Proportion of older persons in Africa continues to increase, despite impact of HIV

Categories: Policy.

Marking the UN International Day of Older Persons on 1 October, HelpAge International released its landmark report: Ageing in the Twenty-First Century: A Celebration and a Challenge.

Three years in the making, the report includes contributions from an estimated 1,300 older persons from 36 countries, UN agencies, and civil society organisations. 

HelpAge projects that by the year 2050, nearly 1 in 5 people in the developing world will be over the age of 60, increasing the demand for the effective implementation of palliative care and hospice services across Africa.

“Our continued emphasis in HelpAge on the impact of HIV and AIDS on older persons and their communities means that palliative care, especially in the home based care model, will continue to be a critical mode of intervention and support,” said Richard Blewitt, Chief Executive HelpAge International. 

The report highlights both the latest successes in the protection of rights of older persons, while also drawing attention to emergent evidence-based issues. Practical recommendations are addressed to governments and organisations to better secure the rights of older persons on a global scale. 

Access the report here

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