NATIONAL SOCIAL POLICIES SHOULD INCLUDE MEASURES FOR ACTIVE AGEING, COMMISSION ON SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT TOLD

11 February 1999

Press Release
SOC/4488

NATIONAL SOCIAL POLICIES SHOULD INCLUDE MEASURES FOR ACTIVE AGEING, COMMISSION ON SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT TOLD

19990211 Policies Should Include Full Participation and Integration Of Older Persons in Society; Access to Quality Care; Provision of Housing

Ageing populations posed challenges for national social policies, particularly with regard to equal access to material and non-material resources, Edith Niehuis, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth of Germany told the Commission for Social Development this afternoon as it considered its review of relevant United Nations plans and programmes of action pertaining to the situation of social groups.

Speaking on behalf of the European Union and associated States, she said national policies needed to include measures for active ageing. Those should include: full participation and integration of older persons in society; their access to quality care, including health care; the provision of housing facilities; establishment of an environment reflecting the needs of older persons; and measures for strengthening inter-generational solidarity and social cohesion.

Gary Andrews, Social Affairs Officer, Division for Social Policy and Development, said that while ageing was inevitable, its consequences need not be. Ageing populations resulted from increased life expectancy and decreased fertility rates. It was an achievement and not a cause for dismay. Little was known about responding appropriately at the societal level to such dramatic changes in the demographic profile. Examining the important inter- relationship between ageing and development, however, represented a different approach to just looking at older persons' needs.

The representative of the Dominican Republic said that the consequences for all societies could be dire if the capacities of older people to give, as well as to receive, were not taken into account and harnessed. The media would play a vital role in publicizing the potential contributions of older people, who must be portrayed as economic and social resources, and not just as a source of potential problems. The International Year of Older Persons was not only the rediscovery of a forgotten resource, but also the recognition that the elderly must be consulted on policies that affected them.

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The representative of the Republic of Korea said it was inappropriate to apply a profit-oriented "business concept" in developing long-term perspective strategies on ageing. Job creation was one of the most desirable solutions to the ageing problem. However, the reality was that private companies were hesitant in hiring the elderly. To address that problem, governments needed to subsidize the cost arising from the differential in job-performance between age groups.

The representative of Guyana, speaking on behalf of the "Group of 77" developing countries and China, said disabled people had the right to be provided with the opportunities and tools to make contributions to development. "We owe it to our people, as well as to the future generations, to devise remedies that will lead to better lives, better societies and a better world." The issues of a rapidly ageing global population and increased integration of vulnerable groups must be addressed concretely and decisively.

Statements were also made by the Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Welfare of Croatia, as well as by the representatives of Spain and the United States. The Coordinator for the International Year of Older Persons introduced the Secretary-General's report on the International Year of Older Persons and follow-up arrangements.

The Commission will meet again tomorrow, 12 February, at 10 a.m. to conclude its discussion of social benefits for all and review of the relevant United Nations plans and programmes of action pertaining to the situation of social groups.

Commission Work Programme

The Commission for Social Development met this afternoon to consider the review of relevant United Nations plans and programmes of action pertaining to the situation of social groups. (For background on reports before the Commission, see Press Release SOC/4487 issued this morning).

Statements

JULIA TAVARES DE ALVAREZ (Dominican Republic) reported on the activities of the Consultative Group for the International Year of Older Persons. Last year the Group held four meetings, the first of which had concentrated on follow-up to recommendations contained in the resolution adopted by the Commission last year. The various measures had been considered with representatives from other appropriate bodies. At its other meetings, the Group had heard presentations on reports submitted by the Secretary-General during the last session of the General Assembly on events to launch the International Year of Older Persons. It had also heard from various non- governmental organizations on their activities in connection with the Year. Throughout the Year, the Group intended to publicize and disseminate its activities, particularly regarding the development of long-term strategies on ageing into the twenty-first century.

ALEXANDER SIDORENKO, Coordinator for the International Year of Older Persons, introduced the Secretary-General's report on the International Year of Older Persons and follow-up arrangements. He said that the report had been divided into three sections addressing three issues: the development of a long-term strategy on ageing into the twenty-first century; streamlining the review and appraisal of the International Plan of Action on Ageing; and the four General Assembly plenary meetings at its fifty-fourth session to be devoted to follow-up to the Year.

GARY ANDREWS, Social Affairs Officer of the Division for Social Policy and Development, made a video presentation on the "Research Agenda on Ageing for the Twenty-First Century". He said that population ageing was very much a global issue, while individual ageing was a personal one. Ageing was a universal and inevitable process, not to be confused with the conditions that accompanied it. While the process was inevitable, the consequences of it need not be.

Population ageing was a result of the combined effects of increased life expectancy rates and decreased fertility rates, he said. It was a real achievement and not a cause for dismay. At present, little was known about how to respond appropriately at the societal level to such dramatic changes in the demographic profile. Examining the important inter-relationship between

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ageing and development represented a different approach than just looking at the needs of older persons.

EDITH NIEHUIS, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth of Germany, and on behalf of the European Union, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Cyprus and Iceland, said most European Governments had undertaken extensive efforts in support of the International Year of Older Persons. Those included setting up national commissions, advisory groups and focal points. They also involved all groups of society and many local, regional and national events. Due attention should be given to the fact that a future long-term strategy on ageing had to incorporate experiences made during the International Year of Older Persons and the implementation of the 1982 International Plan of Action on Ageing.

She said a fundamental change in the reporting system, including a broadened focus on the issue of population ageing, should be based on a thorough assessment of the implementation of the plan of action. It should present a comprehensive aid to decision-making for the elaboration of a new strategy on ageing incorporating all the dimensions that were important to Member States. The presentation of the assessment as well as an outline of an overall strategy based on the assessment might be envisaged for the year 2001.

She said ageing populations posed challenges for national social policies, particularly with regard to equal access to material and non- material resources regardless of gender and age. Therefore, national policies needed to include measures for: active ageing; the full participation and integration of older persons in society; access to quality care, including health care, particularly for frail people; the provision of housing facilities; and an environment reflecting the needs of the older person, as well as measures for strengthening inter-generational solidarity and social cohesion.

SONIA ELLIOTT (Guyana), speaking on behalf of the "Group of 77" developing countries and China, said the creation of enabling environments for social development by developing countries faced formidable obstacles. She cited straitened economies, limited foreign direct investment flows and declining technical and financial resources. Those countries were increasingly asked to do more, despite heavy debt burdens, volatile capital flows, insufficient markets for exports and the depletion of technical and managerial skills as a result of continued migration to more industrialized countries. She reiterated the Group's call for a genuine partnership between developed and developing countries in pursuing the objectives of the Copenhagen Plan of Action. In that regard, improved international economic conditions would support efforts to assist developing countries in moving towards age-integrated societies.

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She said disabled people, including children, had the right to be provided with the opportunities and tools to enable them to continue to make their useful contribution to national development. "We owe it to our people, as well as to the future generations, to devise remedies that will lead to better lives, better societies and a better world." For that reason, the issues of a rapidly ageing global population and increased integration of vulnerable groups such as the disabled, must be addressed in a concrete and decisive manner. On the threshold of a new millennium, that was the only way that the aim of a truly all inclusive society could be achieved.

Mrs. ALVAREZ (Dominican Republic) said that the consequences for all societies could be dire if the capacities of older people to give, as well as to receive, were not taken into account and harnessed. The media would play a vital role in publicizing the potential contributions of older people, who must be portrayed as an economic and social resource, and not just as a source of potential problems.

Examples of inter-generational cooperation were everywhere, she said. In her country, retired teachers in rural areas had been brought back into the classroom, assisting in the education of the young while at the same time earning much needed money. That promoted the self-esteem of the elderly while benefitting the children with an early experience in inter-generational relationships. The International Year symbolized not only the rediscovery of a forgotten resource, but also the recognition that older persons must be consulted on policies that affected them.

SUH DAE-WON (Republic of Korea) said that programmes should be developed to strengthen capacity-building for the elderly. Indeed, substantial investments should be made in education and vocational training for the elderly, permitting greater independence for the rest of their lives. Efforts were needed to create a social environment to care for the elderly, which could be fostered through enhanced understanding within and cooperation between families, neighbourhoods and communities. Sustained education and media campaigns were vital in enhancing public awareness on the ageing issue.

He felt that it was inappropriate to apply a profit-oriented "business concept" in developing long-term perspective strategies on ageing. The creation of jobs was one of the most desirable solutions to the ageing problem. However, the reality was that private companies were hesitant in hiring the elderly. To address that problem, governments needed to subsidize the cost arising from the differential in job performance between age groups. The gender perspective should also be taken into consideration in preparing long-term strategies. A permanent solution regarding the issue of elderly women should be sought through a "life cycle approach". Education and empowerment of women during their youth should be complemented with lifelong education and modernized vocational training during their old age.

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VERA BABIC, Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Welfare of Croatia, said that many of her country's elderly, because of the exposure to war stresses, suffered from exhaustion of their adaptation mechanism. They also suffered from an increased exposure to physical and psychological disturbances. Also, with their systems of social support from other family members weakened, the result was an increased dependence upon organized assistance and care from other persons. It was the elderly who had been, to a large degree, affected by the general decrease in living standards characteristic of the post-war period.

She said her country had recently made major efforts to redefine the systems of pension, health care, health insurance and social welfare -- the most important fields in providing for protection of the elderly. The Croatian experience demonstrated that in war time, in addition to the protection of women, children and other vulnerable groups, special attention must be paid to the elderly. At the International Conference on Ageing in the Mediterranean Countries, which had been held in Malta in December 1997, Croatia had proposed a resolution on the protection of elderly people during war destruction which had been unanimously accepted. The establishment of a working group which would elaborate the resolution in detail and forward it to the competent United Nations authorities had been proposed.

The reforms of Croatia's social welfare system were oriented towards further developing of the non-institutional sector of social care and increasing the types of service that would make life at home easier for an elderly person, she said. Reforms had also increased financial assistance to elderly persons who did not have sufficient means or family members who could support them. Encouragement of private initiative and enhancement of the role of local government in the organization of care for the elderly would lead to better accessibility to institutionalized care.

HECTOR MARAVALL (Spain) said that his country had set up preparations for the International Year of Older Persons in October 1997 and had introduced them to the Spanish public in October 1998. Over 800 events had been scheduled, including campaigns to promote the basic message of the Year. The Government had been reviewing its policies for older persons and had found both pluses and minuses. Positive achievements included improvement of public services, better health care and housing for older persons, and better quality of life. The Government had looked at social change and how that affected older persons. There had also been a deep change in the attitudes of older women, and they had become more involved than they had in the past. Spain had also worked on support for families with older persons, and on programmes for rural areas.

The programmes carried out had had a fundamental impact for older persons, he said. However, the challenge of developing programmes for

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dependent older persons and care for the caregivers, most of whom were women, still remained. The country had a few day centres, and places where older persons could go overnight or for weekends, so that the caregivers could have a break. It was working on plans for supporting families with dependent older persons and how to deal with gerontology at the beginning of the twenty-first century. The priority would be to ensure that older persons could be more active in society. Within that priority, the fundamental programmes would be comprehensive health care and support for caregivers.

MIRTA ALVAREZ (United States) said all were familiar with the various demographic estimates of what the ageing population would be in the next century. Rather than seeing that demographic change as a catastrophe, however, her country viewed it as a challenge and a great accomplishment of mankind. A measure of that accomplishment was the recent trip into space of 77-year-old United States Senator John Glenn. The strong symbolism of his flight created a positive image of the ageing population.

The United States commitment to dealing with ageing issues was comprehensive, both as a Government and in partnership with non-governmental organizations, she said. Its Federal Committee for the International Year of Older Persons, comprised of over 30 agencies and offices, had arranged events for the Year and had sought new partner agencies for further work in an increasingly ageing society. Among its activities, the Committee was developing strategies to use the media as a vehicle for discussion of topics related to older persons and to educate all Americans about the contributions that older persons made in the daily lives of all.

The American Association of Retired Persons, which was now known only by its acronym AARP to reflect the fact that over 13 million of its members were still working, was the leading non-governmental organization on ageing issues in the United States, she said. It had created "Coalition '99" to exchange information and to form partnerships with domestic and international non- governmental organizations representing older persons, and was an important member of the Federal Committee.

FAITH INNERARITY (Jamaica), responding to the presentation by Mr. Andrews, raised several questions with regard to the Research Agenda. She asked: whether there would be some detailed examination of the contribution of older persons to the work force; what the capacity of older workers was; whether there were specific jobs better done by older persons or jobs not suited for them; at which point there was need for concern; if it was alright to have zero or negative rates of national increase; and what the implications of ageing for migration were. All of those issues had to be addressed in the Research Agenda. She also asked which country studies were available to address some of those issues, and what was being done by the International

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Labour Organization (ILO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to contribute to the work being done by the Unit.

Responding to the questions raised, Mr. SIDORENKO said that the Research Agenda was just at the beginning of its exercise. The Secretariat was currently preparing the report of the first expert group meeting, which would be ready well before the Commission's next session. The economic and demographic aspects of ageing would be included in the Agenda. Also, the relationship between ageing and migration would be included as major aspects of the demographic issue. United Nations entities had been involved with the Agenda, including the WHO and the European Commission. He was also hoping to include the involvement of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to address the relationship between ageing and development.

XIAO CAIWEI (China) said he wanted to thank the United Nations for its efforts in promoting the understanding of ageing. Early in the year, the Chinese Government had started policy research on ageing in China for the next century. He hoped that international cooperation could be enhanced with regard to the policy areas, and wanted to share with the international community his country's achievements and experiences.

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