed.
The two-day Conference is considering the theme "Ageing and Urbanization: Challenges and Opportunities -- Towards a Community for All". It is exploring questions such as whether older persons can be good for cities, and whether cities can be good for older persons. It is organized by the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat), the secretariat of the International Year of Older Persons and the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, in cooperation with the New York-based International Council for Caring Communities.
Also addressing the event this morning, Under-Secretary-General for Public Information, Kensaku Hogen, said the Conference was a vehicle for drawing attention and addressing the problem of ageing and urbanization. Thetheme of the Conference, in preparation for the International Year of Older Persons, was pertinent to discussions on the idea of sustainable communities for all generations. While caring for the aged took a lot of careful policy and budgetary planning, raising awareness of the issue was the most important factor.
The Acting Executive Director of Habitat, Darshan Jholal, said the world was witnessing drastic changes in the patterns of growth and population due to increasing life expectancy and growing urbanization. The international community must prepare for that phenomenon now, as it would have a profound impact on urban planning and other social concerns. Increasing the availability of adequate living conditions for older persons was imperative.
The Chair of the United Nations/Non-Governmental Organizations Committee on Ageing, Helen Hamlin, said attitudes about age should be altered. The aged must be seen as independent and capable, and not ready for the shelf. As humanity sought spiritual excellence in creating a sensible place to live, cities should be more responsive to human needs.
The General Assembly, by resolution 47/5, proclaimed 1999 as the International Year of Older Persons. "in recognition od humanity's demographic coming of age and the promise it holds for maturing attitudes and capabilities in social, economic, cultural and spiritual undertakings, not least for global peace and development in the next century".
The Conference is addressing various themes related to ageing and urbanization, including: quality of life; the changing images of older persons -- the influence of advertising and the media; social architecture -- benefits and challenges; and creative leadership -- untapped resources. It brings together international experts in the fields of architecture, finance, media, technology, government, design, health and public/private partnerships. The participants are also looking at the needs and interests of older persons and seeking ways to ensure their participation in decision-making on economic, gender-related and political issues.
Between 1980 and 2020, the number of persons aged 60 and over is projected to increase by 240 per cent, numbering 1.4 billion worldwide by the year 2030. By that time, 70 per cent of the world population will live in urban areas. The two parallel trends of ageing and urbanization will have an unprecedented impact on all aspects of human society.
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Statements
KENSAKU HOGEN, Under-Secretary-General for Public Information, said the theme of the International Preparatory Conference for the International Year for Older Persons (1999) -- "Ageing and Urbanization: Challenges and Opportunities Towards a Community for All" -- was a universal problem in many countries and it was very appropriate that the issue was being taken up at that particular stage. The Conference provided an excellent vehicle for creating awareness about the problem and how to address it. The theme of the Conference was very pertinent to discussions on the ideas of sustainable communities for all generations. Caring for the aged took a lot of careful planning and budgetary planning. Above all, however, raising people's awareness of the issue was the most important factor.
DARSHAN JOHAL, Acting Executive Director of Habitat, said he had just returned from the United Kingdom, where he had visited Windsor Castle. A very special 98 year-old lady lived there, Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. She was the model of how to grow old with grace, charm and dignity. While not everyone could live in a castle, her life certainly showed the relationship between good housing and good health.
The world was witnessing drastic changes in the patterns of growth and population, the major factor being increasing life expectancy, he said. The process of democratic transition from a youthful to more mature societies was occurring in developing countries much faster than in the industrialized world. The total number of older persons, those over 60 years of age, was 200 million in 1950; now it was more than 550 million, and the number was still rapidly growing, especially in developing countries.
The international community must prepare for the effects of that phenomenon now, as it would have a profound impact on urban planning and many other social concerns, he said. It was a global fact that older persons, especially the poor, faced great difficulties, and increasing the availability of adequate living conditions was imperative. The dwellings of older persons were often the centre of virtually all their daily activities because of their reduced mobility.
He said that their human settlements needs included, in particular, physical and mobility needs to provide easy access for older persons. Social and civic needs must also be addressed, especially the breaking down of social barriers to older persons. In addition, it was essential to make sure the financial needs of older persons were met. Public policies must ensure that older persons had sufficient income. They usually preferred to be independent, and not to rely upon families. Providing partial financial assistance and discounts such as reduced-priced travel was much more efficient, and more palatable to older persons, than total support.
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Older persons should also be more integrated into the workplace, as they had a great wealth of experience, he said. They should be better integrated into the community, as they had much to contribute. Their great potential and capacities, especially at the community level, must be used. The Habitat Agenda, adopted by the second United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II) attached great importance to the participation of older persons in the community and to addressing their needs. Everyone must work together to take the necessary measures to face the challenges of ageing and urbanization now.
HELEN HAMLIN, Chair of the United Nations/Non-Governmental Organization Committee on Ageing, said there were many issues of ageing and urbanization to be explored today. The confluence of those issues were of greater importance in light of the world's increasing older population. It was fitting that today's work was in preparation for the International Year of Older Persons. The theme of the Year, "A society of all ages", had many elements and covered many facets of life. It would also provide the opportunity to acknowledge and examine the resources available to older people.
There was a need to look at the way attitudes about age could be altered, she said. How the aged were viewed was critical and they must be seen as independent and capable and not ready for the shelf or the iceberg. In considerations about "ageing and urbanization", attention had to be paid to shelter, habitat and the environment because they represented security and comfort. As humankind sought spiritual excellence in creating a sensible place to live, it should be kept in mind that cities should be more responsive to human needs. Developing a community architecture approach that was sensible, sensitive and sustainable should be also considered. It was expected that the ageing population would be responsive and communicative well into the next century.
ROBERT POLLARD, Co-Chair of the United Nations/Non-Governmental Organization Committee on Human Settlements, said the issue of a "community for all" looking towards older persons was closely linked with looking towards the new millennium, in which information technology would have a dramatic effect on the way society lives.
There was a need for all to learn about new communications technology, with which many older persons were not familiar, he said. How society should live in this age of information technology was a crucial question. The balance of power in information technology was changing, with children often teaching their teachers how to use it. It was necessary "to learn how to learn from our children and grandchildren". But at the same time, however, the
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wisdom of older persons must not be forgotten. People should learn how to transmit that wisdom in an information environment that was unfamiliar. Information technology should bring the young and the old closer together, not push them further apart.
One of the questions everyone faced in the age of modern technology was how to process the vast amount of information, with so many interrelated fields, without becoming overwhelmed, he said. The wisdom of older persons could be brought to bear here, where an objective look could be very helpful. "We cannot abdicate that role to the whizz-kids in Silicon Valley."
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