"Mainstreaming ageing into global agendas is essential. A concerted effort is required to move towards a wide and equitable approach to policy integration. The task is to link ageing to other frameworks for social and economic development and human rights… It is essential to recognize the ability of older persons to contribute to society by taking the lead not only in their own betterment but also in that of society as a whole."
Para. 15 of the UN Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing
This paragraph from the UN Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA) is in response to the demographic changes societies have faced over the last decades. It is a broad approach to the issue of ageing and the declared aim of United Nations is “to ensure that persons everywhere are able to age with security and dignity and to continue to participate in their societies as citizens with full rights.” 1
The MIPAA is in response to the expectation of an over 30 % increase in older persons by the year 2050 in some regions of the world; yet life expectancy, especially in some developing countries is decreasing due to HIV / AIDS and other social factors.
The Madrid Plan (a) focuses more on developing countries, particularly due to the expected increase in the number of people aged 60 years or older in those countries during the first half of this century; and it (b) emphasizes inclusion of older persons in deciding policies rather than having policies designed for them.
Social workers can have an important role in realising the inclusion of older persons as they are trained and have the ethical background for integrating older service users into decision-making processes by respecting the right of self-determination.2 But self-determination is risked to be lost because older adults face a great risk of marginalization, being neglected by the society or they are even face a risk of being abused. They often experience both social devaluation and poverty upon leaving the labour market. Groups particularly vulnerable to poverty and social devaluation in old age, due to cultural and institutional biases, which affect people throughout the lifespan, include women, people with disabilities, people with a migration background, and people who do not belong to the majority racial or ethnic group of any given society. Moreover, older adults seeking support to maintain independence and quality of life frequently encounter either a lack of social services, especially in rural and remote areas, or services that are poor in quality or unresponsive to linguistic and cultural diversity.3 A supportive environment is essential to maintain quality in services for elderly people. This includes a good health infrastructure as well as institutions where older adults can take part in activities of the local communities. In many countries social workers play an important and often a key role by ensuring and enabling supportive environments for elderly people. Especially in situations of emergencies social work provide the necessary skills to react appropriately and provide immediate help. Social work pursues an integrated approach of assistance going further than the medical intervention. It includes psychological, emotional interventions as well as assistance in social reintegration, because health is defined both in terms of its physical and mental dimensions. The concept of mental health includes a state of well-being in which the individual becomes aware of his or her abilities and can cope with the stressors of daily life. The perspective of integral health also respects the concept of behavioural health that conceptualizes the reciprocal relationship between human behaviour and physical health.
As a result of medical advances more older adults will live out their lives with improved health outcome. This also increases the possibility for increased full participation of older adults in all parts of societies, but this must also come with the eradication of poverty and policies to ensure a more satisfying life for older people.
The World Conference in Hong Kong offers the opportunity to reflect upon the role social workers can have in advocating for quality of life in dignity for all older people. This includes reflecting on the role of social workers in promoting intergenerational interaction, cohabitation and support.
1 cf. Para. 10 of the UN Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, 2002 2 cf. www.ifsw.org/ethics 3 cf. IFSW Policy paper on Ageing and Older Adults
Questions open for discussion in order to build the Agenda for the Conference
- How can social work influence the development of policies which work towards a more inclusive society?
How can social workers help to respect and respond cultural differences in their social services with elderly people?
Does the curriculum of schools of social work correspond with the professional challenges social workers confront in working with older persons?
What are the specific skills social workers have or need in their work with elderly people?
How can different cultural perspectives on ageing enrich social work practice and the delivery of social work services?
Are there general accepted criteria for “ageing in dignity”?
What is the profession of social work and social workers doing in regards to poverty amongst the elderly?
How can the profession create supportive environments where the participation and the knowledge of older adults are appreciated and valued?
How can social workers deal with the older adults who are being neglected or abused?
How can social workers promote the right of older adults to be accepted as full citizens?
How is the profession reacting on the global differences of medical treatment for older adults?
What is the contribution of Social Work to support the conceptualizing of health as a multi-dimensional construct of physical, mental and behavioural health in providing social work for older adults?
