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Health Issues around the World
- Archives 2006 -
Articles in Arabic
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| French
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Also see our section on the UN Disability Rights Convention
and
US
Health Issues
Africa
South Africa: How
Older Women in South Africa Make Sense of the HIV/AIDS
Epidemic (December 2006)
This study shows how older women in rural South Africa
deal with HIV/AIDS. Although most have access to Western
information of HIV/AIDS, they still explain the origins of
the disease with a local interpretation. They blame
certain social groups or some sexual behaviors. This
report makes clear that an effective HIV/AIDS education
program must take into account local interpretations of
the disease as well as other “scientific” explanations.
Zimbabwe: Forced to Work (November 30, 2006)
In the very poor district of Guruve, Zimbabwe that is
severely affected by HIV AIDS, older people are forced to
work in order to pay for the costs of their frail
grandchildren orphaned by the pandemic. Despite their old
age and disabilities, some older persons have to work very
hard as farmers. If the Zimbabwean government and the
international community persist in doing nothing, the
situation of the older persons is going to be
unsustainable.
Cameroon:
Older People’s Troubles (September 13, 2006)
(Article in French)
The Bethanie VIACAM (Abandoned Disabled Old People from
Cameroon) Community clinic shows why getting medical
attention is important. Securing water and available
medicines are daily challenges for older Cameroonians.
With the exception of eight beds in Yaoundé, there
is no geriatrics department in the national hospitals; yet
the “protection of the older persons” is written into the
preamble of the Constitution and a special office has just
been created by the Secretary of Social Affairs. Will the
situation change?
Burkina-Faso:
General Assembly of Older Persons in AIFA, the
International Association of French-speaking Elderly: Poverty Cuts
Short Many Plans to Assist Older Persons (September 8,
2006)
(Article in French)
The national Burkina-Faso group of the International
Association of French-speaking Elderly (AIFA) gathered in
advance of its international conference, which will take
place in Paris on November 8-10, 2006. The Burkina-Faso
group decided to focus on health issues, one of the main
challenges facing older persons. Despite its lack
of financial resources, the group managed to partner with
a Quebec
hospital. Following
the Conference, AIFA wants to create a hospital complex.
Senegal: Improvement of Medical
Coverage, the “Sesame Plan” for Older People (August 28,
2006)
(Article in French)
President Wade has just made a progressive decision about
the scope of his national health plan. Its goal focuses on
caring for the most vulnerable persons in the population.
Most of the old people in Senegal, who are not affiliated
to the national retirement fund, will be able to get
access to the public health facilities. Beginning in
September, if the plan’s implementation is not delayed,
people who are more than 60 years old will be allowed to
go to hospitals and receive free treatments and medicines.
Nigeria: Life Expectancy in Nigeria (August 14, 2006)
Studies all around the world indicate that it is inherent
in all human beings to be able to live to about 100 years.
This is true for any nationality on this planet:
Americans, Russians, Japanese or Nigerians. To help its
people to celebrate their 100’s birthdays, the President
of Nigeria intends to implement tested measures to
increase the longevity of Nigerians, such as improved
standards of hygiene, sanitary engineering, better
nutrition, safe drinking water, and steps to prevent
infectious diseases.
Kenya: Fund Launches Low Cost Medical Plan (June 6,
2006)
By drastically reducing premiums, the National Hospital
Insurance Fund offers affordable healthcare that
specifically addresses the needs of retired people.
Moreover, the Fund works with approximately 380 hospitals
around the country, providing different levels of care
over a broad area.
Zanzibar: Zanzibar Calls off
Free Health Care Services (June 4, 2006)
The health service in Zanzibar is not free anymore. For
example, a person now has to pay 0.4 US dollars to get
admitted to a hospital or clinic. The World Health
Organization worries that many people will not be able to
afford medical help anymore and fears that this will lead
to the spread of tuberculosis, leprosy and other
communicable diseases.
Ghana: Ghana's Health: 12 Million Outpatients/Year (May
15, 2006)
A recent study conducted by Ghana’s Ministry of Health “on
who gets what type of illness, where and when, reveals
that the poor, the uneducated, infants and the elderly
carry a greater burden of these diseases than the
well-to-do, the educated, older children and able-bodied
person.” This study collected data from health
institutions, leaving out people who do not attend these
facilities, implying that the health situation in Ghana is
worse than what official statistics show.
South Africa: Elderly Take Up the Aids Challenge in
Amathole (May 2, 2006)
Groups of concerned grandparents are gathering in
Amathole, in the Eastern Cape, to hear about HIV/AIDS,
learn how to talk with their grandchildren, and identify
community resources for those with HIV/AIDS. The program,
run by the Community Information, Empowerment and
Transparency (CIET) Trust, attempts to bridge the
generational gap. Councillor Helen Neal-May, who helped
start this workshop, said, “Elders are often left out of
HIV and AIDS programmes because they are seen as sexually
inactive and at low risk, and yet they can be a moral
yardstick for younger people, and so an essential part of
the solutions we seek.” Giving grandparents knowledge
about HIV/AIDS and the confidence to speak will enable
them to educate the younger generation.
Zimbabwe: Rural Zimbabweans Hit By Health Crisis (April
21, 2006)
President Mugabe’s land reform program is taking a
disastrous toll on the health of rural Zimbabweans and
local farm workers. The government currently resettles
rural families onto commercial farms, displacing farmers
from their homes. The farms are without clean water,
electricity, and local health facilities. According to the
Farm Community Trust of Zimbabwe (FCTZ), “…nine out of ten
farm workers had to walk more than 20 km [12.4 miles] to
get to the nearest clinic, contrary to government policy
that no one should have to travel more than 8 km [5
miles].” In addition, rural farm communities are the
hardest hit by HIV/AIDS in Zimbabwe. Older persons’ needs
must be addressed in community development programs
considering many elders care for AIDS orphans and most
cannot walk twelve miles to receive health care.
Zimbabwe: Zimbabweans Have 'Shortest Lives' (April 8,
2006)
Old age is relative depending on where you are in the
world. For example, on average, Japanese live 45-48 years
longer than Zimbabweans. Women in Zimbabwe have the
shortest life expectancy in the world (34 years), which is
two years less than last year. Although HIV/AIDS is one
explanation for such short lives, some say Zimbabwe’s
economic crisis and low standard of living are also to
blame.
Ethiopia: Preventable Disease Blinds Poor in Third World
(March 31, 2006)
Trachoma is “both a disease of poverty and a disease that
causes poverty.” Repeated eye infections cause the eyelids
to retract and eyelashes to turn in on a person’s eyes.
The scratching and irritation can result in blindness.
Older persons with trachoma, especially women who are
three times more likely to go blind from infections, find
themselves especially vulnerable. Husbands sometimes
abandon older women who reach advanced stages of trachoma
when their blindness prevents them from working to support
their family. Trachoma can be prevented through simple
sanitation and hygiene measures such as latrines, hand
washing, face washing and antibiotics – all relatively
inexpensive but still considered luxuries in poor,
trachoma endemic countries.
Namibia:
The Plight of Grandparents as Caretakers (March 22,
2006)
(Article in Spanish)
The HIV/AIDS pandemic affects all family members,
especially children and older adults. In Namibia, mostly
in rural areas, grandparents take responsibility for their
orphaned grandchildren. A 2004 UN study shows that
grandparents, particularly grandmothers, care for 75% of
the 156,000 orphans in rural Namibia. The government
provides subsidies and small pensions to grandparents;
however, older persons in rural areas are isolated and do
not have easy access to social and economic support. The
international community and local governments are slowly
recognizing the key role that grandparents take in looking
after HIV/AIDS orphans. Still, significant effort needs to
be made to acknowledge and incorporate grandparents and
older persons, in general, into development
projects.
Namibia: AIDS Programmes
Forgetting Elderly Caregivers (March 22, 2006)
Current HIV/AIDS policies and awareness programs in
Namibia sideline older people because of their age. The
government plans to create specialized programs for the
elderly as a recent report shows that older persons
provide “most of the care for orphans under the age of 18
in rural areas.”
Lesotho: Slowly, Africa Starts to Care for AIDS Children
(March 8, 2006)
HIV/AIDS continues to kill off working class adults
throughout Africa, while children and grandparents are
left behind. Many of the children are HIV positive like
their parents. Grandparents play an important role as
attention turns towards treating HIV positive children who
are left behind. Not only do grandparents assume a
caregiving role, but they also take on financial
responsibility to support their grandchildren. In one
example, a half-blind grandmother sells homemade brooms to
pay for her grandson's bus fare to the clinic.
Egypt: Glass
Painting Ameliorates the Psychological Condition of
Elderly Women (February 6, 2006)
(Article in Arabic)
A study by the fine arts faculty showed that
artistic activities such as drawing , painting ,
glass painting, arranging flowers and making picture
frames helps improve the psychological condition of
elderly women.
Uganda: Double Tragedy for Granny
(January 25, 2006)
As AIDS takes a toll on her family, Norah Nassolo Nakayima
wonders how she can take care of her 21 grandchildren. She
has lost her husband, two children, her son's three wives,
and five grandchildren to AIDS, all of whom were
significant breadwinners for the family. The AIDS pandemic
is placing high expectations on the elderly to provide for
medical care, food, water, and school costs. As the number
of elderly increase in Uganda HelpAge International,
Uganda Reach the Aged Association, and Bwaise Disabled and
Elderly Association are all trying to address the needs of
the elderly and incorporate all ages into prevention
programs.
Zambia: We Share Lillian Njobvu's Concerns (January 19,
2006)
The Constitution Review Commission in Zambia is drafting a
new constitution. In this draft, Article 43 says that
"older members of society are entitled to enjoy all the
rights and freedoms set out in this Bill of Rights,
including the right to - participate fully in the affair
of society; pursue their personal development and retain
their autonomy; freedom from all forms of discrimination,
exploitation or abuse; live in dignity and respect; and
receive care and assistance from the family and the
government. Parliament shall enact legislation to provide
for a sustainable social security system for the older
members of society." This recommendation to the
constitution is a major step in addressing issues facing
the elderly in Zambia. Overall, this editorial from
Zambia's The Post promotes intergenerational
interdependence and a new vision of aging. (See additional
article referencing Lillian Njobvu below.)
Namibia: Health Challenges for 2006 (January 18, 2006)
At the start of a new year, Namibia faces some challenging
health issues. Concerns about the aging population and
creating a forward-looking health system are among the
central issues. Petrina Haingura, Deputy Minister of
Health and Social Services in Namibia, says that they
"have put down the foundations in support for various
families, guaranteed nursing education for all, delivered
personal care services for both young and old, [and]
created more warm household environments than ever
before." She will have to get community involvement and
feedback from the community to move forward. The future
looks promising as Namibia takes steps to address its
health problems.
Zimbabwe: Health Care Costs Shoot Up 110 Percent
(January 6, 2006)
A "new round of increases in [health care] charges by
between 80 percent and 110 percent will make medical
services unaffordable to the poor" in Zimbabwe. Inflation,
income adjustments for medical providers, and the
devaluation of the Zimbabwe dollar have dictated these
large increases. Currently, 1 US dollar is equivalent to
roughly 100,000 Zimbabwe dollars. As many workers earn two
million Zimbabwe dollars (twenty US dollars) some families
spend up to 30% of their salary on health care. Many
Zimbabwean elderly cannot afford health care and decide to
die at home or seek alternative medicine and healers.
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Americas & Caribbean
Argentina: Vitamin E Does Not Help with Memory (December
18, 2006)
(Article in Spanish)
A 10-year study concludes
that Vitamin E does not improve memory among older
persons. An
increase in a specific oxidant has a negative effect on
the cells, which then affects the memory. Vitamin E is
an antioxidant that fights against this kind of oxidant,
which led scientists to think that Vitamin E might be a
solution to memory deterioration. The scientists
involved in the study divided more than 6,000 women over
the age of 65 into two groups—one receiving Vitamin E
treatment and the other a placebo. The results between
these groups did not show any difference. Scientists are
investigating other benefits Vitamin E may have on
elderly people.
Honduras: When Will You Become Old? (December 8, 2006)
(Article in Spanish)
Many people fear reaching the elderly stage of life
for a variety of reasons. Some do not want to have
wrinkles. Others do not want society to consider them
useless. A doctor, Mario Armando Valladeres, states that
people officially start entering the elderly stage at the
age of 40, when women enter the menopausal phase and men
enter the andropausal phase. Even though people do not
consider becoming old a blessing. It is a stage not
everyone reaches. Therefore, attaining old age should be
considered a blessing.
Dominican Republic: Cats Also Suffer Alzheimer’s
Disease (December 7, 2006)
(Article in Spanish)
According to British and US
research, cats develop Alzheimer’s disease the same way
humans do. This groundbreaking discovery holds great
interest for researchers because a cat’s lifespan is much
shorter than humans. It will be easier to study a cat’s
diet, environment, and lifestyle from birth to death in
hopes of finding clues to the causes of Alzheimer’s
disease. Scientists also hope that researching the disease
in cats would identify a cure or preventative measures for
humans.
Dominican
Republic: What to Eat to Slow Down Aging Process
(December 8, 2006)
(Article in Spanish)
“Good eating habits never get old” is important advice
for everyone. However, this is hard advice for elderly
people to follow. Older people have bad eating habits for
a number of reasons. Physical inability is sometimes
responsible – such as they live alone and lack of mobility
to go to food stores or to buy food or prepare meals at
home. Also, their sense of smell and taste diminish over
time, which makes eating unappetizing. Psychological
issues like depression intervene as well. When people are
depressed, they lose their desire to eat. Common among
elderly people, refusing to eat is dangerous for those in
fragile health. They really need to have a regular eating
habit to remain healthy. This article explains the
mechanism behind these issues and gives advice on how to
overcome the problem.
Costa Rica: In the Future, Laboratories May Create a
Type of Meat for Each Age Category (December 4, 2006)
(Article in Spanish)
In a new development, scientists have learned how to
modify meat. This will have several advantages. First,
people can secure custom-made nutrition that meets their
specific needs. Elderly people, for example, would eat
meat that is custom-made for them, therefore reducing
unnecessary health risks that are caused by nutrients they
don’t need. Additionally, since the meat will be produced
in laboratories, there will be less risk of contamination
caused by animal feces. In a few decades, mass-production
of laboratory meat will mean that meat will be more
accessible to poor countries.
Chile: Practical Guide: Assisting Services Offered to
the Elderly (November 6, 2006)
(Article in Spanish)
“Hello! Miss Marta, it is time for your medication,”
is what Marta receives everyday over the phone, just a few
minutes before her medication. She gets this reminder from
her municipal government. Other benefits include books for
the elderly, organizing medical phonebooks, overnight
medicine purchases, and more. These services benefit more
than 150,000 elderly people in Chile.
Chile: Most Youths and Adults Say They Will Take Care
of Their Older Parents (October 30, 2006)
(Article in Spanish)
A survey on youths and adults under 55 years old indicates
they, despite their value on personal freedom and desire
to keep it, recognize their responsibility of providing
support and care for older persons. Ironically, older
persons do not like to depend on their children and strive
to stay as independent as possible, but they do value
support they receive from their children. Older persons
often seek and receive support from their peers. This
article explores the Chilean value and culture of taking
care of the elderly that is not commonly found in the
United States or in the European Union.
Colombia: Vote for Herpes Vaccination (October 29,
2006)
(Article in Spanish)
An advisory committee in Colombia passed a vote to
give older persons a vaccination against the herpes virus.
This is especially important for older persons, as they
generally have a weaker immune system as they age.
Mexico: Tobacco Deal Haunts Contender for WHO Chief
(October 24, 2006)
The post for a World Health Organization chief has
attracted 13 candidates from countries such as Mexico,
Japan, Finland, France and Mozambique. Critics are
singling out the mexican contender Dr. Julio Frenk, who
made a deal made with cigarette makers. Public health
experts claim that this deal undermines Mexico’s efforts
to reduce smoking. Anti-smoking groups criticize the
Mexican health minister for accepting private donations of
$400 million over a 2 ½ year span. While these
monies were used to fund health programs, Frenk agreed not
to impose any new taxes on cigarettes, which undercut
efforts to persuade people not to smoke.
Chile: Relationship among
Older Couples: Experience and Liberty over Time Improves
Sex Life (October 23, 2006)
(Article in Spanish)
When does a sexual life end? Certainly not when you become
old! Contrary to popular belief that sex life deteriorates
as one gets older, it does not cease to exist. In fact,
life in bed gets better over time! This article develops
this idea and gives some wonderful advice on how to make
the most of it!
Chile: Older People Play for a
Healthy Life (October 21, 2006)
(Article in Spanish)
Almost 600 elderly
persons from different regions of
Chile
gathered to participate in physical
activities. This event is part of the celebration of
“The Day of Physical Activities for Older Persons.”
Older persons participate in different activities from
dancing to aerobics and much more!
Peru:
3rd Meeting on Regional Program of Older Adults of
Caritas in Latin America and Caribbean (October 16-20,
2006)
(Article in Spanish)
San Martin de Porras, Peru, hosted the third regional
caucus on “Social Work for Latin American and Caribbean
Older Adults.” Cáritas Cuba, Chile and Peru, The
Foundation for the Well-being of Older Adults of the
Archdiocese of Mexico, and The Latin American
Gerontology Network took part. They adopted a statement
that put the needs of the poorest and excluded older
adults at the center of their work Participants called
on each government to take responsibility to aid the
poorest older people. They urged governmental
initiatives to respond to the urgent need for integrated
and universal health care, a universal pension and the
proper financing for these programs. As for themselves,
the participants promised to step up their efforts to
assure well being of older persons at both individual
and social level. They also will promote active
participation of older persons in putting programs into
action.
Colombia: Depression Is Considered
a Disease (September 30, 2006)
(Article in Spanish)
Not all elderly people are depressed. When an elderly
person feels depressed, it is not “normal” for his or her
age. The Secretary of Health at the Mayor’s Office in
Medellín conducted a study to investigate
depression among different groups of people. The finding
was that 36% of the population above the age of 55 suffers
depression, compared to a lower average depression rate of
20% among the population below the age of 55.
Psychologists investigated the causes of depression among
older persons and possible solutions to help cure their
depression, which are disclosed in the article.
Canada: National Study: Patients Poorly
Prepared for End-of-life Decisions (September 13, 2006)
A Queen’s University national study revealed that Canadian
hospital staffpersons poorly prepare terminally-ill
patients to deal with end of life issues. The study
charges a lack of patient and physician discussions about
the issues. Queen's University professor of Medicine Dr.
Heyland who led the study added that if such discussions
were to take place “elderly patients are ill-equipped to
participate.” Part of a five-year project that began in
2004, the research “focuses on care in hospitals,
intensive care units and home settings.”
PAHO
Annual Report Focuses On Closing Health Gaps in
Least Protected Populations (September 2006)
The PAHO report examines the
continuing inequities in resource allocation and unequal
access to services due to present health policies. In
addition, the report explores the disparities between
rural and urban areas as well as places where poverty is
highly concentrated. The study incorporates the
situations of disadvantaged groups such as women,
children, indigenous populations, young people, and the
elderly.
Mexico:
At Least 80% of Older Persons in Mexico Have Chronic
Illnesses (August 28, 2006)
(Article in Spanish)
Alzheimer, Parkinson, cardiac problems, diabetes,
arthritis, mental problems, and depression are the most
common illnesses among Mexican older adults. Around 80% of
the elders have a chronic illness. Mexico celebrated the
Day of Older Persons on August 28th, 2006. The doctor and
geriatrician, Alberto Avila Fuentes, mentioned that
poverty and physical abuse cause even more these illnesses
development. The alarming statistics show a 3.2% of the
older adults suffer blindness; 4% suffer deterioration of
teeth. Some 1.2% suffers from urinary problems, and a 3%
incur forms of inflammation. This article describes
different diseases that affect older adults in Mexico. In
addition, the writer makes a conscious request to first
level physicians to be more sensitive when diagnosing
illnesses that worry the older adults.
Canada: African Grandmothers
Rally for AIDS Orphans (August 13, 2006)
“After burying their children, they must take care of
the children of their children.” The Stephen Lewis
Foundation sponsored the 16th International
AIDS conference in Canada to help grandmothers cope with
the AIDS pandemic. Stephen
Lewis, former Canadian ambassador to the United Nations,
currently serves as Secretary General Kofi Annan’s
representative to Africa for AIDS. About 100
“AIDS grannies” from Africa attended various workshops on
how to help orphans cope with the loss of their parents;
build resilience in children and grandmothers; and how to
avoid infection when cleaning the bleeding wounds of
children who may be H.I.V. positive. The AIDS pandemic has
created an estimated 12 million orphans in Africa, with
the number expected to grow to 18 million by 2010.
Canada: Meal Assistance
Programs Improve Nutrition of Older Persons (July 26,
2006)
(Article in Arabic)
Heather Keller, Professor at the University of Guelph in
Ontario, Canada, carried out a study showing that the meal
assistance programs help prevent older adults from
becoming malnourished. The results of the study made clear
that elderly exposed to the risk of malnutrition should be
encouraged to participate in meal assistance programs. The
study, published in the Journal of the American Dietetic
Association, showed that participants in the hot meal
programs showed improvement, or at least no decline, in
their nutrition.
Canada: Study Links Memory
Loss, Estrogen Level (July 26, 2006)
It has long been a concern that women experience memory
and concentration problems as they approach and move
through menopause. A new Montreal study reports that a
reduction of estrogen leads to memory deterioration, and
women who take the hormone around their menopause years
can decrease those risks. However, many experts believe
that other factors such as stress, lack of sleep and hot
flashes, are as crucial in causing shortfalls in working
memory as hormonal changes during menopause.
Jamaica: Elderly a Valuable
Niche Market, Says Eldemire-Shearer (June 18, 2006)
Professor Denise Eldemire-Shearer, head of the Department
of Community Health and Psychiatry at the University of
the West Indies, believes that “Jamaicans need to adopt a
new approach to caring for the elderly.” As the senior
population is growing rapidly, older people play a more
important part in the world’s economy. Eldemire-Shearer
hopes that business people will soon turn their attention
to the older sector and will invest in services creating
“greater opportunities for older persons to continue to be
active and to contribute to development.”
Jamaica: Senior Citizens
Keeping Active, Living Longer (June 18, 2006)
The St. James arm of the National Council for Senior
Citizens (NCSC) gives significant support to older
Jamaicans through its 10 activity centers. One of the main
goals of the project aims at keeping the senior citizens
active after retirement. The centers organize art and
craft activities, dancing classes, educational seminars
and trips. The beneficiaries of the project believe that
the programs keep them mentally and physically active and
results in long life.
Bolivia:
Tarijan Towns Will Not Pay for Elderly Health Care
(June 6, 2006)
(Article in Spanish)
A new law, passed in January 2006, requires each
municipal government to finance all of the medical
insurance for older persons, relieving the National
Treasury (TGN) of the responsibility to cover 60% of the
cost. However, through the Municipal Association in the
Department of Tarija, the Tarijan towns announced that
they reject the transfer of financial responsibility
from the TGN. Next move?
Uruguay:
Platforms for Future Politics of Old Age: Continuity
and (May, 2006)
(Article in Spanish)
Uruguay gets the model country award for its program
planning for aging in Latin America and the Caribbean
region. Statistics indicate that Uruguay is home to the
largest aged population in Latin America. This study
outlines plans for putting the UN’s Madrid International
Plan of Action on Ageing to work in Uruguay. For
example, it lays out plans to change the curriculum of
medical schools to include more geriatrics, to create
centralized medical records, to work more on prevention
of diseases, among many other strategies. To sum up,
CEPAL (the Economic Center for Latin America) is
proposing a new model to incorporate older persons into
the fabric of Uruguayan society to assure their social
visibility.
Spain: New Study Connects Aging with Cancer (May 23,
2006)
(Article in Spanish)
A newly released study from the Spanish National Research
Center on Oncology shows the link between cancer and
aging. Manel Esteller, who headed the research, explains
that the so-called Wegner gene links the process of aging
with the development of degenerative diseases like cancer.
The gene actually repairs DNA, thus protects the organism
from aging and stops cell mutations. The finding will help
scientists develop better ways to treat cancer, especially
in older patients.
Latin America: The Tide
to Come: Elderly Health in Latin America and the
Caribbean (April 2006)
At present, Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) adults over
the age 65 make up the first generation to survive
childhood diseases with medical intervention. Yet, medical
histories and nutrition in early childhood still dictate
the likelihood of diabetes and heart disease. Researchers
at the University of Wisconsin-Madison & PAHO suggest
that histories of high knee-height & waist-to-hip
indexes as well as rheumatic fever relate to the
prevalence of diabetes and heart disease in LAC. Their
conclusion suggests that the elderly population of the
next sixty years will be plagued by chronic illnesses as
malnutrition and obesity trends shift. Despite medical
interventions, future generations run the high risk of
suffering from diabetes and heart disease..
Cuba: Geriatric
Experts Will Meet in La Habana for GeriCuba 2006 (April
25, 2006)
(Article in Spanish)
Health professionals from Latin America, the Caribbean and
elsewhere will meet in May in La Habana, Cuba, for an
international conference on aging. GeriCuba 2006 is an
event that will gather experts on geriatrics. Participants
will focus on the medical aspects of providing care for
older adults and the social dimensions of aging. The
conference will serve as a venue for older persons to
voice their concerns and suggest possible solutions for
the problems
they often face.
Bolivia: Free Health Care
Program in Crisis (April 18, 2006)
(Article in Spanish)
Since the Bolivian Congress passed a bill requiring local
governments to take financial responsibility for the free
health care program for the elderly, chaos has enveloped
hospitals. Local authorities are asked to pay soaring
debts from the program’s cost. However, until the bill
becomes an official law, neither the central government
nor local authorities want to pay the debt. Local
hospitals lack enough resources. The central government
fears that it may fail to realize its promise to serve
older adults for free. A dilemma of expectations.
Argentina: Older Persons Should Have Preferential
Attention in Hospitals (April 17, 2006)
(Article in Spanish)
Older Argentineans need special attention in hospitals and
public clinics. Although Argentina has laws that protect
older persons, the laws are not properly enforced and
accurate information is often missing from health centers.
The Regional Council of Older Adults asked public health
authorities to increase their focus on issues affecting
older persons and encourage health care workers to give
better service to the elderly.
Chile: Bachelet Initiates a Fund
for Older Adults (April 17, 2006)
(Article in Spanish)
Chile’s newest step toward improving quality services for
older adults is the creation of a National Fund for Older
Adults. The fund will transfer resources to legally
established older persons’ organizations. Financial
assistance will help the organization implement
development and social programs for the elderly. The
National Fund for Older Adults complements the
newly-launched free health care and social pension
programs. In addition, the government will train 570
health professionals in geriatrics to serve older persons’
needs better.
Canada: Alcohol and Seniors:
Alcohol Dependence and Misuse among Older Gay and
Lesbian People (March 2006)
Different statistics show that alcohol dependence and
substance abuse are generally higher among gay and lesbian
people than heterosexual people. While drinking problems
may be less today because of increased acceptance in
society, there are many older gay and lesbian people who
have health and psychological problems as a result of
years of drinking and substance abuse. One factor is that
they grew up in a society that was less prone to accept
their lifestyle, so they internalized their feelings,
leading to psychological conflicts and stress. One of the
few places where they could be themselves was at a bar.
Research shows that many older gay and lesbian people had
their first sexual experience under the influence of
alcohol. This report explores the different factors and
problems that older gay and lesbian people face. One of
the problems is lack of services designed to address this
issue.
Bolivia: The Government Delegates Financial
Responsibility for Elderly Health Care Program to Local
Authorities (March 29, 2006)
(Article in Spanish)
Older persons in Bolivia have the right to access free
health care after the age of 60. Earlier this year, the
government approved legislation to change this program for
the elderly. As a result, the central government is no
longer responsible for the costs of the free health care
program. Instead, local authorities will have to pay
hospitals and clinics with funds from oil industry taxes.
The government expects that the reforms will not
negatively affect beneficiaries and that health care staff
will continue to provide quality service.
Chile: Health Care Now Free for
Elderly in Chile (March 17, 2006)
Michelle Bachelet has implemented her first measure as
Chile’s president: free health care for patients over 60
years of age. Although 80% of Chileans are covered by the
national health-insurance system, many retirees on small
or no pension support cannot afford to pay for its
coverage. This program ensures health care coverage for
these pensioners. Plus, the new president has highlighted
the current situation of older persons in Chile where many
retirees live on as little as $56 a month.
Chile: Bachelet Supervises
“Free Access to Health Care” Program in a Local Hospital (March 15, 2006)
(Article in Spanish)
President Michelle Bachelet visited San Juan de Dios
Hospital in Santiago to follow up the implementation of
her newly launched “free access to health care” program.
Since March 14, older persons are entitled to free health
care in public hospitals starting at age 60. Bachelet
wants to watch carefully the progress of this program and
keep an eye on potential problems. The government firmly
believes that access to free health care for older adults
will significantly impact older adults’ quality of life,
especially for those most vulnerable. “This country has
done well, it is fair now to cut the costs of health care
for older persons,” said Bachelet.
Chile: Older Adults Will Have Free Access to Health
Services (March 14, 2006)
(Article in Spanish)
President Bachelet is
implementing a new program,
starting March 14, that will give adults 60 years old and
above free access to health services in public hospitals
and clinics. Chilean elderly, at age 65, already had discounted
services and were given preference in hospital lines. The
aim of the new program is to open the national health
system to all older adults and to improve the quality of
care, especially in geriatrics. President
Bachelet also wishes to eliminate discrimination
against age and gender, a problem that older persons often
face when seeking medical attention.
Bolivia:
New Law Will Reform and Improve Free Health Care for
Older Adults (March 6, 2006)
(Article in Spanish)
The National Congress has approved a law that will reform
free health insurance for older adults. The government has
changed the program's name from "Free Medical Insurance
for the Elderly" to "Health Insurance for Older Adults,"
in an effort to be politically correct. Local governments'
funds and revenues from taxes on the oil industry will pay
for the cost of this new health care. Older adults above
sixty are eligible for this comprehensive and free
insurance. It is expected that the number of beneficiaries
will increase and that the service will improve.
Ecuador: Physical Exercise
Motivates Older Adults in Riobamba (March 6, 2006)
(Article in Spanish)
Every Friday morning the local military offers older
persons in Riobamba free aerobic classes. Contagious
tropical music gives rhythm to the cardio routine. Two
doctors are present to do check-ups before and after the
classes. It is not breaking news that exercise helps older
adults stay active, healthy and happy. The instructors
highlight that this activity has motivated many older
people to have a positive outlook about aging. " I love to
dance and the aerobics. One has to enjoy this stage in
life and be proud of one's grays," said 70-year old Maria
Gallegos.
Canada: Ruling Has Canada Planting
Seeds of Private Health Care (February 20, 2006)
Canada's public health insurance system may be forced to
consider more private health insurance measures. Quebec
has been ordered to reform their public system after a
Court ruling in June 2005 declared that long waits violate
a patient's "'life and personal security, inviolability
and freedom,' and that prohibition of private health
insurance was unconstitutional when the public health
system did not deliver 'reasonable services.'" Canada's
health care changes will definitely be something to watch
in the upcoming months, especially as provincial elections
draw near in the next year or two. Perhaps a short trip to
the USA will give Canadian legislators the best medicine
for this taste of privatization: uninsured, untreated sick
persons of all ages throughout the richest country in the
world. And some Canadians complain about long waiting
lines?
Venezuela: Older Persons Receive
Special Attention at Gerontological Farms (February 17,
2006)
(Article in Spanish)
The Venezuelan Institute for Social Services has created a
novel program for older persons called "Gerogranjas"
(short name in Spanish for Gerontological Farms), in which
participants engage in gardening, farming, and outdoor
activities. There are thirteen farms in urban and rural
areas across the country, serving 780 people. A
multidisciplinary team of social workers, doctors, and
agricultural experts participate in this program. Older
persons are encouraged to take part in the gerogranjas to
stay physically and mentally active.
Mexico: Older Adults Show
Athletic Abilities (February 15, 2006)
(Article in Spanish)
The Mexican Athletic Games for older adults took place
yesterday in León. The competition attracted a
number of older persons who were eager to participate and
practice their athletic abilities. The representative from
the National Institute for Older Adults said that
government's aim is to promote physical activity among the
elderly.
Canada: Drugs for the Elderly May Impair Mental
Functions, Study Shows (February 1, 2006)
A study in the British Medical Journal found that
anticholinergic drugs, which include antidepressants,
painkillers, and other therapies, may lead to deficits in
cognitive functioning and mental impairment. The elderly
are particularly at risk for these negative side effects
because their brains absorb the medicine quicker, excrete
it slower, and it may interact with other drugs.
Researchers found that more than 30% of elderly residents
in U.S. nursing homes take more than two anticholinergic
drugs.
Canada: For Our Older Persons, No Privatization of
Health Care (January 30, 2006)
(Article in French)
Réjean Hébert, MD
and Health Sciences Dean warns about the consequences of
the privatization the Canadian health system. Some claim
that the needs of growing numbers of older persons
justifies such a change. But Dr. Hébert says that aging
is only fifth among other causes for increased health
expenditures. Aging
needs lag far behind, for instance, the uncontrolled
increase in the price of drugs. Targeting the elderly is
easy since most keep silent. But that ignores that we
are all on our way to old age.
Mexico:
Respiratory Infections Rise 43% this Winter (January 17,
2006) (Article in Spanish)
The cases of old persons with respiratory infections have
dramatically increased this winter. The Public Health
department coordinator said that in 2005 there were 43%
more cases of sick elders. Low temperatures will continue
across the country, especially in the states of Chihuahua,
Distrito Federal, Nayarit, Yucatán and Guerrero.
Old people are more vulnerable to the cold and need to
take special precautions to prevent further respiratory
complications such as pneumonia.
Argentina: Outdoor Activities planned
for the Elderly this Summer (January 9th, 2006)
(Article in Spanish)
In Rio Grande (Tierra de Fuego), the Social Welfare
secretary has organized a program of outdoor activities
for local older persons. Summer is an excellent
opportunity for such projects that take place every
Saturday in January and February at a nearby camping
facility. The Social Welfare secretary will offer the
participants transportation to the camping center,
breakfast, lunch and a snack. Older persons will be able
to enjoy a number of various leisure and cultural
activities as well. The Social Welfare Secretary wants to
include older persons in the community and enhance their
opportunities for physical activity.
Spain: A New Equine Therapy Center
for the Elderly to be Open in Lleida
(January 3, 2006)
(Article in Spanish)
In Lleida, Spain, a non-profit organization concerned with
elderly issues, will open an equine therapy center for
older persons this coming February. The center will offer
a range of therapies, based on a theory that interaction
with horses not only helps people gain good health and
social skills, but also slows the process of aging.
Andrómeda, the foundation in charge of the center,
firmly subscribes to this theory and is eager to provide
elderly people a new invigorating, life-changing
experience. The foundation will also hire disabled and
socially excluded persons to expand the center's social
mission.
Chile: Optimism and Healthy
Lifestyle are Key Elements for a Good Aging Life
(January 2, 2006)
(Article in Spanish)
Duke University studies have recently shown that a Mormon
community in Utah has the highest life expectancy in the
country. The old people in this area not only live longer,
but also age in good health and a positive outlook.
Researchers believe that the influence of the Mormon
Church, which prohibits the consumption of alcohol and the
use of cigarettes, has impacted the behavior of the
elderly, who have healthy diets and strong social
networks. In Chile, aging expert Antonio Cano has said
that optimism and the capacity to adapt are as important
as a good diet and physical and mental activity.
Return to Top of Page
Asia Pacific
Australia: Bone Research Strengthened in Lead Up to
World Osteoporosis Day (October 19, 2006)
Older people who get
osteoporosis and the fractures that often accompany it
face earlier deaths, disability, and a diminished
quality of life. Scientists in Australia
have identified a genetic mutation found in bones that
appears to incline persons to low bone density and
increased risk of bone fractures. As many as 100,000
Australians could be carrying a genetic mutation that is
influenced by a combination of genetic and environmental
factors.
Australia: Loss of Hearing Ability and Sight Are
Connected (October 11, 2006)
(Article in
Russian)
Australian scientists discovered that loss of hearing
ability causes loss of sight and vice versa in older age.
The scientists came to this conclusion after examining
2000 patients whose average age was 70 years old some 88%
of persons with sight problems also had hearing
difficulties.
Kashmir: Geriatric, Palliative Care
Received Little Attention in Quake Hit Zone (September
16, 2006)
In the quake hit zone of Kashmir, an assessment showed
that elderly people suffered from lack of care. Many required
tangible and specific attention.
To tackle this issue and better meet older persons’ needs,
two NGO’s launched training workshops focused on
reorganizing local healthcare in the direction of
geriatric and palliative care.
This focus on elder needs is particularly appropriate
since Kashmir celebrates the International Day of Older
Persons on October 1.
Cambodia: Older Persons AIDS
Knowledge and Willingness to Provide Care in an
Impoverished Nation: Evidence from Cambodia (September
2006)
Given the current AIDS epidemic in poor countries,
older persons often become the primary caregivers for
children who have contracted the disease. In this research
report, the authors examine elderly persons’ understanding
of the disease and their willingness to provide care. Results indicate
that older women are more likely to be willing to provide
care, but are less knowledgeable about the disease in
comparison to younger women of reproductive age. The authors
recommend programs that would provide radios and
television sets to impoverished people as a way to educate
persons about AIDS and encourage caregiving.
China to Lose Labor Force
Advantage as Result of Aging Society: Report (August
22, 2006)
Labor-intensive manufacturing has largely
been responsible for the economic growth of China
.
However Chinese society ages, experts predict the
slowing down of economic development due to reductions in
the labor force in the coming years. The China Academy of
Social Sciences reports the decline will begin in 2016 and
continue to decrease yearly. According to China National
Committee on Aging, the 65 and older population will reach
243 million in 2020, more than double the aged population
of
China today.
Japan:
Elderly A-Bomb Victims Still Suffering (July 31, 2006)
A survey conducted by Yomiuri Shimbun shows that many
elderly atomic bomb survivors decided not to get married
or have children because they were concerned about the
impact their exposure to radiation might have on future
generations. Concerned that they might have children and
grandchildren born with defects, many elderly survivors
broke off their relationships, exposing themselves to
loneliness. Many still suffer from various health problems
such as cataracts, hepatic function disorder, cancer, and
thyroid gland disorder.
ASEAN
Health Ministers Agree on Cooperation (July 27, 2006)
Health Ministers in the ASEAN (Association of Southeast
Asian Nations) countries have joined their counterparts of
China, Japan and Korea to take initiatives that address
emerging health concerns. The group, known as ASEAN Plus
Three Health Ministers, plan to combat threats to their
region’s health and security through the greater exchange
of information, experience and expertise. They also
reaffirmed their commitment to developing integrated
health policies that include the health care needs of
older persons.
Australia: Age-Old Questions (July 19, 2006)
Practice has shown that publishing brochures and
organizing community support groups is not always an
effective way to help HIV positive people. They often do
not want to go to local centers for fear of being
recognized, and some are reluctant to educate themselves
through reading. With statistics suggesting that HIV
infections among gay men in their 40s are rising, health
authorities need to find new ways to reach older people.
Thailand: Government Warned of
Aging Explosion in 20 Years (July 14, 2006)
The older Thai population, growing at a rapid pace, will
make up 20% of the population in 20 years. Meanwhile, the
existing social and health provisions might collapse under
the pressure of growing demand. Researchers warn
authorities that to avoid looming crisis the government
should recognize this problem and implement new social and
health care reforms.
Hong Kong, China: 42% of Low
Blood Sugar Level Elderly Patients Admitted Came From
Elderly Nursery (July 8, 2006)
(Article in Chinese)
The Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Hong Kong
discovered that in the first quarter of 2006, nearly 45%
of older persons over 80 years old who were admitted to
the hospital due to low blood sugar levels came from old
age nursing homes. The medical staff attributes this
situation to poor management standards in the nursing
homes. The hospital’s social department discovered a
number of abuses: wrongful distribution of medications to
nursing home residents, failure to follow the doctors’
prescriptions about the use and amount of medicine and a
giving cathartic to the elderly without consulting
doctors.
New Zealand: Vitamins No Help
to Older People’s Thinking, Study Says (June 29, 2006)
New research from Otago University has shown that taking
vitamins does not help older persons’ mental performance.
These studies contradict previous views that vitamin
supplements may help to prevent dementia. Now many doctors
might change their recommendations to older
patients.
Philippines: Philippines Trying to
Cut Medicine Cost (June 14, 2006)
By filing a case against the Philippine government for
patent infringement on a hypertension drug, Pfizer, the
pharmaceutical giant, has “angered officials and
consumers.” Philippine drug prices are up to 45 times
higher than in other Asian countries, a result of large
pharmaceutical monopolies and marketing schemes. In
response to the precarious conditions that many patients
face in light of the high cost of medicine, the coalition
Effective Medicine at Affordable Prices advocates for new
laws, specifically to shorten patent periods, support the
generic industry, and reduce “evergreening”--obtaining
patents for slight drug modifications.
Hong Kong: Mystery Illness Lays
Bare Drugs List Faults (June 12, 2006) Chinese
authorities adopted a new drug policy in which the
government will only subsidize medications that are on the
Hospital Authority central drug list. If a patient needs a
medication that is not on the list, he or she has to pay
its full cost without government aid. This new regulation
will have dramatic effects on older persons for whom
previous government aid was the only way they could afford
necessary medication. Chow Chin-sun, 59 years old, is one
of them. After the new regulations come into effect, he
will have to spend his life savings paying medical bills.
Japan: Japanese
Scientists Give New Hope to Alzheimer’s Victims (June 3,
2006)
The team of Japanese Professor Teruo Miyazawa discovered
that plasmalogen, a substance contained in seafood, may
prevent death of nerve cells. Experiments with rats showed
that consumption of this substance prevented the decline
of their memory and learning abilities. The research also
proved that sea squirt contains as much as 0.1 percent of
plasmalogen. This study may be extremely useful in the
search for a cure against Alzheimer’s disease affecting
millions of people around the world.
Japan: What Japan Can Do to
Push Its Longevity Envelope (May 2006)
With the highest life expectancy at birth in the world,
Japan has clearly reaped the benefits of better nutrition
and living conditions, products of industrialization and
urbanization. However, like many developed nations, a rise
in chronic diseases has accompanied the changes in
lifestyle and diet. Eliminating some specific chronic
diseases would allow further increases in life expectancy,
and policy towards this end fosters change. The issues
most readily addressed by public initiatives include
smoking, cancer, and influenza--none of which is targeted
aggressively by Japan’s government, but would undoubtedly
influence life expectancy statistics.
New
Zealand: Health Big Winner in Budget (May 18, 2006)
New Zealand’s 2006 health budget includes $126 million
over the next four years to improve care for older
persons. Funding will be split between home-based support
services ($58 million) and age-related residential care
($68 million). Health Minister Pete Hodgson said, “This is
a significant investment in the health of older New
Zealanders, but it's also one that will help us keep pace
with the growing number of people choosing to remain in
their homes for as long as possible.”
Thailand: About 20,000 Thai Elderly People Face the Risk
of Developing Cataract Each Year (May 10, 2006)
The Thai National Health Insurance Office (NHIO) is trying
to address cataracts among older persons – the leading
cause of blindness – by partnering with opthalmologists.
Under the partnership NHIO will provide eye surgery
services for older persons “under the 30-baht medical
care” (30-baht is less than US $1).
India: An Ageing Population (May 9,
2006)
Despite India’s growing aging population, the country does
not have a sufficient policy framework to provide social
security. Older persons in India are increasingly
experiencing isolation, financial insecurity, and a lack
of social support as younger persons move to urban areas
and the traditional family structure continues to change.
According to a study by All India Institute of Medical
Sciences, older women disproportionately experience mental
health issues, receive less education, and are more
economically dependent on others than older men.
New Zealand: Healthcare Premiums Hit Elderly (May 4,
2006)
Starting July 1, Southern Cross Healthcare will drive up
premiums for people over 60, while cutting premiums for
20-year-olds on the same plan. Hospital and specialist
premiums for 70-year-olds with a low claims rebate will
increase from $34.96 to $40.90 per week, while
20-year-olds with the same rebate will pay $4.88 per week
instead of $6.73. According to Chief Executive Ian
McPherson, this shift is due to the large number of
medical claims for older persons and an attempt to reach
the younger generation. Many people, especially older
persons, cannot afford the increasing premiums and as a
result the number of insured New Zealanders has dropped
from 50% to 33% since the early 1990s.
China: China to Slash Price of
160 Drugs to Ease Healthcare Burden (May 2, 2006)
China’s National Development and Reform Commission plans
to cut the prices of 160 drugs after investigating
pharmaceutical companies. The China Daily reported that
“pharmaceutical factories commonly jack up the price of
their products to gain huge profits, and those soaring
prices have been blamed as a key reason for the hefty
costs of medical treatment.”
Singapore: Opposition Raises Healthcare Costs as Key
Election Issue (May 1, 2006)
As Singapore’s 10th General Election draws near on May 6,
2006, healthcare costs are at the center of the debate.
While traditional values support caring for elders,
critics claim that the younger generation’s economic
hardships, combined with their parents’ large medical
bills, are making it difficult to care for older
Singaporeans.
China: Metabolic Syndrome Prevalent in China (April 17,
2006)
Chinese elders are developing five risk factors for
cardiovascular disease, collectively called metabolic
syndrome, after adopting Western diets and lifestyles. The
five risk factors include central obesity defined by waist
circumference, high blood pressure, low HDL ("good"
cholesterol), high triglycerides, and high blood sugar. A
growing aging population and the emergence of metabolic
syndrome will create a huge burden for the health care
system in China.
Sri Lanka: Poison Plant Fuels Suicide Bids (April 10,
2006)
Sri Lanka’s suicide rate is growing due to the
accessibility of a common, poisonous roadside plant – the
Yellow Oleander tree. This plant covers the island and
people only need one seed from the fruit in a Yellow
Oleander flower to kill themselves. Older persons are
among those that attempt suicide, possibly due to family
tension. Furthermore, 10% of the attempts are fatal, which
is much higher than in western countries. Although an
antidote is commonly found in the US, the remedy for the
poison is too expensive for most people in Sri Lanka.
Malaysia: Only Nine Doctors for Elderly Care (April 9,
2006)
While the number of older Malaysians will grow steadily
during the coming decades, there are currently only 9
geriatrists in the country. The government is encouraging
medical students to specialize in geriatrics, as experts
recommend that there should be one geriatric doctor for
every 4,000 older persons. With a population of almost 2
million, Malaysia is one the developing countries with
highest life expectancy: 72 years. Increased geriatric specialists must
be found to help care for the increasing number of older
Malaysians.
New Zealand: Elderly Going Hungry in Bay (April 5,
2006)
Two-thirds of fully dependent elderly people in the
Bay’s nursing homes and private hospitals are
malnourished, estimates leading dietitian Fiona Boyle.
Experts point out that insufficient staff cannot feed
patients properly. Without
enough food, patients grow malnourished. Appropriate
nutrition plays a key role in a patient’s overall health,
especially for fragile elderly people.
Taiwan: Education of Adult
Children and Mortality of Their Elderly Parents in
Taiwan (March 2005)
Educational attainment and a subsequent increase in
socioeconomic status have significant effects on a
person’s health and mortality. Persons with more education
have better access to resources that contribute to good
health. While this trend holds true across countries, one
can see further implications. When a family is strongly
unified across generations and resources are shared within
the household, then the educational attainment of adult
children has as important effects on the parents’ length
of life. This report examines the case in Taiwan and
analyzes if educational attainment really is more of a
family asset rather than individual one.
India: Community-Based Health
Insurance Shows Promise in India (March 2006)
Community-Based Health Insurance (CBHI) is developing
around the world and increasing in diversity. A method of
resort for millions of people without healthcare, it
improves availability of health care and prevents
financial devastation. Though many challenges remain, such
as sustainability and successful marketing, CBHI fosters
multi-party cooperation and support by the World Bank and
World Health Organization. India in particular is enjoying
great progress, especially important because only 11% of
the population has health insurance. Unique features of
CBHI--local and voluntary participation, prepayment as
incentives--are affording early successes in the process
of refining the programs.
Vietnam:
Social Protection Network to Be Expanded for the Elderly
(March 27, 2006)
(Article in French)
The Vietnamese Labor, Disabled Veterans, and Social
Affairs Minister, announced that the new 2006-2010 program
for older persons will include free health care and social
pensions for all Vietnamese elders. The government also
plans to improve training for health professionals and to
emphasize the important role of older persons in
society.
South
Korea: South Korea’s TB Deaths on the Rise (March 23,
2006)
The number of Tuberculosis (TB) patients grew 11.6% from
2004 to 2005 and remains among the top ten leading causes
of death for South Koreans. Older persons represent about
25% of all South Korean TB patients. TB can remain dormant
for years, which suggests that older persons carrying TB
from the epidemic in South Korea during the 1950s and 60s
are unknowingly carrying and spreading this infectious
disease.
Philippines: Adding Years to Life (March 20, 2006)
By changing our lifestyle and environment humans can add
years to life. For example, all top seven causes of death
among Filipinos, including heart disease, cancer and
diabetes can be reduced by modifying the risky behaviors
leading to these diseases. We not only want to live
longer; we want to live healthier longer. As life
expectancy increases throughout the world, so does healthy
life expectancy. “A 60- year-old Filipino male can expect
eight more years of healthy life expectancy, and a
Filipino female, 11.7 more years.”
Vietnam: PM Khai Calls for Greater Care for Seniors
(March 18, 2006)
A recent conference in Ha Noi reviewed health care
services for older persons that the Viet Nam Elderly
Association (VEA) has provided over the past five years.
The prime minister commended VEA for its nation-wide
programs and encouraged it to reach out to rural and
remotes areas. The VEA plans to establish welfare
networks, create social clubs, advocate for more house
calls by doctors, and secure housing for older persons.
Vietnam: Full Care for the Elderly (March 16, 2006)
(Article in French)
The Vietnamese State and its
governing Party are currently reviewing their last five
years of health care policy for the elderly. The review
finds that health and “spiritual” care activities have
improved enabling older persons to lead “saner, happier
and more useful lives.” A 2004 survey on the situation
of older persons in Vietnam shows that 74% live with
their family and 39% receive State pensions.
Singapore:
Elder Care Enhanced (March 8, 2006)
The Singapore Ministry of Health (MOH) plans to overhaul
the country’s health care system within the next decade to
address the needs of their aging population. About 85% of
the senior citizens in Singapore will need lifelong
treatment for one or more chronic illnesses, such as
diabetes and high blood pressure. In order to improve
efficiency and save money, the MOH plans to transform
their health services by creating one-stop health centers
to address these chronic illnesses.
China: Caretakers Experience Senior Life (March 1, 2006)
Trying to improve the care provided to the elderly, a
Chinese nursing home has organized a training experience
for its employees. With faulty eye glasses, ear plugs
and other equipments the staff is given the opportunity
to experience how 80 year-old persons sees the world
surrounding them. After the experience, Zhao, one of the
caretakers, said he would be able to provide better
service.
Japan:
Inpatient Numbers to be Cut / Medical Reform Bills Seek
to Reform 'Social Hospitalization' Malady (February 28,
2006)
The average hospital stay for a Japanese patient is 36
days. This is mainly attributed to social hospitalization,
which is when people are in the hospital for long periods
of time for non-medical reasons. Many of these people are
elderly who receive free medical care in hospitals because
there are not enough nursing homes or at-home care
services available. In an attempt to address this problem
patients are beginning to pay more out-of-pocket expenses,
institutions are receiving less money from the national
health insurance system, and there will be a reduction in
the number of hospital beds. Japan also plans on promoting
nursing homes and expanding home care services.
India: Scientists Suggest
Influenza Vaccine for Elderly (February 27, 2006)
Scientists are urging older persons and other high risk
populations to get a flu shot. Not only will the vaccine
protect people from common influenza strains found in
India throughout the year, but it will also help prevent
mutations in the H5N1 strain (bird-flu virus) and possibly
reduce the severity of illness if someone is infected with
the bird-flu. Currently, the bird-flu virus is passed
between humans so this is only a precautionary measure.
Japan: Green Tea Minimizes the
Deterioration of Perception for Old People (February
26, 2006)
(Article in Arabic)
A medical study has shown that the risk of old
persons suffering perception difficulties is minimized
among persons who drink green tea regularly.
Laboratory experiments established that some green tea
components may prevent the deterioration process of
brain cells associated with such diseases as
Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
South Korea: Elderly to Enjoy Better Care System in
2008 (February 7, 2006) "Elderly Care Insurance,"
a long-term care insurance program for South Korean
seniors, will begin in 2008. This program will run
separately from the current national health insurance
program and specifically cover age-related health costs.
The financial investment for the program will be shared
between current health insurance subscribers and the
government, although people making less than 401,000 won
will be exempted from payment. The South Korean
government is making another critical decision to
anticipate the needs of its rapidly expanding older
population.
Australia: Full Gap Fee Hits Elderly (January 10,
2006)
Pensioners on Tasmania's east coast are now forced to
pay the full gap fee for consultations. The gap
represents the difference between the Medicare payment
and the medical doctors' charge. The gap fee is about
AUD 23. The government wants to make medical practice
in Tasmania more financially attractive, i.e.,
lucrative, to health professionals. But
will high fees keep sick people away from necessary
care?
Return to Top of Page
Europe and Central Asia
UK: Height Loss Tied to
Heart Disease in Men (December 11, 2006)
Have you considered doing yoga well into old age? If not,
rethink your options. Yoga helps maintain muscle mass,
which eventually helps you maintain mobility, avoid
frailty and most importantly, it helps you avoid excessive
shrinking. Excessive shrinking does not have to happen to
you! It signals health deterioration, not aging. A UK
study of 4,213 older British men found that shrinking an
inch or more over a period of 20 years results in
preliminary deaths related to heart disease.
UK:
Wait- Hip Ratio Trumps BMI in Seniors (November 21,
2006)
Are you living in fear of your BMI (body mass index)?
A recent UK study on “Waist, shape and mortality risk in
older persons” says you can put these worries behind
you. Researchers concluded that BMI calibrations are
inaccurate predictors of poor cardiovascular health and
mortality. Instead, they found that the Waist-Hip
Ratio (WHR) is a more accurate measurement and predictor
of cardiovascular health risk and mortality. It is
directly correlated to a decline in health and an increase
in mortality. Then who is at risk, you ask? The data
indicates that persons with 0.8 or higher WHR, with excess
abdomen fat, are at highest risk of dying from
cardiovascular problems.
Kazakhstan: Sport Makes Life Longer
(November 11, 2006)
(Article in Russian)
A group of the pensioners from Ust-Kamenogorsk decided to
support the presidential initiative on healthy life.
Despite the fact that many of them are older than 70, they
practice weightlifting. The pensioners set an example for
the youth, proving that exercise helps to prolong
life.
Scotland:
Seventy-Nine Percent of Carers use Humor to Cope, but
Thirty Percent Say their Emotional Well-Being has
Suffered (November 1, 2006)
A recent study revealed that
health and social care professionals receive more
satisfaction from the quality of care they provide when
they use humor and holistic approaches along with
practical solutions to problems. Alison Jarvis, a nurse
researcher, conducted the study in a Scottish practice
comprised of five family doctors and 5,000 registered
adults aged 16 or over. According to Jarvis, "This study
shows that it is the invisible consequences of care
giving, such as family tensions and lack of time, that
seem to be most stressful, even at an early stage…These
chronic stress factors may accumulate and the last
stressor, which may appear to be relatively minor, could
trigger a crisis.”
Spain: Three in Every Ten Elders Hospitalized
becomes disabled (October 30, 2006)
(Article in Spanish)
Some 19.6% of the seven million Spaniards
over the age of 65, an estimated 1.45million are
dependent. According to the Spanish Society of
Geriatric Medicine (Semeg), an inadequate
hospitalization of older adults brings on this
dependency. Thirty
percent of older persons hospitalized develop some
sort of physical disability that they acquired during
their hospitalization.
Semeg seeks to ameliorate the problem by
creating multidisciplinary units that offer
personalized evaluations and adequate treatment to
those admitted into hospitals. It believes
that a large percentage of physical impediments can be
prevented.
Norway: Norway: A Model Country (Octover 29, 2006)
(Article in Spanish)
The United Nations has considered Norway, along with
Canada, as the country with the best quality of life,
three times. An expensive country, Oslo ranks as the most
expensive city in the world. Yet poverty is not an issue.
A taxi driver tells writer Andrea Ventura, in perfect
English, “If you need an operation due to health problem,
everything is free."
Russia: Ice Skater with 80 Years of Experience (October
24, 2006)
(Article in Russian)
A pensioner from Ekaterinburg, Petr Shaidurov, celebrated
his 94th birthday on the skating rink. Ice skating is his
passion, and despite his age, he is sure that he could
take part in the TV broadcast of “Ice Dancing with Stars.”
France: Death by Negligence
(October 19, 2006)
(Article in French)
“We kill the old people” is a provocative book that
condemns conditions of hospitalized old persons facing
abuse, indifference and euthanasia at the hand of their
care givers. The author calculates that this situation is
responsible for more deaths than the scorching heat waves
in the summer of 2003. Geriatrics departments are turning
into economic engines in the pursuit of profitability.
This is even more dramatic since the 2004 reform
implemented “activity pricing” (T2A): the hospital
allocates a sum according to the illness, while older
people often have various pathologies. This book declares
that in the current system elder patients are considered
“bed blockers.”
Russia:
Three-Fourths of Orlov Pensioners Chose Monetary
Compensation (October 10, 2006)
(Article in Russian)
There are 52,170 pensioners in Oryol who have a right to
social benefits and
discounts. Of these, 33,379 decided to choose monetary
compensation instead
of benefits this year, 940 persons more than in the
previous year. The main
reasons are long lines at social security agencies that
provide benefits and a shortage of necessary free
medications in pharmacies. People choose a couple of
rubles instead of the prescribed drug because they have
lost hope that the State will keep its promise of
providing pharmacies with free medications.
Russia: How to Live Till 100
Years Without Feeling Old (October 5, 2006)
(Article in Russian)
Medical studies proved that every human being has
biological potential to live around 150 years old. At the
same time according to the UN statistics the average
lifespan of people in Europe is 71 years for men and 79
years for women, in Russia it is only 58 and 72 years
correspondingly. Can we change this situation?
Germany:
Merkel Announces a Deal, Avers a Crisis (October 5,
2006)
German leaders came
together to discuss the ailing health care system in
which insurer costs have soared to a mounting €140
billion per year. At
a time when the birthrate is decreasing, the population
is aging, fewer people are paying into the country's
social system and the costs of providing treatment are
growing, more government funding may be necessary to
meet the country’s actual health costs. After many
hours of deliberation, a compromise was reached by
Chancellor Angela Merkel of the Christian Democrats,
Edmund Stoiber of the sister Christian Social Union
party, and Kurt Beck, chairman of the Social Democrats.
However, it is still unclear whether the proposed plan
will rein in exploding
costs.
France: “Alzheimer, How Can We Live With It?” A Topical
Exhibition from September 19, 2006 to February 11, 2007
in the “Cité of Sciences and Industry” in Paris
(September 19, 2006)
(Report in French)
For the 13th year, September 21 was declared world
Alzheimer’s Day. This disease affects 25 million people in
the world and most specialists expect the figures to
increase with the ageing population. To acquaint people
this illness, several experts joined this exhibition in
the “Villette” in Paris. They explained the advances in
brain research (Alzheimer’s disease is said to be
neurodegenerative), in genetics (it can be passed on to
descendants), the
contribution of medical imaging, the
treatments and the vaccine trials.
Russia:
A Man
Who is 365 Years Old (September 16, 2006)
(Article in Russian)
On
October 18 Japan
will celebrate the Day of Older Persons. In Japan
today there are more than
28,000 older persons who have lived longer than 100
years. This phenomenon is unknown in any other country
in the world. In
Russia the
oldest man is Nikolai Savchenko, 365 years old. He
received his passport with the date of birth 1641 when
he was exchanging the former Soviet identification for
the new Russian Federation
document.
Belgium: First Results of the
Scorching Heat in Belgium, Around 940 Dead Persons
(September 14, 2006)
(Article in French)
The Scientific Institute of Public Health, responsible for
listing the number of mortalities due to the summer
heatwaves, announced that 940 persons died prematurely.
Most of them were more than 85 years old. The statistics
surprised the Belgian authorities because they had drawn
up a program to prevent such dire consequences from “the
heatwaves and the ozone peaks.” Clearly, they planned
inadequately.
Spain: Weight Loss in Older
Persons is Greatest before the First Symptoms Develop of
Alzheimer's Appears (September 13, 2006)
(Article in Spanish)
Drastic weight loss in older adults is an indicator of
Alzheimer’s disease onset. According to a University of
Washington study, older persons that develop the disease
lose much weight the year before their symptoms appear.
Scientists hope that this insight will allow them to
develop better diagnostic tests and to create medicines
that stop the disease dead in its tracks.
United Kingdom: Older Women Are
More at Risk for Heart Disease than Men And Worse Off
than They Were 10 Years Ago, Say USC and UCLA
Researchers (September 12, 2006)
Researchers from the University of Southern California
have concluded that “women in their 60s have as many risk
factors for heart disease as men, and by their 70s have
more.” This finding rebuts the previous opinion that it is
men who are at greater heart disease risk. Women still,
however, have lower risk of heart problems through middle
age, but nowadays they have became vulnerable at the same
rate as men ten years earlier than before.
France: a
Bacterial Disease Killed 14 People in Health
Facilities in the North of France (August 31, 2006)
(Article in French)
A French institute, created to oversee sanitary
standards in health establishments, focused public
notice on the existence of an iatrogenic infection. The
victims are “old people who took antibiotics and were
already weakened by an illness.” This epidemic started
in the USA
and Canada
in 2003. It spread through patient transfers to the north
of Europe, and then into France. Thanks to new hygiene
rules, authorities ended the contamination.
United Kingdom: 'I Had a Silent
Killer and I Didn't Know It' (August 27, 2006)
UK medical experts assert that osteoporosis can be a
silent killer of the aging population. Lack of warning
signs can lead to a broken hip which causes immobility.
Recent studies have even shown that 20% of women who
suffer a hip fracture die within the next 12 months.
Consultant rheumatologist Dr Richard Keen, based at the
Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital claims, “As many
people die from a fractured hip as die from breast
cancer.” Specialists also state that there are currently
about 3 million people with the condition in the UK which
currently affect 1 in 3 women and 1 in 12 men over the age
of 50. As the population ages, so will osteoporosis and
hip fractures increase. More awareness is necessary for
prevention.
United Kingdom: Union Raps County for 'Care on Cheap'
(August 16, 2006)
Due to recent statistics, Lancashire County Council (LCC)
came under scrutiny for inadequately funding residents of
care facilities and nursing homes. While England’s
national average is £488 per week, LCC authority
pays only £395, making them the 3rd worst payer in
the North West. County hall officials are currently
examining these figures as well attempting to find ways of
improving funding so that standards of care for the
elderly and individuals with disabilities are no longer
compromised.
United
Kingdom: Early Alzheimer's Skin Test Hope (August
15, 2006)
Through the use of a skin test, doctors may
be able to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease at its earlier
stages. Alzheimer’s is currently very difficult to
distinguish from other conditions and patients must
undergo various psychiatric tests, which further delay
diagnosis and treatment.
However, drugs are more effective in the beginning
stages and therefore early diagnosis is key to slowing the
progression. If
scientists approve the skin test, this discovery will not
only make revolutionary headway for more effective
treatments and vaccines, but also have profound effects
for patients and their caregivers.
Germany: A
German Older Man Jumps from the Sixth Floor… Escaping
the Heat (July 29, 2006)
(Article in Arabic)
An 80 year old who could not stand the heat wave that has
swept Germany for several days committed suicide by
jumping off the sixth floor balcony of a nursing home.
Before he committed suicide, the older man wrote a letter
to his son and another to the nursing home administration
saying that he decided to commit suicide because he could
not stand the killing heat. According to the statistics of
the Ministry of Health, two thirds of older people living
in nursing homes suffer from underfeeding and a lack of
water.
France: The
Isolation of Older Persons (July 24, 2006)
(Article in French)
Isolation represents a major issue of concern for older
persons. Indeed, after the age of 70 the degree of
isolation keeps progressing. Today, among the 12 million
people who are older than sixty, 4.3 million live alone
and the majority of them are women.
United Kingdom: Ageing
'Linked To Social Status' (July 19, 2006)
Social class may not only have an impact on health
and age-related diseases, but also on the ageing process
itself. Analysis of telomeres, key pieces of DNA thought
to correlate to biological age, showed that a low social
status accelerates the ageing process by approximately
seven years. The study also found that the lower social
group has shorter telomeres, leaving cells more
vulnerable to damage, disease, and consequently to
accelerated ageing.
Georgia: Free Primary Public Health Care by 2008 (July
5, 2006)
(Article in Russian)
The Ministry of Labor and Social Justice launched
important health service reforms to set up free primary
public health service for all citizens by 2008. As the
country moves towards improving the health service
framework, children and the elderly can already receive
public health services free of charge. Primary services
include programs for prevention of diseases, treatment of
common diseases and rehabilitation, mother and childcare,
family planning and other services.
Europe: Europe's Elderly Face Inequality in Health Care
(July 4, 2006)
According to a new report “The State of
Ageing and Health in Europe” by International
Longevity Centre-UK and the Merck Company Foundation,
while Europeans in general are living longer and better
lives, more vulnerable groups such as ethnic minorities
and the poor face higher risk of ill-health. The report
claims that poor older Europeans have a 30% to 65% higher
risk of almost all chronic diseases, including stroke,
cardiovascular disease and cancer. Sally Greengross,
executive director of the International Longevity
Centre-UK, insists “Equity of access to services is
critical” for EU unions to care for the aging
population.
Germany: A Sickly Compromise for
German Healthcare Reform (July 4, 2006)
(Also See OECD Health
Report 2006)
Germany’s healthcare system, excellent and affordable
compared with many other industrialized countries, has
mixed public and private insurance systems. Demographic
changes and rising health costs have put pressure on the
system, while the payroll contribution method
simultaneously hinders expansion of new jobs due to costly
employee healthcare payments. The new resolution, highly
criticized, makes no fundamental change to the system,
leaving the issue of large financing gaps in healthcare.
Russia: Six Abandoned Villages (June 23, 2006)
(Article in Russian)
Inhabitants of six villages lost
their connection with the outside world after the
collapse of the local collective farm. A collective
farm, a form of rural organization during the Soviet Union , ended when the
government changed.
People living in rural areas had fully depended
on collective farms as the source of small earnings,
food supplies and medical assistance. As long as the
collective farm operated, the government provided social
and medical services for its workers. When it ceased to
exist, the new government withdrew these services. Now,
many older people in rural areas live without access to
groceries, medical service and transportation.
Russia: Crisis in Russia
(June 21, 2006)
(Article in Russian)
Alexandr Belkin, a 60-year-old pensioner, died alone in
his room in Novosibirsk. Before his death, Mr. Belkin had
been sick for three months. His neighbors tried in vain to
call local social agencies, hospitals and the police for
help but nobody felt responsible. This situation reveals
the crisis of the Russian social and health systems: if
you are old, sick and poor, you fall through the cracks.
Russia: “The Old
Men in the Valley of Death” (June 12, 2006)
(Article in Russian)
On May 24 Petersburg authorities closed the Sofia
Perovskaya Hospital (Hospital No. 5). They fired the
personnel, moved out helpless and unprotected patients,
spreading them among the city’s other hospitals. Two
elderly people died after the rash move. For many, this
event exposed the current crisis in the Russian health
care system, that one can describe as “if you have money –
you live, if you don’t – die.”
Russia: 2 Patients Died After
Hospital Closure (June 9, 2006)
Two patients died after authorities closed hospital No. 5
in St. Petersburg. Nobody informed patients and relatives
about the closure; patients lacked necessary care and
assistance. For many, this event exemplifies the current
crisis in the Russian health care system. Stas Demin,
president of a foundation that worked closely with the
hospital, observed the situation in the hospital where
patients were moved: “These old people in the hospitals I
visited personally just wanted to eat- they were asking
for food and medicine.” Government officials responded
saying that “hospital meals are not restaurant meals and
so there will always be complaints. It’s impossible to
please everyone when you cook for a thousand people.” The
government currently spends 40 rubles ($1.50) on hospital
meals per person per day.
Britain: Finance Manager Admits
Siphoning £1m from Council (June 8, 2006)
A finance manager pleaded guilty to “ten counts of theft,”
admitting stealing more than £1 million destined for
old person's homes. John Musisi Kaduwanema worked for the
Birmingham City Council department that deals with issues
of social care and health finance. The court will impose
sentence on Kaduwanema in July this year.
Britain:
‘Legalise Euthanasia’ Says Expert (June 8, 2006)
Since the British Medical Association took a neutral view
on assisted dying, politicians and experts have been
debating appropriate changes in law. Although all
euthanasia needs proper regulation, the Joffe bill, which
gives doctors the right to perform assisted dying,
addresses voluntary euthanasia. The non-voluntary type is
highly controversial; some advocates suggest a necessity
of living wills, while others propose to give control to
doctors. The issue of patient power is at stake, and
non-voluntary euthanasia will affect the most vulnerable.
Germany: Why German Doctors Are
Packing Their Bags (June 7, 2006)
With poor working conditions and low wages compared to
other powerhouse countries, German doctors are going to
work abroad. The opportunities to earn much higher wages
spur the exodus, which leaves medical positions vacant.
Difficulties with the social welfare model relate to
greater economic troubles--high unemployment, high cost of
labor, and reduced investment. Competition from countries
such as Britain and Sweden emphasizes Germany’s troubling
circumstances.
Britain: Key to Healthy
Old Age Explored (June 5, 2006)
The senior sector is the sector of the United Kingdom’s
population growing most rapidly. The health of older
people, therefore, is becoming a hot issue. Newcastle
researchers started a new project to obtain more
information on how to stay healthy in the golden years.
They recruited hundreds of people over 85 to help conduct
the studies.
Belarus: Help
for Older People: Social Nurse (June 2, 2006)
(Article in Russian)
Many older people need constant care and attention.
Unfortunately, not every family can afford to hire a paid
nurse to look after an older person. To solve this problem
the Belarusian government established a new profession,
the social nurse. Social nurses will fulfill household
duties for people who are unable to do it themselves, they
will also assist families who take care of their older or
disabled members. The duties of social nurses include a
responsibility to follow the patient’s regimen: to help
the person to consume food and take medicine, to give
first aid and call a doctor, to inform relatives in case
of necessity. This new service should be particularly
helpful for older people who cannot afford to pay for
regular nurses. The government promised that the fees for
the service will be fixed according to family budgets and
be quite affordable.
Russia: Tyumen
Physicians to Discuss Quality of Life of the Elderly
(May 29, 2006)
(Article in Russian)
A region-wide conference entitled “Elderly Persons:
Quality of Life” is taking place in the Tyumen region.
Family physicians, gerontologists and other professionals
will discuss various issues related to the health and
medical care for the elderly population. The agenda
includes such topics as new methods for treating arterial
hypertension in elderly patients, the quality of life of
Tyumen’s oldest residents, and the work of Tyumen’s War
Veteran’s Hospital. The city of Tyumen has hosted the
conference for eleven years.
UK: Seniors Desert the NHS to Get Medical Attention
Abroad (May 22, 2006)
(Article in French)
Faced with long waiting lists at the National Health
Service and exorbitant prices in the private sectors‚ many
seniors decide to get medical attention abroad. A UK
patient saved almost 5‚000 pounds ($7‚300) when she
decided to have her operation in India. The European Court
of Justice also ruled that the National Health Service
must reimburse patients if they are forced to get
treatment abroad.
UK: Poor Balance Predicts Alzheimer's (May 22, 2006)
A new study found that physical declines precede
cognitive declines. Signs of deteriorating physical
capacities such as poor walking and balance may be early
signs of dementia. Older persons with a healthy life style
are less likely to develop dementia than those with an
unhealthy life style. To reduce the risk of developing
dementia, experts recommend that older adults stay
mentally and physically active.
UK: Hospital Staff Aged by 'Old
Suit' (May 12, 2006)
In order to help medical staff empathize with older
patients, doctors and nurses at Leicestershire hospital
are putting on specially designed equipment that simulates
an older person in poor health. This exercise provides
insight and awareness into what it’s like to receive care
as an older patient.
UK: Care Homes Fees Increase By 50 (April 28, 2006)
State pensions are not keeping pace with care home fees in
the UK. A study from Help the Aged found that care home
fees increased over 50%, while pensions rose only 21.5%,
over the last five years. Many older persons are selling
their homes to pay bills, only to find out that sometimes
it isn’t enough. Sir Christopher Kelly, a former senior
civil servant at the Department of Health said, “If we
continue with this already over-stretched, inequitable and
incomprehensible system of funding while demand continues
to rise, there will be serious costs for the dignity and
well-being of older people.”
Europe:
Baby-Boomers Report Most Happy with Sex Lives (April 24,
2006)
In a new study, baby-boomers report having the most
fulfilling sex-lives. After changing social attitudes
towards sex, the post-war generation is still enjoying the
benefits of the sexual revolution. While study
participants in long-term relationships claim to have the
best sex ever, baby-boomers who changed their partners in
their forties are the most sexually active.
UK: NHS Cuts Put Elderly in Danger, Say Nurses (April
24, 2006)
As the National Health System (NHS) cuts jobs, closes
hospital beds, and reduces other services in order to
address its deficit, older persons are bearing the brunt
of these decisions. Cuts also include decreasing the
number of beds available to older adults for recovery from
falls, strokes and surgery. Ironically, Patricia Hewitt,
the Health Secretary, claims that the NHS has had their
best year ever. Although it may have been a positive year
for other parts the NHS, it widely ignored older persons’
needs.
England: Pledge to End NHS Elderly Abuse (April 20,
2006)
In accordance with the National Service Framework for
Older Adults, the English government promises to establish
“dignity in care” through zero tolerance policies of
neglect and abuse of older persons in the health care
system. The government plans on mainstreaming these
measures into daily health practice in hospitals and home
care. Although this step is part of the government’s
10-year plan to improve elder care in England, there is no
new money to enforce the proposed changes. Will zero
tolerance make a difference?
Russia: Coffee as a Means to Prevent Cardiovascular
Disease (April 13, 2006)
(Article in Russian)
Cardiologists from the Scientific Research Center for
Preventive Medicine (affiliated with the Ministry for
Public Health and Social Development of the Russian
Federation) recommend drinking up to four cups of coffee a
day in order to help prevent heart attacks. At the same
time, their research shows that excessive consumption of
coffee has the opposite effect, increasing the risk of
cardiovascular disease. However, if people stay within the
limits recommended by doctors, coffee can not only prevent
heart attacks but also reduce the risk of developing
Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s Diseases.
UK:
The Great Betrayal: How the NHS Fails the Elderly (March
27, 2006)
A recent UK report on health care highlights the
National Health System’s tremendous lack of
consideration for older patients. The report
points out that although older persons are the primary
clients of the health system, they are treated like
second-class citizens. Hospital workers often
“patronize” and neglect older patients. Ageist attitudes
and discrimination should end with a “change of
culture,” states the report.
UK:
Study on Quality of Life Dispels Some Notions about
Getting Old (March 22, 2006)
Getting older does not necessarily reduce quality of life.
In fact, a new study in England says that the quality of
life is above average for people between the ages of 50
and 84.
Ireland: State Falling Short on Elderly Care (March 22,
2006)
Active Retirement Ireland, a group campaigning on behalf
of retired persons, has three main concerns: the
insufficient number of public nursing homes, the conflict
between profit and the quality of care, and discrimination
against older persons who need nursing home care. Active
Retirement states that the State has not followed through
with promises made in previous proposals, such as the
Health Act (1970) or the 2001 Health Strategy to provide
public nursing home care to all older persons. By not
supporting public nursing homes, the Ministry of Health is
depriving seniors “of a service they are entitled to and
then [requiring them] to pay relatively huge charges for
use of the only alternative available.”
Russia: Unhealthy Arithmetic
(March 21, 2006)
(Article in Russian)
Three hundred new ambulance vans should have arrived in
the Krasnoyarsk Region, in accordance with the National
Project on Public Health, which provides one new ambulance
for every 10,000 people. Nevertheless, a representative of
the Krasnoyarsk Region Public Health and Pharmaceuticals
Agency claims that the region received only 150
ambulances. No one knows what happened to the remaining
150 vans. There is also uncertainty about how to
distribute the vans that did arrive. Which should receive
priority: the city of Krasnoyarsk, with a population of
one million, or the rural areas, where horse-driven carts
are still sometimes used to transport patients?
Switzerland: The Public Health World Needs to Give More
Attention to Menopause (March 7, 2006)
(Article in Spanish)
Women's groups in Geneva, commemorating the International
Women's Day, asked the world to pay attention to aging
women's issues, including menopause. Public health
organizations largely ignore the many health,
psychological and social problems that women face at this
stage in life. "We feel invisible," complained one of the
63 women interviewed. Not only do doctors not address the
complex nature of menopause's symptoms, but they also tend
to be condescending towards their female patients. Recent
studies have show that women who seek treatments for
symptoms in hormonal replacement therapy are in great risk
of developing cancer and heart disease. Participants are
looking for a "famous" woman who will champion their
cause.
France:
New Pain Medication Plan for Children, Older Persons and
Patients at End of Life (March 3, 2006)
(Article in French)
The new pain plan presented by the Minister for Health
intends to offer better pain management in hospitals with
focus on three categories of patients: children, older
persons and patients at the end of life. This plan
combines an expenditure prospective, new medical
guidelines, better training of health professionals and
monitoring process over the next 4 years.
Netherlands:
Cocoa Linked to Lower Risk of Disease (February 28,
2006)
The fifteen year old Dutch Zutphen Elderly Study found
that older men who consumed, on average, more than four
grams of chocolate per day had lower blood pressure and
were half as likely to die from disease compared with men
who did not consume chocolate. How chocolate exactly helps
is still a mystery, but many attribute its effects to
antioxidants. Being rich in antioxidants may explain the
reduced occurrence of diseases in chocolate consumers
related to oxidative stress (e.g. pulmonary diseases and
certain types of cancer).
France: Preventing Older Persons' Falls (February 27,
2006)
(Article in French)
Falling can have serious consequences for an older
person. The risk is not only about physical damage. A
fall can also provoke a loss of self-confidence and
irrational fears. A French association researching
medical documentation and the French High Authority on
Health have
published jointly a brochure to help health
professionals to detect risks and prevent falls.
Preventing falls is a necessary step on the way to
maintaining older persons at home.
Russia:
Monetary Compensation Does Not Cure Diabetes (February
17, 2006)
(Article in Russian)
Diabetes patients in Kazan have declared an indefinite
hunger strike. They demand the return of the so-called
“social package” [a government aid package which includes
free medication] because the monetary compensation that
has replaced it is woefully inadequate. The Republic of
Tatarstan is home to 4,000 diabetics who are entitled to
government assistance. They need 4-5 insulin shots per
day; however, the monetary compensation, which amounts to
450 rubles, will not buy them even half a month worth of
insulin. President of Tatarstan Mintimer Shaymiev and
other local officials are turning a deaf ear to the
protestors’ demands, claiming that “it is [the
protestors’] own fault” because they knowingly gave up
their social package.
Russia: School of Health for the
Elderly (February 20, 2006)
(Article in Russian)
A hospital in the Kostroma region opened a health school
for its patients. The purpose is to hold a series of
lectures about the health needs of older persons. The
topics of the lectures are wide-ranging and even include
requests from its patients. Still, central attention is
given to the treatment and prevention of most common
illnesses among the elderly.
UK: Malnutrition Test 'Must Be Norm' (February 22, 2006)
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence
(NICE) has created guidelines for mandatory malnutrition
testing in hospitals in England and Wales. Malnutrition
seriously affects the elderly, including as many as 60% of
pensioners in the hospital. Dr Lorna Layward, of the
charity Help the Aged, says "our preoccupation with
obesity means that malnutrition of our most vulnerable
members of society has been swept under the carpet."
UK: Benn Challenges West to Fund African NHS (February
16, 2006)
The minister for international development in the UK,
Hilary Benn, is calling all rich countries to help poor
countries fund free universal healthcare. Access to free
healthcare eases the burden of a disease and enables those
with few resources to save their money while staying
healthy. In addition to universal healthcare, aid efforts
should focus on building a social security system - in
food or cash - so that the elderly and poor have a defense
when crises hit. Creating this social security system is
especially important because "two out of three orphans who
have lost both parents [to AIDS] are cared for by an older
person" in southern Africa.
Finland: Finns Open Playgrounds
to Adults (February 8, 2006)
The University of Lapland in Finland has carried out a
research on older adults and physical activity in
playgrounds. Although seemingly strange at first, the
results obtained show that older persons who participated
in this study had significant improvements in balance,
speed and coordination. Many older adults do not exercise
and the opportunity to practice their physical and mental,
and social abilities in playgrounds has proved to be
successful. The Finland based playground manufacturer,
Lappset, has launched a " 3 generational" playground,
meant to be used by people of all ages. It seems that the
idea of the playground as a cross-generational meeting
point is becoming popular in Europe and will surely
benefit many older persons.
France: End of Life: Refuse
Hopeless Treatments (February 8, 2006)
(Article in French)
The implementation decrees for the French End of Life
Act adopted on March 22, 2005, have been published in
the State's Official Journal. The decrees deal with how
the patient's will should be expressed and "registered"
in his or her medical file. With this implementation
process, health professionals will have the right to
care and to be present with patients who refuse
treatment. They will also have the right to reduce the
dying patient's physical suffering. Contrary to other
European countries, the French Parliament has chosen to
legalize passive euthanasia and not to allow health
professionals to accelerate death.
Europe:
Up To 50 Percent of the Elderly Die of Cardiovascular
Diseases (February 8, 2006)
(Article in French)
A recent study shows that 8 out
of 10 deaths occur after the age of 64 in Europe and
that they are mainly due to cardiovascular diseases.
Ireland has the highest mortality rate due to
cardiovascular problems among those over 64 years old. France the
lowest rate in Europe.
France:
Let Death Come by Hunger (February 5, 2006)
(Article in French)
While euthanasia is not
legalized, refusing food may be the only way for a
patient to deliberately end life with no hope of cure. A
medically assisted feeding tube with a gastric probe,
which is considered a medical treatment, cannot be
imposed on a patient without consent. Eliminating a
patient's feeding can sometimes impact the patient by
weakening basic body functions such as hydrating the
skin. Some health professionals believe that inflicting
hunger on a patient as a result of medical failure to
cure is more than paradoxical. Medical teams are often conflicted
on each patient's specific case. Dealing with wished
death remains a tough debate for patients and doctors.
UK:
Free Care for Elderly 'Fairer System' (February 1, 2006)
An independent report shows that Scotland's policy of
providing free care to older citizens has created a
fairer system without undue extra spending. Although
health care expenditures have increased, this growth is
balanced by the decrease in the number of long-term
stays in hospitals for the elderly. "We found that free
personal care in Scotland has promoted more 'joined-up'
approaches to the care of older people, while reducing
their money worries and enabling their relatives and
friends to continue to provide additional informal
care," Alison Bowes, co-author of the paper said.
France:
Tomorrow, Menopause May only Happen at 65 (January 28,
2006)
(Article in French)
French Immunology researcher Jean-Claude
Ameisen answers questions about the average age at
death. What hope can we have about the way we will age
and what must we not expect? What are the consequences
of aging on mental abilities? "Nature's flexibility is
impressive," he says. "Within honeybees, the same genes
give a two month life expectancy to a worker but 10
years to the queen."
UK:
Toenail Service for Elderly Cut (January 13, 2006)
Health officials in Powys (Wales) are cutting back a
toenail trimming service for the elderly, which is raising
some concern. If older people cannot trim their toenails
because of arthritis or other ailments, some health
workers, like podiatrist Kevin Hill, suggest that long
toenails can lead to foot ulcers, infection, and
restricted mobility.
Germany: Seaweed Growing in Sewer Could Help Curing
Alzheimer's (January 5, 2006)
(Article in French)
A seaweed that grows in sewers may help cure Alzheimer's
disease. Researchers from the University of Zurick found a
molecule on the "waste seaweed" that counteracts the
enzyme responsible for Alzheimer's disease. But it could
be years before people can buy drugs that would be
developed from this molecule.
Return to Top of
Page
Middle East & North Africa
Middle East and
North Africa: Health Care Services for the Elderly in
the Middle East (2006)
The Middle East Journal of Business reports that more
than half (58%) of all people who are 65 years and older
live in developing nations. The world's older population
experiences a net increase of 1.2 million each month,
80% of which occurs in Third World nations. The growing
numbers of elderly persons results in major health care
and social service challenges. In the Middle East, these
challenges include inadequate healthcare systems and
policies, along with shrinking productivity and economic
instability. There is an urgent need in the region for
appropriate policies to address health care challenges
for old people which meet the health care needs of their
aging populations and allow continuing economic
development.
Egypt: Study: “Anxiety and
Depression Among Single Elderly” (2006)
(Abstract in Arabic)
Dr. Tomader Taha Abdel Rahman, lecturer of geriatric
medicine at the Faculty of Medicine of Ain Shams
University, Cairo, carried out a comparative study
entitled “Anxiety and Depression Among Single Elderly.”
The study evaluated the percentage of older people
suffering from anxiety and depression by considering two
different groups: those who live on their own and go to
geriatric clubs to socialize, vs. those actually living
in nursing homes, referred to as Group I and Group II
respectively. There were 164 persons in Group I and 168
older persons in Group II. Dr. Abdel Rahman came to this
conclusion: 34.1% of older people living by themselves
and attending geriatric clubs suffer from anxiety and
depression, as opposed to 57.1% for nursing home
residents. Dr. Abdel Rahman also reveals the percentage
of elderly suffering from depression or anxiety within
each sample group.
Saudi Arabia: Hospitals Are Witnessing an Increasing
Number of Younger People Diagnosed With Prostate
Congestion While the Disease Used to be Limited to
Older Men (August 4, 2006)
(Article in Arabic)
Prostate congestion used to be a disease limited to men
older than forty. Doctor Ahmed Alam defines prostate
congestion as “a doorway to prostate inflammation
because the congested gland favors the buildup of
microbes.” According to Doctor Hassan Farsi, working at
King Faisal Specialist Hospital, prostate inflammation
is common among older men; “there are no causes for
prostate diseases and consequently no means to reduce
the percentage of prostate impairments since it is one
of the indications of aging.”
Palestine: Funds Cut, Gaza
Faces a Plague of Health Woes (May 8, 2006)
(Similar article available in French here)
Gaza’s public health system is buckling under a shortage
of everything. The main hospital in Gaza, Al Shifa, has
already used its three-month reserve of emergency
supplies. Aid was cut off following the election of
Hamas to office, and the Karni crossing point with
Israel was closed. A Physicians for Human Rights/Israel
report shows that the Hamas-run Palestinian Authority
plays a significant role in health care, providing for
“64.5% of general health needs, 77% of emergency
hospital treatment and 76% of the needs of women and
midwives.” Without reinstalling financial assistance,
the World Health Organization predicts that the public
health system in Palestine will collapse and people will
have little or no access to preventive programs.
Israel: Pensioners' Ben-Yizri - A Health Minister Who
Really Wants the Job (May 6, 2006)
Israel’s new Health Minister, Ya'acov Ben-Yizri of the
Gil Pensioners Party, has a big job ahead of him. His
tasks include expanding health services, increasing
funding, reducing smoking and obesity rates, improving
cancer treatments, strengthening prevention programs,
incorporating geriatric and psychiatric care into health
services, and dedicating extensive time towards
minimizing inequalities in the health system. Ben-Yizri
has one important advantage over the 15 former health
ministers in the past 20 years – he wants the job.
Algeria: An
Unprecedented Increase of the Number of Older People
in Nursing Homes (March 25, 2006)
Souad Chikhi, President of the national organization
Ihcene that assists older people in distress, says
in an interview to Al Khabar that two big
problems face older Algerians. First, adult children and
relatives are sending increasing numbers of older people
to nursing homes. Second, the nursing homes are mixing
those who suffer from psychological and mental health
problems. Unfortunately, the older persons are not
getting the medical care and follow-up services that
they need. Souad Chikhi declared that “Algerian society
experienced tremendous mutations since we weekly record
many cases of adult children transferring their older
parents to nursing homes…”
Saudi Arabia: 50% of Older Persons Suffer From
Sleep Disorders (March 2, 2006)
(Article in Arabic)
The elderly often have difficulty sleeping. Causes
range from physical ailments to depression or stress.
Low levels
of melatonin, which is the natural, regulatory sleep
hormone secreted by the pineal gland, can also
influence sleep patterns. Experts advise
older persons to skip day-time naps so as to benefit
from a good night’s sleep.
Saudi
Arabia: Aged-related Macular Degeneration is a
Growing Problem (February 19, 2006)
(Article in Arabic)
Many people 60 years and older face Age-related
Macular Degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of
vision loss and blindness. AMD, a
degenerative condition of the macula impairs the
part of the retina responsible for sharp, central
vision needed to read and drive. Since AMD affects the
macula, central vision loss may occur. While the exact
causes of AMD are still unknown, risk factors include
age, smoking, a poor diet and having a family member
with macular degeneration.
Saudi Arabia: Aging Stimulates
Prostate Enlargement. Reasons Are Still Unknown
(February 17, 2006)
(Article in Arabic)
The prostate plays a major role in the
genital apparatus by manufacturing the fluid that
constitutes a portion of semen. But sometimes through
the years, the connective tissue in the prostate and
gland cells increase in number and the smooth muscle
cells enlarge. Many studies show that about a quarter of
men over 65 have moderate to severe symptoms from this
situation but the causes of prostate enlargement are
still unknown.
Kingdom of Bahrain: The
Launching of the Third Dental Medicine Campaign in a
Bahraini Nursing Home (February 15, 2006)
(Article in Arabic)
The Oral Health Services of the Bahraini Ministry of
Health organized the third national campaign on older
people’s oral health. The campaign took place during the
Bahrain-British Dentistry Conference, February 21-22,
which coincided with the opening of the first dental
hospital for elderly in Ad Dayr, Kingdom of Bahrain. The
campaign aims to increase awareness of older persons
about the importance of oral health and its connection
to their overall health.
UAE: Elderly Diabetic
Women Are More at Risk of Bone Fractures (February 11,
2006)
(Article in Arabic)
In a Pittsburgh University study, scholars found
that elderly women suffering from type 1 diabetes are
more at risk of bone fractures than elderly non-diabetic
women. Researchers attribute this situation to lower
bone density among older women affected by type 1
diabetes.
Arab World:
Old Age and Motion Problems (February 4, 2006)
(Article in Arabic)
Improved health care around the world has helped
people live longer. Experts expect that 20 % of the
world citizens are going to be over 65 years old in
2030. This article suggests that aging should not
necessarily be considered as a disease. Rather it
may be a gradual change in the ability to bear stress
or pressures. At
present, humans reach their physical peak in their
thirties and then
a gradual deterioration begins. The rate of
physiological changes differs among individuals in the
aging process. Unfortunately,
these changes may show up earlier than expected or
imagined.
Tunisia:
Curing by Using Familiar Music (February 3, 2006)
(Article in Arabic)
Musicians and
doctors, who participated in the scientific conference
of Curing Illnesses by Music in Tunisia,
suggest that physicians use music in examining their
patients. Tunisian, French, Arab and many European
doctors and musicians agreed in the conference that
music can be used as the first step in curing people
especially those suffering from psychological and
mental illnesses. A musician stated that she
believes elders differ from other patients in terms
of curing them with music. She thinks that a doctor
needs to have and idea about the music that aged
patients prefer in order to be able to make them
bring to mind old memories and speed up the process
of recovery.
Israel:
28% of Israelis Give Up On Medical Care (January 30,
2006)
A recent survey conducted for the Israel Medical
Association (IMA) found that 63% of people surveyed
think the burden of health costs is "too high." High
co-payments are forcing more than a quarter of Israelis,
including 14% of the elderly, to go without medical
care. As people forgo health care they end up in the
hospital for extended stays, rather than being treated
at a local clinic, at the public's expense. IMA chairman
Dr. Yoram Blachar draws attention to the fact that "the
'egalitarian medicine' that was hailed at the launching
of the state has collapsed, and the government must do
all it can to find an urgent solution."
Saudi Arabia: Scientific
Evidence Needed to Prove the Ability of Herbs and
Chemicals to Overcome the Effects of Old Age
(January 29, 2006)
(Article in Arabic)
Many world celebrities head for treatment centers to
have their lost youth restored. Some of these centers
make use of treatments using herbs and chemicals. However,
there's no scientific evidence to prove their
efficiency in overcoming the effects of aging. Such
bogus treatments are very costly.
Saudi Arabia: Exercise, Periodic Checkups and
Mental Relaxation Help Old People Enjoy a Healthy
Life (January 29, 2006)
(Article in Arabic)
Here's some practical advice to help older persons
lead a healthy life, including periodic checkups to
keep themselves in shape. It also presents some
mental workout tips from the
US
based Mayo Clinic.
Saudi Arabia: A Scientific Team
Discovers the Gene Responsible For Aging (January 22,
2006)
(Article in Arabic)
Everybody who advances in age undergoes inevitable
physical and intellectual alterations. But can these
changes be delayed? A scientific team from the USA
has uncovered the gene responsible for
aging and is hopeful to find the means to control it in
the future. So maybe the time has come when people can
have their youth restored even past 100.
Saudi Arabia: The Elderly Suffer from Frail Skin,
Dry Mouth and Hypothermia (January 22, 2006)
(Article in Arabic)
The article describes a series of physiological
changes that are related to old age, such as
amnesia, inability to concentrate, problems
affecting sight and hearing, skin affections, and
sexual dysfunctions. The author is also attempting
to sensitize the reader about how difficult coping
with such conditions can be for older persons.
Bahrain: New Health Care Center
at Home: Care of Elders, Handicapped and Sick
People after they leave the Hospital (January
19, 2006)
(Article in Arabic)
When
people get older and frailer, or suffer from a
chronic disease that requires taking medicine or
vaccines regularly, or when they are asked to leave
the hospital, they need specialized services to
assure good care in their homes. A young Bahraini
man, a MBA graduate student from the British University of
Astratec, decided to start a center that includes
professional personnel who offer care and even
medical equipment to needy elders in their own
homes. This
humanitarian project was launched on October 25th,
2005, under the supervision of Dr. Nada Haffad,
Minister of Health of the Kingdom of Bahrain
.
The Arab World: Eating
Whole-Grain Cereals Protects Old People against Heart
Attacks (January 12, 2006)
(Article in Arabic)
A new study has found that
old people who consume fiber-rich cereals and oatmeal
on a regular basis are less likely to be affected by
diseases, such as heart attacks or cerebral lesions.
The article advises both the young and the old to
follow the advice of experts on supplementing at least
three meals per day with a certain amount of whole
grains.
Bahrain: The Bahrain
Specialist Hospital
Offers 25%-50% Discounts for the Expenses
Covering Retirees' Health Care (January 7,
2006)
(Article
in Arabic)
The
Bahrain
Specialist Hospital
offers up to 25%-50% discounts for the health
services' expenses to retirees in the public, private
and military sectors. The hospital reached this
decision in collaboration with the Elders' Association
of Wisdom. They want to reward retirees for the
efforts that they made in the past for the Bahraini
community. The hospital will also organize conferences
and lectures about chronic diseases for retirees and
the members of the association.
Lebanon: Fundamental
Changes Affecting the Body with Advanced Age
(January 1, 2006)
(Article in Arabic)
Although old age today has become a
relative concept due to increasing life expectancy,
this article addresses very advanced old age that
may be accompanied by weakness in body organs.
Preserving the health of the elderly may require a
special diet which takes into account the
fundamental changes that affect the body after long
years of "wear and tear". Dr. Suzan Andraus Khweiri
(G.P. and nutritionist) suggests an appropriate diet
for those who are very old.
Return to Top of Page
Global
World: World AIDS Day Message: Progress Made, but
AIDS Remains Pressing Public Health Challenge
(December 1, 2006)
"Effectively tackling the AIDS epidemic remains one
of the world's most pressing public health challenges,"
said the WHO Acting Director-General Dr Anders
Nordström in a World AIDS Day message. As the
HIV/AIDS epidemic continues to grow, persons of all ages
are affected. Approximately
40 million people, their families and their
communities are now living with HIV.
World:
One in Fourteen People Living with HIV are Over 50
and Millions more Older People are at Risk
(November 30, 2006)
The
December 1 World Aids Day is a great occasion to
remember that one in fourteen people living with HIV
AIDS are over 50 years old. A million additional
older persons are at risk of contracting the disease.
Why? Most older persons are totally ignorant
about HIV AIDS prevention programs. HelpAge
International calls for the end to this age
discrimination and for the recognition of older
persons’ rights. Please note information at the end of
the article containing disaggregated data by age and
sex.
World: Patents versus Patients: Five Years After the
Doha Declaration (November 2006)
Access to affordable, quality medicine is critical for
patients in poor countries suffering a
disproportionately high burden of disease. Thus, five
years ago, members of the World Trade Organization (WTO)
signed a ministerial agreement to ensure that
intellectual property rules would no longer obstruct
developing countries’ efforts to protect public health.
Since then, however, little has changed. According to
the report, the US ,
at the behest of the pharmaceutical industry, is
uniquely guilty of seeking higher levels of intellectual
property protection in developing countries. Thus,
patented medicines continue to be priced out of reach
for the world’s poorest people. Please refer to the
five-year review report by Oxfam International for more
information.
World: Human Development Report 2006: Public Health
Concerns Raised
The Human Development Report continues to frame debates
on some of the most pressing challenges facing humanity.
The report points out a number of public health concerns
such as water-borne infectious diseases that continue to
impede poverty reduction and economic growth in some of
the world’s poorest countries. At any given time, close
to half the people in the developing world suffer from
one or more of the main diseases associated with the
inadequate provision of water and sanitation such as
diarrhea, guinea worm, trachoma and schistosomiasis.
This global water crisis continues to drive already
vulnerable people such as the young and the elderly into
destitution. Refer to this report for more
findings.
World:
On The Front Lines of Care: Primary Care Doctors’
Office Systems, Experiences, and Views in Seven
Countries (November 2, 2006)
Although the US
pays more for its healthcare
than any other country, a recent study reveals that
the US
trails in several areas. The
2006 report, published online by the journal Health
Affairs, surveyed primary care physicians in
Australia, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, the
Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States
and found striking differences in primary care
practice systems that undermine quality and
efficiency. Wide gaps exist between countries in
clinical information systems and payment incentives.
US physicians are among the least likely to have
extensive clinical information systems or incentives
targeted on quality and the most likely to report that
their patients have difficulty paying for care. Refer
to this report for more findings.
World: Assertions on the Necessity for Elderly to
Drink no Less Than 2.5 Liters of Water a Day (August
5, 2006)
(Article in Arabic)
A Czech medical report recently published warnings about
the lack of fluid in the human body as a dangerous
life-threatening situation for elderly. The report
indicates that low blood flow in older persons brings
about a loss of spatial orientation and to recognize
where they are. Thus, elderly must be careful and
precise about the amount of water and other types of
fluid they drink by making sure that they take in enough
fluids. This is urgent during the summer.
World: Poor Night Vision and
the Decline of Vision with Age (July 13, 2006)
(Article in Arabic)
Night vision impairments linked to aging result from
changes in the pupil, lens, or retina. The most
significant case of age-related vision impairment,
macular degeneration, leads to “legal blindness” in
people over 55 in the developed world. According to
researchers, some older people avoid night driving, but
in general people believe that vitamin A can help
relieve the problem. Rather than taking vitamin
supplements, researchers assert that it is better to
consume meals rich in vegetables. However, in the
developing world the lack of vitamin A presents a
widespread issue.
Solo Living “doubles heart risk” (July 12, 2006)
Though many people
fear growing old alone, circumstances in later life
often leave people in solitude. According to findings
in research headed by Dr. Kirsten Nielsen, people who
live alone face increased risk of angina and heart
attacks. Many doctors blame it on an unhealthy life
style and bad habits attached to lonely living.
World: Caregiving: Why A/C is a
Necessity (June 27, 2006)
As a major killer each year, heat waves and hot weather
pose major health problems for older people and those
with heart conditions. Thus, air conditioning is “a
necessity- not a luxury” for many. Despite drastic price
reductions for air conditioners recently, the difficulty
of installation and problems with unit size and design
pose barriers to usage. The absence of air conditioning
or other cooling practices in homes, nursing homes, and
medical facilities can prove fatal, as demonstrated in
the 2003 heat wave in France.
World: Drug Firms a Danger to
Health (June 26, 2006)
Targeting another controversial issue in the
pharmaceutical industry, Consumers International, the
world federation of consumer organizations, cites
“irresponsible marketing practices.” Some of these
criticized practices include cosy relationships with
healthcare providers and the misrepresentation of drug
testing results. Statistics indicate that companies
spend double their research costs in marketing efforts.
The discoveries demonstrate the necessity, at least, for
new regulations in this field.
World: A Lethal Dose of US Politics (June 17, 2006)
Increasing global debate about intellectual property
rights and the demand for life saving medicines has
brought to light divisions among member states of the
World Health Organization (WHO). Although US government
and corporate interests in trade policy are at odds with
WHO positions, recent events have clearly shown the
strong US influence on the organization. Washington
argues for commercial incentives with strict patent
protection for pharmaceutical companies, specifically in
bilateral free-trade agreements. Because this will lead
to higher drug prices, WHO cautions governments against
the conditions of the agreements. In response, the US
has threatened to withhold WHO funding and impose
retaliatory trade sanctions on countries.
World: Anti-Cancer Drugs Stop Older People’s Loss of
Visual Acuity (June 17, 2006)
(Article in Arabic)
German ophthalmology experts found that anti-cancer
medicines can play an active role in stopping visual
acuity loss and blindness. Previously, experts
exclusively employed laser therapy or cortisone
substances in order to fight retinal pathologies. The
new finding offers experts the possibility to fight
older person’s retinal pathologies and vision loss by
subscribing anti-cancer drugs like “Avastin.”
World: Corruption Hinders
Health Aid (June 15, 2006)
The high prevalence of corruption in health care systems
around the world undermines global health aid, much of
it never reaching the local level. In many countries the
majority of people believe that their health care system
is corrupt. Before aid efforts achieve success, the
author contends that first the receiving government must
create sound public health infrastructure, investing
adequately. “Poor countries with high income inequality
often rely on corruption as a portion of their
healthcare financing strategy.” Unfortunately, GAA
believes that there’s a knotty problem that underlies
the situation. Poor countries have too little money to
pay their health departments and medical staffs who have
expectations for world-level compensation; the health
ministries turn a blind eye to the “extra charges” that
the doctors demand in order to accumulate a wage they
feel they are “worth.” The great financial inequities
between rich and poor nations will not be easily
overcome.
World: Study Finds Attitudes about Aging Contradict
Reality (June 13, 2006)
Studies conducted by several researchers found that the
view that older people are less happy than younger
people is just an old stereotype. "Overall, people got
it wrong, believing that most people become less happy
as they age, when in fact this study and others have
shown that people tend to become happier over time,"
says lead author Heather Lacey, Ph.D., a VA postdoctoral
fellow and member of the U-M Medical School's Center for
Behavioral and Decision Sciences in Medicine. The
scientists plan to do further research to establish how
happiness in different ages determines retirement
planning and decisions about health care.
Canada: The Anxiety of Older
People: A Disorder with Underdeveloped Medical Care
(June 1, 2006)
(Article in Arabic)
Researchers from the University of Pittsburg School of
Medicine met in Toronto May 20-25 for the Annual
Conference of Anxiety Disorders Association of America
(ADAA). They discussed the suffering of older people
from anxiety disorders. Re-examination of the findings
on the psychology of older people showed that anxiety
might be their major disorder. According to statistics,
one in ten persons over the age of 60 years old suffers
from anxiety disorder, and that 7% of them suffer from
generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).
World: Three Food "Strategies" to
Lengthen Life Expectancy (May 25, 2006)
(Article in Arabic)
At the end of the nineteenth century the average life
expectancy was 41 years for men and 43 years for women.
Today, however, the average life expectancy for men is
74 years and 78 years for women. This change implies
that, within a bit more than a century, the average life
expectancy increased by 30 to 35 years. All of those who
are willing to lengthen their life expectancy should eat
less, avoid eating more or less than usual so their
weight will remain the same, and finally protect their
body from chemical substances.
World: World Bank Sees Health Aid Needs
at Least $25 bln/yr (May 25, 2006)
A new World Bank report states that “rich countries
would have to give $25 billion to $70 billion more each
year for developing nations to meet the health-care
needs set out in the Millennium Development Goals.” The
report names population aging as the most pressing
reason for the increasing costs, adding that rising
numbers of older persons will put “a lot more pressure
on the health system.” While poor countries will
struggle to meet the health care needs of their older
populations, the World Bank could have foreseen this
situation. The report cites loan conditions of its
partner organization, the International Monetary Fund,
that “preclude countries from using increased grant
funding for health spending like hiring more health
workers.”
World: A Plant Cell Helps
Menopausal Women (May 20, 2006)
(Article in Arabic)
A medical study found that cells derived from plants
improve the level of mental acuity as well as the
temperament of older women after menopause. According to
the findings, the cells look like estrogen. Researchers
from the University of La Sapienza, Italy, evaluated the
level of fertility and the temperamental situation of 78
menopausal women. Responding to a question regarding the
medication the women prefer to use, the majority
answered they would rather use estrogen derived from
plants than artificially manufactured medicine.
World: Elderly with Breast Cancer
May be Undertreated (May 15, 2006)
Women in their 80s with breast cancer tend to receive
less intensive treatment compared to their younger
counterparts, Israeli researchers report. “According to
our data, most women diagnosed with breast cancer at or
after the age of 80, lived more than 6 years after
diagnosis," senior author Dr. Haim Gutman told Reuters
Health. "A majority received less than the standard
local treatment." Less than standard treatment was
associated with somewhat increased risk of recurrence,
although this "did not translate into statistically
significant survival disadvantage," he added.
World: Understanding the
Process of Aging (May 13, 2006)
Scientists discovered that the process of aging is
caused by an increase in sporadic production of
defective lamin A proteins, a substance responsible for
correct reproduction of cells. When this protein
changes, cells modify their structure and instead of
young cells, cells with a poor, old structure occur.
Scientists hope to use this information to understand
the process of aging and to find a cure for the
Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome, a very rare
condition that causes visible rapid aging of young
children.
World: Declining Hearing
Abilities: A Natural Indication of Aging (May 11,
2006)
(Article in Arabic)
At some point in their lives, many people face a natural
decline of their hearing abilities. On average, more
than half of people past 60 years of age suffer some
hearing loss. Why is aging a factor in reduced ability
to hear? What are indications of the onset of hearing
loss and what can be done about it? Doctor Aryaj Abd el
Rahmen el Mansouri lists useful methods for those who
suffer from hearing impairments.
World: The Aging of Societies:
The Next World’s Challenge: Two Billion Old People
by 2050 (April 27, 2006)
(Article in Arabic)
Frida Gibson lives by herself, does her shopping and
cooks, even though she will reach 95 years old in 6
months. Despite weak vision and memory loss, she feels
she is in very good shape, and declares, smiling: ‘My
doctor says that I might attain 100 years.’ The world
increase in life expectancy is likely to double
Alzheimer’s cases every twenty years. The disease will
concern more than 81 million old people by 2040.
World: Coping With Ageing Societies Poses Global
Challenge (April 26, 2006)
Experts predict that the number of people over 60 years
of age will more than triple by 2050. Despite the rapid
growth of aging populations, societies are not prepared
for the demographic shift. One concern is that our
health systems are not equipped to handle the needs of
older persons. According to Professor Claude Le Pen, a
health economist at the Universite Paris Dauphine in
France, “on average in the European Union about 15
percent of the ageing population who are in very poor
health will lead to around 60 percent of health-care
expenses.”
World: IMF Prescriptions Bad for
Health, Say Activists (April 22, 2006)
According to critics, International Monetary Fund (IMF)
policies negatively impact health care in developing
countries because they pre-determine the needs of
developing countries before providing financial
assistance. Due to the financial ties and accompanying
restrictions from lenders, many African governments are
forced to limit health care spending, therefore
preventing countries from reaching the Millennium
Development Goals by 2015. Investing in health care
guarantees the right to health for all ages, including
older persons, and helps further economic and social
development.
World: Analysis: Experts Slam ‘Disease Mongering’
(April 11, 2006)
Are pharmaceutical companies making us paranoid for
their own profit? Experts reproach pharmaceutical
companies for disease mongering - making normal health
conditions into illnesses in order to boost drug
profits. This includes treating menopause as a disease,
rather than a natural part of a woman’s life cycle.
Pharmaceutical companies, on the other hand, argue that
they are simply educating people and enabling patients
to take personal responsibility for their health.
World: Saving Millions for Just a Few Dollars:
Cost-Effective Health Measures for Poor Nations (April
3, 2006)
The Disease Control Priorities Project (DCPP) helps
healthcare professionals, donors, and countries find
specific, cost-effective solutions to health problems in
developing countries. According to Dean T. Jamison, a
health economist at the University of California at San
Francisco, “Money doesn’t necessarily buy health, but
today good health is clearly possible at low cost.”
Although life expectancy has significantly increased
over the last forty years, people in developing
countries are living longer in poorer health. Hopefully
suggestions from the DCPP will help all people live
healthier longer. The article contains references to
several recent books and studies for those who want to
learn more.
World: Lifestyle Affects Both Brain and Heart (March
20, 2006)
(Article in Spanish)
This article highlights recent studies from the Indiana
University Center for Aging Research and the Alzheimer's
& Dementia Association that found a close
relationship between cardiovascular disease and brain
disorders. An unhealthy lifestyle appears to negatively
affecting one’s heart condition and interferes in normal
brain functioning. The studies show that diabetes,
hypertension, and obesity can deteriorate cognitive
processes as well.
World: Dairy Products Fight
Under-Nutrition of the Elderly (March 7, 2006)
(Article in French)
The recent study, "Survey in Europe on
Nutrition and the Elderly: a Concerted Action," shows
that in France 350 000 to 500 000 older persons do not
consume enough food.
Appetite difficulties and hunger causes higher
death rates and diseases. Dairy products help fight
malnutrition by providing older persons with calcium,
proteins and vitamins.
World: The Lifestyle Affects the
Brain Health (March 3, 2006)
(Article in Arabic)
There is growing evidence that a heart-healthy
lifestyle benefits the brain as well, as far as the
elderly are concerned. In fact, hypertension, diabetes
and exercise have an impact on the cognitive functions.
Individuals can often choose physical, social and mental
activities that will either impair or enhance their
cognitive abilities.
World: Calcium Plus
Vitamin D Supplementation Remains Equivocal
(February 20, 2006)
(Article in Arabic)
Many doctors have encourage their older female
patients to take
1000 mg of elemental calcium carbonate with 400
IU of vitamin D3
daily to prevent fractures. However, a recent
study published in the New England Journal of Medicine
concluded that healthy postmenopausal women who took
calcium with vitamin D supplementation resulted in a
small but significant improvement in hip bone density. The
supplements did not significantly reduce hip fracture,
plus they increased the risk of kidney stones
World: Corruption in Health Care
Costs Lives (February 11, 2006)
In this article The Lancet responds to Transparency
International's Global Corruption Report 2006 and
welcomes its recommendations in tackling global
health-care corruption. A few of the highlights from the
report include providing transparent information, making
codes of conduct, independently monitoring public health
policies, creating a competitive procurement process,
and protecting whistleblowers. If health-care corruption
is addressed effectively, money and lives will be saved.
World: Exercises for Urinary
Incontinence (February 4, 2006)
(Article in Arabic)
Many old persons suffer from problems due to
incontinence or lacking control of urination. This
incontinence mainly occurs during coughing, sneezing,
lifting heavy things, laughing or changing posture. This
problem may affect the person's psychological state
because the person feels that he cannot control his
body. The article presents some exercises that help
strengthen the bladder muscles to function normally.
World: Global Corruption Report 2006: Corruption in
the Pharmaceutical Sector (February 1, 2006)
This section of the Global Corruption Report, recently
released by Transparency International, discusses the
tension between making profits and the public interest.
This tension has led many doctors and pharmaceutical
companies to compromise health for profit. According to
the World Health Organization, roughly "one-third of the
world's population lacks access to essential medicines"
and a quarter of drugs used in developing countries are
fake or sub-standard. How can nations overcome this
barrier to improve the health of their citizens? The
complete report can be found on Transparency
International's homepage.
World:
Global Corruption Report 2006: Corruption and Paying
for Health Care (February 1, 2006)
Transparency International recently released their
Global Corruption Report for 2006. As part of their
report, this summary sheet describes the characteristics
of health care systems vulnerable to corruption, how to
recognize corruption in different types of health
systems, and how to reduce incidences of corruption.
This topic must be discussed because it results in the
loss of money and affects access to care for millions of
people. The complete report can be found on Transparency
International's homepage.
World: Routine Exercise
helps Elder Health (January 17, 2006)
(Article in Arabic)
A team of researchers in a Medical Center in
Seattle presented a study which suggests that routine
exercise, even if it is a 15 minute walk 3 times a
week, can help old people avoid disorientation and
other related problems affecting persons over 65
years.
World: A Substance Extracted
from the Cyanobacteria to Cure Alzheimer Disease
(January 7, 2006)
(Article in Arabic)
A group of researchers from the Swiss Federal
Institute of Technology, science and technology
university in Zurich, found a substance that can
eradicate the enzyme responsible for older people’s
weakening of memory and mental concentration,
Alzheimer’s disease. The substance, derived from the
cyanobacteria, holds promise to cure Alzheimer’s
cases that have eluded drugs currently available on
the pharmaceutical market.
World: A
Right to Health: A Fundamental Human Right
affirmed by the United Nations and Recognized
in Regional Treaties and Numerous National
Constitutions (2006)
In this brochure, The Centre Europe Tiers Monde
(CETIM) points out that the preservation and
promotion of health implies more than just access
to medical care and medicines; it includes all
aspects of human life related to peace and social
security. It is, CETIM contends, “the iniquitous
international order responsible for widespread
inequalities and poverty prevents the realization
of the right to health.” Therefore, in this
brochure the authors clarify the obligations of
countries cited in various international
agreements that deal with the right to health and
offers ideas, best practices and legal commitments
towards the realization of the right to
healthcare.
World:
Researches on Aging: Towards a Larger
Understanding and Deeper Experiments (October 27,
2005)
(Article in Arabic)
The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine held its
13th Annual Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, in
December 2005. The Conference discussed new
developments and research in the field of aging.
Characteristic of the most recent medical research
is a focus on all aging-related issues: illness,
health changes and different means of care for older
persons. The increase in life expectancy in many
societies worldwide boosts research in these areas.
Nowadays, human beings can enjoy old age well into
the 100s.
World:
Fish Is Necessary to the Completion of Embryo’s Brain
and to the Preservation of Older People’s Memory
(October 13, 2005)
(Article in Arabic)
Two unconnected scientific studies show that fish is
necessary to the completion of an embryo’s brain and to
the preservation of older people’s memory. Researchers
from Rush University Medical Center in Chicago
emphasized that eating fish at least once a week greatly
reduces the deterioration of both the memory and nervous
capacities of the elderly, and weakens the possibility
of senility.
World:
Canadian Researchers: Learning Two Languages Helps
Keep a Young Mind (June 15, 2004)
(Article in Arabic)
Canadian researchers found that older people who know
several languages have a faster mind than those who know
only one language. The researchers also demonstrated
that multilingual seniors are less affected by natural
factors influencing rapidity of the cerebrum activity,
thus keeping them mentally “quicker” than others.
United Nations Disability Rights
Convention
Worldwide there are
approximately 600 million people with disabilities. In
the year 2000, in the United States alone 41.9% (Source: US
Census Bureau) of the population of 65 years
and over live with some disability. The rights of disabled people
both in rich and poor countries are often weak or
at times non-existent. Global Action on Aging
strongly supports an international convention on
the rights of people with disabilities to
safeguard those who enter old age with a lifelong
disability as well as those who acquire a
disabling condition in old age.
In December 2001, Mexico, with the support
of lobbying groups, initiated a UN General Assembly
resolution to establish an Ad Hoc Committee to
develop a proposal for an international convention
on the rights of people with disability. The
Committee entitled the "Ad Hoc Committee on a Comprehensive and
Integral International Convention on the
Protection and Promotion of the Rights and Dignity
of Persons with Disabilities" is open to
all Member States
and observers to the United Nations.
On this page you will find GAA reports on the
Committee's fifth session as well as documents
relating to the situation of elderly with
disabilities world wide.
GAA:
Highlights of the Discussion on Disabilities and Old
Age (March 29, 2007)
On Thursday, March 29, 2007 (a day before the signing of
the UN Convention on Disabilities) Global Action on
Aging put together a discussion about disabilities and
old age. The group included experts from the aging and
disability community who could address the overlapping
concerns of older persons and those who have lived with
lifelong disabilities. The group discussed a variety of
topics, concentrating on crosscutting issues between
both communities. They also considered how older persons
could use the Convention on Disability to advance and
strengthen aging concerns.
(Please click here for the UN
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities)
(Please click here for the
Disability Convention with markups of relevant
aging/disability language – also available in Spanish-
and French)
(Please click here for a PowerPoint
presentation of the photos from the discussion)
(Click here to learn about the
Convention process)
UN:
Personal Account of GAA Deaf Research Associate at the
Adoption of the Disability Convention (December 13,
2006)
Emmanuel Shwan, a Deaf Research Associate with Global
Action on Aging, attended the UN General Assembly
Adoption of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities on December 13, 2006. Shwan provides his
personal account of the challenges he faced in trying to
obtain appropriate accommodations, either a sign
language interpreter or a speech-to-text service.
Despite the irony of facing barriers at the Convention’s
adoption, Shwan makes a valid argument for
accessibility. Shwan states, “…persons with disabilities
have a lot to contribute to society and societies in
turn should welcome the contributions they can make. In
order to succeed with that goal, it is necessary to
provide the disabled with the necessary accommodations
to enable their successful integration into
society.”
UN:
Report Based on the Meeting with Dr. Liisa Kauppinen,
President Emerita of the World Federation of the Deaf
(December 2006)
Global Action on Aging’s Deaf Research Associate,
Emmanuel Shwan, interviewed Dr. Liisa Kauppinen,
President Emerita of the World Federation of the Deaf
(WFD), which is the sole world body that serves the
interest of deaf people around the world. This report
explains the WFD, its work, the challenges it faced
during the drafting process for the Convention on the
Rights of People with Disabilities, and how the WFD can
work with GAA on elderly deaf people around the world.
Eighth session
| Seventh session | Sixth session | Fifth
session | Fourth session
Eighth
session of the Ad Hoc Committee (August 14 - 25,
2006)
UN
Agrees on Rights for Disabled (August 26, 2006)
Delegates at the United Nations concluded drafting the
first ever internationally binding UN Convention on the
rights of persons with disabilities. The convention that
will go to the UN General Assembly in September for
adoption, would require countries to “guarantee freedom
from exploitation and abuse for the disabled” while
safeguarding other, already existing rights, such as the
right to vote. The United States announced that it will
not sign on to the treaty. This article briefly
summarizes the main points of disagreement and
opposition of some countries, such as references to
sexual and reproductive health and the actual monitoring
of the treaty.
NGOs
Meet with the German Commissioner for the Interests of
the Disabled (August 23, 2006)
Global Action on Aging, in cooperation with the
Friedrich Ebert Foundation, set up a NGO meeting with
Ms. Karin Evers-Meyer, German Commissioner for the
Interests of the Disabled. Ms. Evers-Meyer and her
delegation talked about Germany’s role in the UN’s
drafting of a proposed Disability Human Rights
Convention. She also detailed the situation of persons
with disabilities in Germany. The
invitees--international NGO-UN representatives and
disability rights advocates-- raised questions and
offered their insights about disability rights on an
international and local levels. Please click on the link
to access the meeting’s photo gallery.
The Opening of the 8th Session
(August 14, 2006)
GAA intern Evelyn Chow reports from the opening day of
the eighth session of the Ad Hoc Committee on a
Comprehensive and Integral International Convention on
the Protection and Promotion of the Rights and Dignity
of Persons with Disabilities. UN experts believe that
the Committee will finalize its work in this session and
that the UN General Assembly will pass a convention on
the rights of persons with disabilities in
September.
Seventh session of the Ad Hoc
Committee
(January 16 - February 3, 2006)
World: Delegates
at UN Meeting on Disability Rights See It as Major
Step Forward (January 31, 2006)
The result of the UN's 7th session of the Ad Hoc
Committee for a Comprehensive International Convention
on the Rights of People with Disabilities is very
positive, say the delegates and participants at the
end of the three weeks long session. With intensive
work, the Committee seems to have taken a major step
towards the achievement of the rights of disabled
people through this convention. Global Action on Aging
noticed that during the working sessions, delegates
and disability advocates gave special attention to the
rights of older people with disabilities.
Sixth
session of the Ad Hoc Committee (August 1 -
12, 2005)
DPI’s
Panel Discussion on Women with Disabilities (August
2, 2005)
GAA intern Evelyn Chow details the major issues and
concerns raised at the sixth session of the Ad Hoc
Committee’s Convention on the Protection and Promotion
of the Rights and Dignity of Persons with
Disabilities; which she attended at the United Nations
on August 2, 2005. She
summarizes, in particular, the challenges faced by
elderly women with disabilities.
Fifth session of the Ad Hoc
Committee (January 24 - February 4,
2005)
Report on
the UN Disability Conference, Charlotte Parkinson
, DSW (January 24 - February 4, 2005)
Charlotte
Parkinson, DSW, reports on the path-breaking UN
Conference to draw up a text for consideration in the
UN General Assembly on Rights and Protection of
Persons with Disabilities throughout the world.
Charlotte Parkinson, formerly directed a Mental
Retardation program Catholic Charities, and advises
GAA on disability issues as a volunteer. She monitored
the Fifth Session of the Ad Hoc Committee debating the
content of the proposed Convention and presents her
summary of the discussions and issues that confronted
the Country Delegations to the Session.
Key
Articles in Draft Disability Treaty Approved at UN
Meeting (February 6, 2005)
In a major step forward for persons with
disabilities and humanity as a whole, a United
Nations negotiating panel, at the fifth session of
the "Ad Hoc Committee on a Comprehensive and
Integral International Convention on the Protection
and Promotion of the Rights and Dignity of Persons
with Disabilities," has reached agreement on key
provisions in a treaty codifying their rights.
Ending
Poverty Means Empowering the Disabled (February
3, 2005)
In the context of the Fifth Session of the Ad
Hoc Committee, U.N. member states
and disabled advocacy groups finalized a draft
agreement on Thursday, February 3, to defend
basic rights such as independent living,
employment and equality, paving the way for
the first-ever international treaty
guaranteeing the rights of the disabled.
Fourth session of the Ad Hoc
Committee (August 23-September 3, 2004)
Report of the Ad Hoc Committee on
its fourth session (August
23 - September 3, 2004)
During its fourth session (23 August - 3 September
2004), the Ad Hoc Committee concluded a first
reading of the draft text of the convention as
contained in the report of the Working Group
(A/AC.265/2004/WG.1) by considering the title, the
structure, part of the preamble, definitions
(article 3) and monitoring (article 25). The
Committee also adopted the organization of work
proposed by the Chairman (see annexes II and III)
and conducted a review of articles 1 to 15 and 24
bis. The Committee decided to further review the
draft convention at its next sessions. On 25
August, the Ad Hoc Committee had before it the
report of the Coordinator on the progress of
informal discussions of draft articles 4, 5, 6 and
7 (see annex IV).
Summary
of Discussions on Draft Articles by the
Coordinator (August 23 - September 3, 2004)
GAA posts this summary to
inform readers about the open process of working
through the ideas and content of the proposed
convention among Member States. The delegates
represent nations that differ along lines of language,
economic capacity, legal frameworks, attitudes toward
persons with disabilities, among other issues, but
join in common and open negotiating toward a goal.
Government Contributions by Article (August 23 -
September 3, 2004)
Governments looked at 25
different articles or issues facing persons with
disability. Here you can find specific
government contributions to the debate on the
Convention.
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