In noting the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, did you know that there is no universal declaration of the rights of older adults, like there is for children and indigenous peoples? What does exist in the United Nations is a space for formal discussion about which rights are the most relevant for this population. … [Read more...] about What About the Rights of the Elderly?
Aging and Dependency
If You Want to Live A Hundred Years…
...Sang the famous Spanish singer-songwriter Joaquín Sabina in 1992, “do not try the liqueurs of pleasure, build muscles from five to six, and watch your cholesterol.” Beyond his ironic lyrics about the exaggerated obsession with finding the elixir to prolong life, Sabina’s song alluded to a new reality: the increase in life expectancy and the implications that entails. … [Read more...] about If You Want to Live A Hundred Years…
What is the Overview of Aging and Dependency in the Region?
Latin America and the Caribbean is aging at an accelerated and unprecedented rate. At present, 11 percent of its inhabitants are over 60 years old, a percentage that still does not amount to what is considered to be an aging population, as in the case of Europe (23.9 percent) or North America (20.8 percent). However, it is expected that by 2030 the population over 60 in Latin … [Read more...] about What is the Overview of Aging and Dependency in the Region?
Are We Ready for the Demographic Bill?
The population structures in Latin America and the Caribbean are changing and the challenges are not few. For example, 11 percent of the population over 60 years of age depends on other people for their daily care. Both the magnitude and the intensity of the dependence increase with the age of the population, mainly affecting women. And while from 1965 to the present the … [Read more...] about Are We Ready for the Demographic Bill?
We Live Longer But Are Less Healthy: How Do We Face It?
Surely you have read or heard about the demographic transition and the challenges that this generates for health systems. The demographic transition begins when the infant mortality rate falls, resulting in cohorts of children and young people that are very numerous in relation to the adult population. As time goes by, the life expectancy of the population increases as … [Read more...] about We Live Longer But Are Less Healthy: How Do We Face It?