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Posted by Francis Whitehead on October 1, 2023
Every year on the 1st of October is the International Day of Older Persons, a day just for the older population of the world. Passed by the United Nations in 1990, since then it’s been celebrated as a chance to appreciate the elderly and acknowledge what we can do for them, as well as rallying for change all around the world.
Around the world, systemic and structural barriers often exist for older people in the context of work and access to services and resources because of ageist attitudes, discriminatory laws and policies, underfunding, and lack of accessibility among others.
That’s why it’s a good thing that the United Nations are rallying for change today.
As the global population increases, the number of older people (defined as those aged 65 years or older) tripled from around 260 million in 1980 to 761 million in 2021. Between 2021 and 2050, the global share of the older population is projected to increase around 17%.
This rapid growth in the number of people reaching older ages signifies the importance of promoting health and treating illnesses throughout their entire course of life.
So, this year’s theme is ‘Fulfilling the Promises of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights for Older Persons Across Generations’.
To provide a bit of context to this year’s theme, 75 years ago, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, a monumental document in the history of human rights. This document set the foundations for laws and practices all around the world.
Article 25 of this Universal Declaration states:
“Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.”
This is just one of the many acts that directly benefit and refer to the rights of older people.
A year after the first International Day for Older Persons, the United Nations Principles for Older Persons was declared.
These principles had articles for:
These are all vital to the quality of life for older people, and these articles contain all the ways that the United Nations is going to make a difference in its global programs.
Since it’s inception, it seems to have made a difference! The facts and figures show that throughout the world, survival beyond age 65 is improving and the gender gap in survival beyond age 65 is expected to narrow. Well done the United Nations!
As you get older, you may find yourself not as mobile as you once were, and may need assistive devices and mobility aids to help you manage daily tasks.
Luckily for you Ability Superstore have everything you need.
A condition that you have a risk of getting as you get older is age-related macular degeneration, or AMD, where the quality of your eyesight drastically lowers.
For this, we have magnifiers, both digital and analogue.
Another condition that appears as you get older is arthritis, where joints can become stiff and painful.
For this, we have Fischer grip walking sticks, specially designed for those with arthritis.
Incontinence can also become prevalent as you get older, and we have a wide range of incontinence aids, from pants to commodes.
As far as mobility is concerned, we have thousands of mobility aids and walking aids for you, from wheelchairs, to walking frames, rollators, mobility scooters and more.
How will you be celebrating the International Day of Older Persons? Ability Superstore would love to know! If you have any questions about the products featured in this article, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us today. We will be more than happy to help!
