who good health adds life to years

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SEAR/PR 1538 Good health adds life to years New Delhi, 2 April 2012: Approximately 142 million people or 8% of the population of WHO’s South-East Asia Region are above the age of 60 years. The number of aged people will double by 2025 and triple by 2050 compared to 2000. The average life expectancy in most countries in the Region will be above 75 year by 2050. On World Health Day, 7 April 2012, WHO will draw global attention to ageing and health to highlight ageing as a rapidly emerging priority that most countries in the Region have yet to address adequately. National policies to promote healthy ageing exist in Bangladesh, DPR Korea, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand. There is an urgent need to focus attention on issues such as economic effects of ageing on health care system; ways of ensuring independence in old age, quality of life; striking a balance between the role of family and the State in providing care to older people who need assistance; humanitarian crises and older population, and health problems of elderly females and very old persons. “Older women outnumber and outlive older men. Gender discrimination and widowhood has a considerable impact on health of elderly women” said Dr. Samlee Plianbangchang, WHO’s Regional Director for South-East Asia. ”Poor nutrition in the womb leads to disease in adulthood. Preventing diseases through immunization, good nutrition, and healthy lifestyles will result in an elderly population that is a rich resource for families, communities and nations” he added. Smoking, alcohol consumption, poor diet, sedentary lifestyles and exposure to toxic substances at work also influence health outcomes in old age. With nuclear families replacing joint families and large rural-to-urban migrations, the old and the infirm are often left at home. These changing patterns of society are now affecting the care of the old and very old persons at home. Healthy ageing requires a significant paradigm shift in providing care to the elderly. Age-friendly primary health care minimizes the consequences of noncommunicable or chronic diseases by early detection, prevention, quality of care and by providing long-term palliative care for those with advanced disease. Such interventions need to be supplemented by affordable long-term care for those who can no longer retain their independence. …………2/- - 2 -

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  • SEAR/PR 1538

    Good health adds life to years

    New Delhi, 2 April 2012: Approximately 142 million people or 8% of the population of WHOs South-East Asia Region are above the age of 60 years. The number of aged people will double by 2025 and triple by 2050 compared to 2000. The average life expectancy in most countries in the Region will be above 75 year by 2050. On World Health Day, 7 April 2012, WHO will draw global attention to ageing and health to highlight ageing as a rapidly emerging priority that most countries in the Region have yet to address adequately. National policies to promote healthy ageing exist in Bangladesh, DPR Korea, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand. There is an urgent need to focus attention on issues such as economic effects of ageing on health care system; ways of ensuring independence in old age, quality of life; striking a balance between the role of family and the State in providing care to older people who need assistance; humanitarian crises and older population, and health problems of elderly females and very old persons. Older women outnumber and outlive older men. Gender discrimination and widowhood has a considerable impact on health of elderly women said Dr. Samlee Plianbangchang, WHOs Regional Director for South-East Asia. Poor nutrition in the womb leads to disease in adulthood. Preventing diseases through immunization, good nutrition, and healthy lifestyles will result in an elderly population that is a rich resource for families, communities and nations he added. Smoking, alcohol consumption, poor diet, sedentary lifestyles and exposure to toxic substances at work also influence health outcomes in old age. With nuclear families replacing joint families and large rural-to-urban migrations, the old and the infirm are often left at home. These changing patterns of society are now affecting the care of the old and very old persons at home. Healthy ageing requires a significant paradigm shift in providing care to the elderly. Age-friendly primary health care minimizes the consequences of noncommunicable or chronic diseases by early detection, prevention, quality of care and by providing long-term palliative care for those with advanced disease. Such interventions need to be supplemented by affordable long-term care for those who can no longer retain their independence. 2/-

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  • Several countries in the Region have introduced age-friendly policies and plans of action. For instance, Indonesias law to help the elderly population access basic social and health care services. In Sri Lanka, the National Council for Elders and the National Secretariat for the Elders, which operate under the Ministry of Social Services, are dedicated to serve the elderly. As part of this initiative, the Elders Maintenance Board can initiate action against children or relatives in case of neglect of the elderly. The national authorities are also taking steps to regulate and register old-age homes in Sri Lanka. India enacted the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act in 2007 to provide legal strength to old age care and ensure that family members take care of their older relatives. Thailand has also adopted a holistic approach to provide social, health and economic security to its senior citizens. This approach has contributed to Thailands success in providing long term care to seniors through family, community and institutional-based interventions. Building an age-friendly society needs actions from sectors other than health such as education, employment, labour, finance, social security, transportation, justice, housing and rural-urban development. On World Health Day, WHO is urging policy-makers and partners to pay urgent attention to ageing and health.

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    WHO South-East Asia Region comprises of following eleven countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, DPR Korea, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Timor Leste

    For more information please contact: Ms Vismita Gupta-Smith, Public Information and Advocacy Officer, WHO South-East Asia Regional Office

    (SEARO), New Delhi, Tel: 91-11-23309401, mobile + 91 9871329861, e-mail: [email protected]

    All press releases, fact sheets and other WHO media material may be found at: www.searo.who.int