World Health Day, held annually on April 7th, commemorates the founding of the World Health Organization (WHO), the health arm of the United Nations and leader in directing the global health discourse. The focus of this year’s celebration is aging. According to the WHO, the world’s elderly population (age 60+) will approximately triple—from 600 million to 2 billion, 80% of which will be in low- and middle-income countries. Although the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) do not solely focus on the elderly, the inclusion of this population is critical for achievement of the MDGs.
The increased presence of non-communicable diseases as one ages points to the importance of early education and awareness. Healthy eating habits and exercise must be engrained at a young age to prevent or postpone the onset of problems that frequently affect elderly populations. The disease rates in low- and middle-income countries are significantly higher for the elderly than in wealthier nations. According to the WHO, non-communicable diseases in these populations will result in “around three times the number of years lost to premature death from heart disease, stroke, and chronic lung disease.” This rise in disease and illness will greatly impact social systems and increase the need for care and support of elderly populations. Health care costs can greatly hinder families—particularly those that are already low-income- as well as societies that are not prepared to handle these costs within already weak social and health systems. Therefore, it is essential that governments are prepared to sustain and address the needs of their growing elderly populations.
Malnutrition and maltreatment are two grave concerns among the elderly. According to Nestle Nutrition, some of the main causes for malnutrition in the elderly are: reduced intake of foods, inability to eat, lack of available foods, excess losses of food and nutrients (due to vomiting, diarrhea, etc), and impaired absorption. Per the WHO, maltreatment occurs in approximately 4-6% of the elderly population—however this is often underreported. The WHO also predicts that this number will only increase as populations are aging.
The international development community has a role in ensuring that the needs of the elderly are not forgotten in project development and implementation. As this population grows, we should direct resources in their direction, focus on their needs, and ensure that we are not alienating this extremely important and vulnerable part of the population. Our preparedness to support this growing elderly population will greatly impact socioeconomic development for future generations.
