EXPERTS TO DISCUSS IMPACT OF LONGEVITY ON CITIES AND VILLAGES
Press Release
EXPERTS TO DISCUSS IMPACT OF LONGEVITY ON CITIES AND VILLAGES
19990208 In celebration of the International Year of Older Persons 1999 and as a parallel event with the thirty-seventh session of the Commission for Social Development, the conference on "Caring Communities for the 21st Century: Villages and Cities for All Generations - Towards a Society for All Ages" will take place on 10 and 11 February in Conference Room 4 at United Nations Headquarters. The meeting is organized by the International Council for Caring Communities in collaboration with the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat), the secretariat of the International Year of Older Persons and the Department of Public Information (DPI).Experts, coming from the fields of architecture, advertising, design, community planning, health, government, real estate development and technology, will discuss the impact of longevity on cities and villages. Longevity is one of mankind's greatest achievements. However, there are challenges that accompany this achievement.
In 1950, there were about 200 million persons aged 60 or older - persons in this age group now number almost 550 million and rising. One in five persons will be 60 years or older by the year 2050 and one in three persons by 2150. Currently, persons 80 years and older constitute 11 per cent of the population aged 60 and above. By 2050, 27 per cent of the older population will be over 80 years old.
With the ageing of populations worldwide, the public sector is faced with demands to increase the standard of housing and provide decent living conditions for the older generations. It is necessary for designers to develop building standards that will make homes suitable, that is accessible and adaptable for all people at all stages of development, from older people to young children.
Most older persons will be healthy, well educated and capable of contributing to society. However, there will be those whose physical and emotional needs will demand that their environment be changed. Not to be seen as disabilities, these physical changes will prompt society to design products that will allow older persons freedom of movement and continued community involvement.
An international exhibition and presentation of architectural and design students projects entitled "Integrated Communities: A Society for All Ages" will be on display in the Viennese hallway from 8 to 12 February. The exhibit
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stems from a programme of six New York interior design schools which were asked to renovate premises or facilities that accommodate older persons, to make them both accessible and comfortable. Other factors included multiculturalism and environmental sustainability.
For further information, contact Shala Mokgethi, tel. (212) 963-8104 or Nenad Vasic, tel. (212) 963-3771.
For accreditation, contact Media Accreditation Unit, DPI, tel. (212) 963-6934 and fax: (212) 963-4642.
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