iaag africa regional conference - dr alex kalache robert butler mermorial presentation

International Longevity Centre Robert Butler Memorial Lecture

The Longevity Revolution within the African context: opportunity

and challenge.

Cape Town, October - 2012Alexandre Kalache

President - International Longevity Centre - BrazilSenior Policy Advisor on Global Ageing, New York Academy of Medicine

HelpAge International Global Ambassador

BOB BUTLER

AGEISM______________ The Longevity Revolution

Revolution Revolution

”A radical and pervasive change in society and the social structure”

LongevityLongevity

Worldwide, life expectancy at birth has increased by 30 years over the last century

The reality though is that the Longevity Revolution has yet

to happen in Africa.

Proportion of 65 + 2010 2020Angola 2.9 3.1Botswana 3.9 4.5Chad 2.9 3.1Ghana 3.6 4.0South Africa 5.5 7.4

Italy 20.3 23.1Japan 22.6 28.3 US Census Bureau 2012

However, more than ever Older Persons in Africa are playing a crucial role in their

societies.

Moreover, there is hope and opportunity for Africa to

prepare itself to the Longevity Revolution.

What a privileged time we What a privileged time we live in…live in…

shaping a society for all agesshaping a society for all agesto face the Longevity to face the Longevity

RevolutionRevolution

Who?Who?There are many contributors There are many contributors

to this reshaping – in to this reshaping – in particular:particular:

USUS ! !

Us - Baby BoomersUs - Baby Boomers

The emergence of a new transit ion.

GerontolescenceGerontolescenceChanging roles…Changing roles…

yesterday’s Adolescents – yesterday’s Adolescents – today’s Gerontolescentstoday’s Gerontolescents

The difference is that while adolescence lasts for 4 or 5 years, gerontolescence will

last for 2, 3 decades.

And once again Butler was ahead of the pack!

Re-inventing the Re-inventing the Life CourseLife Course

Life Course today (man)Life Course today (man)

Life Course future Life Course future (woman)(woman)

Foundations to face the Foundations to face the Longevity RevolutionLongevity Revolution

Frames are mental structures that shape the way we see

the world:

The WHO Active Ageing Framework

Active AgeingA Policy

Framework

WHO definition of Active AgeingWHO definition of Active Ageing

The process of optimising the opportunities for health, l i fe-long

learning, participationand security in order to enhance

quality of life as individuals age

The determinants of Active AgeingThe determinants of Active Ageing

The Life Course The Life Course perspectiveperspective

‘The Life Course approach offers an interdisciplinary

conceptual framework to guide research and policies

in relation to health, human development

and ageing’

Kalache 2011

Functional capacity decline

Fonte: Kalache and Kickbusch, 1997Age

Fu

nct

ion

al C

apac

ity

Early Life

Growth and development

Adult LifeMaintaining highest possible level of function

Older age

Maintaining independence and preventing disability

Rehabilitation and ensuring the quality of life

Disability Threshold

Range of function in individuals

Early Life

Growth and development

Adult Life

Maintaining highest possible level of function

Older age Maintaining independence and preventing disability

Disability threshold

Fun

ctio

nal

Ca

paci

ty

Age

Rehabilitation and ensuring the quality of life

Functional capacity declineand the impact of interventions

Healthy, active older persons are resources to their famil ies, to their communit ies and to the Economy.

The need for standard language:

• Positive ageing• Healthy ageing• Successful ageing• Vital ageing• Ageing well• Productive ageing• ........................... ACTIVE AGEING

An Ageing World

Population 2000 2025 2050(in bil l ions)Total 6.0 7.8 8.9

Developed countries 1.2 1.2 1.2

Developing countries 4.7 6.6 7.8

60+ 0.6 1.2 2.0

Developed countries 0.2 0.3 0.3

Developing countries 0.4 0.9 1.7

In Africa, by the year 2050, there will 212 million people

aged 60 and over.

Heterogeneous:THE DIVERSITY OF OLD

AGE

GenderSES

NationalityAge group

CultureEthnicity

Sexual identityReligion...

etc... etc....

More older people throughout the world

By 2050 the number of people 60+ l iving in urban areas of the developing world wil l be 6 t imes larger than now.

The contrasts

Enabling environments, physical and social,

are urgently needed – and this urgency also applies to

the developing world.

THE AGE FRIENDLY APPROACH

But ... do we need more Age Friendly societies?

WHO main staircase in Geneva

Enabling environments should not be a preserve of the

developed world.

Operationalising the Operationalising the Active Ageing paradigmActive Ageing paradigm

The WHO Age Friendly Cities Global Network

What is an Age Friendly City?An urban environment accessible and inclusive that promotes ACTIVE AGEING in all its main pillars: Health, Life-long learning, Participation and Security

The 8 dimensions for research and action

50

Age-FriendlyCities

CivicParticipation&Employment

Communication& Information

CommunitySupport &HealthServices

Transportation

Housing

Respect & Social Inclusion

Outdoor Spaces & Public Buildings

Social Participation

A bottom up approach … Older persons as protagonists

... but also top downThe need for responses

from the public sector

However, age friendly policies are particularly needed at a

macro level:

From cities to States:Sao Paulo

South AustraliaAndalucía

A Rights-based approach

... implying:

• The Right to Health• The Right to Learn• The Right to Work• The Right to be Protected• The Right to be Insured• The Right to Participate• To have access to services ....as well as...

The Right to StopThe Right to Rest

In developing countries 80% of Older Persons do not have

basic income

On the whole they are highly productive... and deeply unprotected.

PROTECTION

Older People as resources to their families, communities

and the Economy.The role of non-contributory pensions in,

for instance, South Africa and Brazil

The burden of inappropriate, unequal policies:

In Brazil, the cost of social security for one million ex-civil servants is 5 times higher than the cost of non-contributory pensions benefitting over 9 million much poorer older persons.

In financial terms the cost is over USD 60 billion !

Productive ageing:

...”the capacity of an individual or population to serve in a paid employment, in volunteer work or in the family and to keep a certain degree of independence and autonomy for as long as it is possible”...

Bob Butler

Productivity should not though be measured only in financial

terms.The role of older persons, particularly older women in

providing CARE.

The economic argument:

In Spain a study conducted in 2002 indicated that 88% of total care to sick individuals took place in the community – mostly by women, particularly older women.

Those aged 75-84 devoted 320 minutes/day providing care compared to 23 minutes among women aged 18-29 or 50 minutes for those aged 30-49.

Duran, M (2002)

The need for quality data

RESEARCH

Subsidising the North

Care of older persons in the developed world is, by and large, done by formal and informal carers from developing countries.

Above all what is needed TO FIGHT...

Age discrimination and

Kalache - ConsultoriasKalache - Consultorias

SOCIAL EXCLUSIONSOCIAL EXCLUSION


SymbolicSymbolic


InstitutionalInstitutional


Socio-economicSocio-economic


TerritorialTerritorial


IdentityIdentity


Capital SocialCapital Social


Socio-politicalSocio-political

Generavity – Leaving footprints

‘Moving from a focus on oneself to a focus on a broader social radius… the ability to care for

and guide the next generations… mentoring,

coaching, guiding, nurturing them’

Erik Erikson

The increasing presence of older

persons in an ever more

urbanised and global world …

... reminds that we live in a global village.

Therefore we should …

Kalache 2011

… … develop a culture develop a culture of ageing …of ageing …

Planning for Diversity ...

and promoting SOLIDARITY

Between• The rich and the poor• Men and women• All social classes• The developed and the developing

worldbut, above all.....

Solidarity between the young and the old

iaag africa regional conference - dr alex kalache robert butler mermorial presentation

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