World Demographic and Ageing Forum
Upcoming WDA Expert Symposium “Demographic Ageing in Japan and Switzerland: Action through Exchange and Dialogue”
The WDA Forum organises an Expert Symposium on "Demographic Ageing in Japan and Switzerland: Action through Exchange and Dialogue" on May 24-25, 2012 at the Swiss Re Centre for Global Dialogue in Rüschlikon/Zurich, Switzerland.
If you have any queries regarding this Symposium, please contact the WDA Forum via the link below:
http://www.wdaforum.org/index.php/en/contact
For more information and to register for the Symposium, see below:
Date :03 May 2012
Documents:
2012 WDA Forum Expert Syposium (PDF)Registration Form (PDF)
Press coverage from our new ILC Brazil president
Recent Press Coverage for ILC-Brazil's president, Alexandre Kalache.
'Alexandre Kalache is a world expert on ageing. With average life expectancy now above 80, he discusses what Australia should do to prepare for the longevity revolution.'
The interview was conducted by Julia May for theage.com.au
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/national/the-new-age-of-old-age-20120430-1xuzb.html#ixzz1tnu7lmEz
Date :03 May 2012
Launch of ILC-Brazil
ILC-Brazil was launched on the 9th of March in Rio de Janeiro with an inaugural symposium on “Discrimination in Older Age” with a large audience of health professionals and policy-makers.
ILC-Brazil was launched on the 9th of March in Rio de Janeiro with an inaugural symposium on “Discrimination in Older Age” with a large audience of health professionals and policy-makers.
Coordinated by Alexandre Kalache as President of ILC-Brazil, the event began with an opening address by Baroness Sally Greengross as Co-Chair of the ILC Global Alliance.
The morning was spent defining the problem within the context of abuse and mistreatment, gender, end of life, mental health, long-term care and media bias. The afternoon sessions focused on the presentation of solutions with perspectives from the gerontogical community, government and the private sector. Dr Louise Plouffe, formerly of WHO and Health Canada and now ILC-Brazil based, detailed anti-discrimination strategies in Canada.
The proceedings were conducted with the participation of the Municipal and State Secretaries, the Ministry of Health, FIOCRUZ and the Brazilian national and regional Societies of Geriatrics and Gerontology and received substantial media coverage. Dr Lia Daichman represented ILC-Argentina.
Date :28 March 2012
ILC Brazil and ILC China Join the ILC Global Alliance
The ILC Global Alliance members are pleased to announce the creation of two more ILC centres which add to the existing 12: ILC Brazil and ILC China.
ILC Brazil will be guided by Dr. Alexandre Kalache, Chief of the Ageing and Life Course Programme (ALC) at the World Health Organization in Geneva, and ILC China by Professor Du Peng, Director and Professor of the Gerontology Institute at Renmin University. Both centres are committed to addressing longevity and population change and to promoting healthy ageing and intergenerational solidarity.
Date :21 November 2011
The ILC members honour the contribution of Dr. Butler and Mr. Morioka in the annual meeting in the Netherlands
During the past Annual Conference in September 2011 in Leiden, the different ILC centres honoured the contribution of Dr Robert Butler and Mr Shigeo Morioka in founding the ILC.
During the past Annual Conference in September 2011 in Leiden, the different ILC centres honoured the contribution of Dr Robert Butler and Mr Shigeo Morioka in founding the ILC.
Dr Butler, former co-President of the ILC Global Alliance, passed away on July 4, 2010. His role as a visionary leader in the field of ageing represents a legacy for the ILCs around the world.
Mr Morioka served as Co-President of the ILC Global Alliance until his retirement from the Board of Directors in September 2011. Mr Morioka was invested with the title of President Emeritus of the ILC for his invaluable input in the creation of the ILC Global Alliance.
Please find the citation given to Dr. Butler and Mr. Morioka below.
Date :07 November 2011
Documents:
Citation (PDF)
2011 Meeting of the Global Alliance
In 2011 ILC The Netherlands hosted the annual meeting of the ILC Global Partners and the Robert Butler lecture.The conference on "Integrated Care for Frail Older People" was held on 29th September 2011 in Leiden.
Everyone wants to get old, nobody wants to be old
In 2050, 22% of the population will be older than 60 years. What is the best policy in an aging society? How can we improve care for vulnerable older people? On September 29, 2011 the Global Alliance of the International Longevity Centre’s (ILC’s) organized the conference 'Integrated Care for Frail Older People’ in cooperation with the three Dutch organizations ZonMw, Vilans and Leyden Academy on Vitality and Ageing. During this conference professionals from around the world discussed these questions.
Frail older people
The Dutch women Hendrikje van Andel-Schipper lived from 1890 to 2005 and was with her 115 years in her time the oldest living person on earth. Her retirement lasted more than 60 years. She was almost blind, deaf and could hardly walk the last years of her life. She lived in a nursing home, was a fan of the soccer team Ajax and her mind was sharp to the end. Prof. Paul Schnabel, director of the Netherlands Institute for Social Research (SCP),
showed with this example that aging is different for everyone. It's a gradual process, with the common denominator that everyone wants to get old, but nobody wants to be old. Schnabel explains that at this moment in the Netherlands nearly 40% of the health budget goes to cure and care for people of 65 years and older. This means that ‘health care’ can almost be phrased ‘care for the elderly’.
The study ‘The fate of the vulnerable elderly’ shows that in the Netherlands about 25% of the population over 65 years is vulnerable, of which 85% live independently and 15% live in a nursing home. In nursing homes 81% of the inhabitants are frail. Frailty in older persons is a process involving the accumulation of physical, psychological and/or social deficits in functioning, which increases the risk of adverse health outcomes (functional impairments, institutionalization, death). In Europe we see different strategies regarding care-giving. Table 1 (to view click here) shows percentages of proved care if parents could no longer live on their own (data SCP 2002).
Table 2 shows the kind of care received (data SCP 2004) (to view click here). This table shows similar data as table 1. There is a huge difference in formal care in northern and southern European countries.
Quality of life
Professor Rudi Westendorp, director of Leyden Academy on Vitality and Ageing and member of the board of ILC-the Netherlands, thinks the debate about aging in the Netherlands should have a more positive tone. Society is afraid of the silver generation with all its socio-economic consequences. According to Westendorp there is no reason for panic. Dr. Robert Butler, Pulitzer Prize winner and ILC Global Alliance chairman who past away last year, also looked at older people in a positive manner. He did not see a problem but a challenge in improving their quality of life.
Why doesn’t society take care of older people automatically? Westendorp feels that - in terms of evolution - we are genetically programmed to like children much more than old people. Biologically seen do older people not contribute anymore to the survival of humans because their reproductive skills ended. In western countries age discrimination occurs a lot. Furthermore economic incentives are needed: older people should extend their ‘productive’ life and should be rewarded to continue working after retirement. Also the care system must change. Instead of focusing on research for treating diseases associated with increasing age - such as diabetes and dementia - Westendorp thinks more research on healthy aging is important.
Active clients
The WHO definition of long-term care is ‘The system of activities undertaken by informal caregivers (family, friends and/or neighbors), and/or professionals (health and social services) to ensure that a person who is not fully capable of self-care can maintain the highest possible quality of life, according to his or her individual preferences, with the greatest possible degree of independence, autonomy, participation, personal fulfillment and human dignity’. Dr Henk Nies, director of the Centre of Expertise for Long-Term Care (Vilans), feels we tend to forget that long-term care is about values in society and values of people. Often we see older people as patients and care recipients instead of clients. According to Nies it is important that the current welfare cure and care systems in the OECD countries are equipped to handle the growing number of older people. Currently the systems communicate poorly with each other: the status of welfare is low, while that of health care is high. Nies explains that the image of old people in society is changing. Seniors are increasingly seen as active clients who manage their own situation, rather than passive patients awaiting care. Thus a new policy is needed. Greater integration of care systems would solve many problems: one contact point for housing, care and welfare, instead of several. The program ‘Interlinks’ (http://www.euro.centre.org/interlinks) tries to unravel care for the elderly and provides an international framework for integrated care. Multidisciplinary teams as well as shared budgets are needed to improve this care.
Working together
Professor Betty Meyboom is chairman of the programme committee for elderly care (ZonMw) and responsible for the Dutch National Program for Elderly Care. Through this grant program - commissioned by the Ministry of Health – solutions are sought to improve the care of elderly with complex health issues. The strength of this project is regional cooperation: over 550 different organizations in the areas of care, welfare and housing, work together with older people. Within the experiments and projects the needs and problems of the elderly are the focus.
ILC countries
According to Baroness Sally Greengross, co-president of ILC Global Alliance and director of ILC-UK, ageing and the increasing number of frail older people is an issue for al ILC’s. Frailty can cause older persons to lose their ability to function independently, experiencing a general feeling of exhaustion with low levels of physical activity. It is often associated with weight loss or cognitive impairment, depression and/or dementia as well as multiple co-morbidities (Fried et al 2001).
Greengross gives some examples by describing the situation in several countries. In India great spiritual strength is attributed to older people, which generates a lot of positive attention to the elderly and elderly care. The problem is that India has the second largest older population: 81 million (this number is growing). The health care system can not keep up with this: 66% of the elderly is vulnerable en lacks clothing, food and shelter. In France 80% of frail older people live at home, whereas in Argentina and in the Dominican Republic care for frail older people mostly takes place in hospitals. In Japan elderly care services are provided under either the welfare or healthcare system, but welfare services are scarce. In Israel 33% of older people are treated by social services, and government principal is for people who reside at home and are supported by a network of community services. In the Czech Republic general practitioners prescribe home nursing care and medication according to individual needs and 80% of people with long-term needs stay at home. Long-term care wards do exist but people are required to stay in bed. In the UK integrated care represents a concern to improve patient experience and to achieve efficiency and more value from health delivery systems. The current system for funding the social care system has changed. At present anyone with assets of more than £23,250 must pay the full cost of their care.
Whilst all ILC countries are dealing with ageing populations, the policy environments, key issues and challenges they face vary; integrated care is just one challenging example of this. Integrated care means a holistic approach to care, underpinned by effective shared assessment, communication, education, training and close collaboration to ensure more effective care delivery to prevent crises and promote early review and intervention.
Conclusion
What is the best policy in an aging society? Schnabel called a good and reliable income (pension) as a prerequisite. The combination of recovery and good follow-up is crucial. In addition, prevention in order to postpone a stay in a nursing home is important. Care and support close to home as well as the use of technical aids benefit older people.
In case you wish to grow as old as Hendrikje van Andel-Schipper? Then you should not smoke nor eat too much and provide enough money and social contacts. Or you can move to Japan, with over 40,000 centenarians.
Date :17 October 2011
Documents:
Opening Slides (PDF)Presentation by Professor Axel Börsch-Supan (PDF)
Dutch National Programme for elderly care (PDF)
Worldwide trends and developments on integrated care for frail older people (PDF)
Integrated services in the context of long term care (PDF)
The frail elderly in The Netherlands (PDF)
ILC Robert Butler Memorial Lecture (PDF)
Closing Slides (PDF)
Conference report - Integrated Care for Frail Older People (PDF)
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Baroness Sally Greengross and Dr. Alexandre Kalache to receive honour from United Nations NGO Committee on ageing
We are delighted to announce that Baroness Sally Greengross, Chief Executive of the ILC-UK, and Dr. Alexandre Kalache, Advisor to the Brazilian Government and Chief Executive...
We are delighted to announce that Baroness Sally Greengross, Chief Executive of the ILC-UK, and Dr. Alexandre Kalache, Advisor to the Brazilian Government and Chief Executive of the newly formed ILC Brazil, have been recognised by the United Nations NGO Committee on Ageing for their passionate commitment to shaping society in a positive way for the ageing population and future generations.
At a ceremony being held at the United Nations in New York City, ten individuals are to be honoured this evening. Recipients of this prestigious recognition include Kofi Annan, Secretary General during the UN Second World Assembly on Ageing; Nelson Mandela, Former President of South Africa and Human Rights Activist; and Elie Wiesel, Nobel Laureate.
The ceremony is taking place to launch the ten year anniversary of the Second World Assembly on Ageing, which focused on incorporating the rapidly-growing elderly population into modern society through advocacy and social inclusion.
The event is being held held to coincide with the International Day of Older Persons (IDOP).
About the NGO Committee on Ageing, United Nations: “The New York NGO Committee on Ageing works collaboratively to promote and support a United Nations (UN) Convention for the Rights of Older Persons. The UN Convention, a treaty among nations, would ensure that older persons around the world have the right to live with dignity and peace and that governments put in place appropriate national policies and programs that allow persons to participate and live as an active member of society and protect them from discrimination.”
For more information about the NGP Committee on Ageing, please visit http://ngocoa-ny.org/about_us.html
Date :06 October 2011
ILC Cape Town Declaration on a Global Response to Dementia - A Call to Action
The ILC Cape Town Declaration on a Global Response to Dementia – A Call to Action is a consensus outcome document of the symposium on “The Globalisation of Dementia: Issues and Responses” held in Cape Town, South Africa on October 26, 2010.
The Declaration was adopted by representatives of International Longevity Centres on behalf of the ILC Global Alliance in the symposium, and subsequently disseminated to global agencies and organisations concerned with dementia for comment on the structure, contents and recommendations of the Declaration. Feedback from these online consultations was incorporated in successive drafts of a revised Declaration. The Declaration was drafted by Jill Adkins, an attorney and consultant at Age Rights International (www.agerightsinternational.org), Dr Masako Osako, Executive Director of the Secretariat of the ILC Global Alliance and Dr Monica Ferreira, Co-President of the Global Alliance and President of ILC–South Africa, all of whom participated in the Cape Town symposium. Feedback was fielded and the Declaration revised by Adkins and Ferreira. The Declaration has been published in a special issue on dementia of the International Federation on Ageing’s journal, Global Ageing (July 2011).
The Cape Town Declaration on Dementia (short title) was designed as an advocacy tool to mobilise forces around dementia awareness and to forge policy action. It is not portended to be a definitive statement of rights or principles that can inform a range of external processes, nor in its present form is it intended to be an action plan for implementation by other bodies. Rather, the Declaration acknowledges trends, embodies facts and addresses issues relating to dementia, and emphasises the urgency for countries to make dementia a national priority, and to develop a comprehensive response to the disease. In addition, the Declaration proposes a range of policy and response strategies in 12 broad recommendations. The recommendations are similar to those being made by experts and researchers on dementia, and dementia advocacy organisations globally, as necessary steps in a global, regional and national endeavour to address the present and future impact of dementia.
The Declaration adopts a human rights approach as a base for a comprehensive response to dementia, and acknowledges existing human rights mechanisms applicable to persons with dementia. As such, it supports an ongoing international movement aimed at strengthening the protection of older persons’ rights, which include the rights of persons with dementia, the efforts of which movement may indeed culminate in a call to the United Nations for a convention on the rights of older persons.
The twelve broad recommendations articulated in the Declaration address topics that range from enhanced accessibility to appropriate health and social care, to the design and implementation of models of care which reduce the burden of dementia on families and national governments alike. A specific recommendation (# 12) emphasises the importance of the participation and input of individuals and groups most directly impacted by the condition, the primary stakeholders – persons with dementia, and their families and informal carers, in processes to formulate and implement policy.
The ILC Global Alliance initiated drafting of the Cape Town Declaration on Dementia, and co-ordinated consultation and its revision. It now encourages stakeholders globally to engage in debate on the Declaration, and to work towards its ultimate adoption and ensuing action plans. The Alliance invites all stakeholders to comment on the Declaration and to suggest processes that may be followed to foster its adoption. Comment and suggestions may be submitted online to Dr Monica Ferreira at monica.ferreira@uct.ac.za, Jill Adkins at jadkins@agerightsinternational.com, and/or Dr Masako Osako at masakoosako2@hotmail.com.
Date :25 August 2011
Baroness Sally Greengross Global Chair of the Global Coalition on Aging Advisory Council
The ILC-UK is pleased to announce that Baroness Sally Greengross has been asked to be the Global Chair of the Global Coalition on Aging Advisory Council.
Date :18 July 2011
Anniversary of ILC Global Alliance Founder’s death
Today marks a year since the death of Dr Robert Butler, champion of social and medical needs for older people, Pulitzer prize winner and President of the International Longevity Centre Global Alliance.
Throughout his career Bob Butler was at the forefront of promoting and researching issues affecting older people. He founded the National Institute on Aging at the American National Institutes of Health, becoming its first Director in 1975. His book, Why Survive? Being Old in America won the Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction in 1976. He also founded the first department of geriatrics in a US medical school, and helped to found a number of key organisations working on ageing research, geriatric psychiatry and Alzheimer’s disease. Bob Butler is credited with the creation of the modern discipline of gerontology, and coined the term ‘ageism’.
At the International Longevity Centres around the globe, he is remembered as a founding member and pioneer of our Global Alliance, which has now grown to 12 members worldwide. Our international consortium is taking new steps, autonomously and collaboratively, to share knowledge and address the issues which Bob Butler brought to the world stage.
Baroness Sally Greengross, Chief Executive of ILC-UK said: “As well as being an outstanding academic, medical specialist, policy analyst and writer, Bob Butler was one of the leading advocates on issues relating to older people, demanding an end to discrimination and prejudice and promoting the economic and social benefits of an ageing society across the world. I also had the privilege of knowing him as one of my best friends – one from whom I always learned so much and who I continue to miss a great deal, as I am certain we all do. His inspiration and guidance will remain with us all as we develop the ILC Global Alliance, something to which Bob was totally committed and which, as its work progresses and produces tangible results to the benefit of older people wherever they live, is, I am sure, the best tribute we can pay to a great man and to keep his memory alive.”
Date :04 July 2011
ILC-UK at “The impact of ageing on developed economies” conference in Ditchley,Oxfordshire, England.
Baroness Greengross chaired the three day conference (12-14 May 2011) of key thought leaders around the world on ageing in developed economies, hosted by the Ditchley Foundation.
Noreen Siba, Managing Director at the ILC-UK, also attended the meeting. The conference particularly looked at the ageing of populations in developed countries, what effect it has already and how it will continue to affect these countries’ economies, societies, culture and policies. Working groups also looked at both domestic solutions and geopolitical challenges and international strategies.
More information about the conference will be available on the Ditchley Foundation website shortly.
Date :19 May 2011
ILC Global Alliance at the Open-ended Working Group (OEWG) on strengthening the protection of the human rights of older persons at the UN
The ILC Global Alliance attended the first session of the Open-ended Working Group (OEWG) on strengthening the protection of the human rights of older persons at the United Nations in New York from 18 to 21 April 2011.
The first session focused on understanding the current situation of the human rights of older persons around the world and the schedule included:
*Statements by member states on current situation of the human rights of older persons.
*Panel discussions on the existing international framework and regional mechanisms on the human rights of older persons.
*Discussion on the identification of existing gaps at the international level and measures to address them.
More details about the first session of OEWG can be found at: http://social.un.org/ageing-working-group/firstsession.shtml#ngos
.
The second session is scheduled for 1-5 August 2011 (agenda to be confirmed).
Date :21 April 2011
III International Congress on Long Term Care and Quality of Life (Madrid)
Dr Craig Berry, Senior Researcher at the ILC-UK, spoke on 29th March 2011 at the III International Congress on Long Term Care and Quality of Life in Madrid.
Dr Craig Berry, Senior Researcher at the ILC-UK, spoke on 29th March 2011 at the III International Congress on Long Term Care and Quality of Life in Madrid.
The presentation of Dr Berry was on 'Long-term care funding: the Dilnot Commission and the co-existence of public and private systems in the UK'. Please dowload a copy of his presentation below.
Documents
Long-term care funding: the Dilnot Commission and the co-existence of public and private systems in the UK (PDF)
Date :15 April 2011
UN Decade of Action for Road Safety
Launch of the Global Plan on 11th May 2011.
On 2nd March 2010 the UN General Assembly proclaimed 2011-2020 as Decade of Action for Road Safety, acknowledging the need of improving global road safety. In the UK, the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS) has organised an event for the launch of The Decade of Action for Road Safety on 11th May 2011.
Please for more details find below a flyer of the event.
Documents
PACTS invite (PDF)
Date :29 March 2011
Joint message from the Co-Presidents of the Global Alliance on Japan Disaster
ILC partners in eleven of the 12 countries represented in the Global Alliance extend heartfelt sympathy and condolences to our colleagues and friends at ILC Japan, our 12th partner organisation, and the people of Japan, following the recent multiple disasters the country suffered and the enormous losses the Japanese people sustained.
We are immensely shocked and saddened by the news of the devastating events, and hold the country and the people in our thoughts and prayers. We are mindful moreover of the disproportionate number of older persons who perished in the wrath of the tsunami, for whom we grieve, and of those who survived but lost all and are bewildered in the aftermath.
We find it difficult to imagine how intolerably painful and incomprehensible the devastation and losses must be. Yet as with individuals everywhere, we too are humbled at the resilience, stoicism, forbearance, courage and dignity shown by the people as they start on the long and painful road to accept what happened, and rebuild their country and lives. We wish all Japanese citizens well as they tread this path, and we hope and pray that with the passage of time there may be some solace for them.
Monica Ferreira & Sally Greengross
Date :25 March 2011
Retirement Age
An ILC Global Alliance Circular on retirement age reform.
This paper, edited by the International Longevity Centre UK (ILC-UK), presents country-specific insights from the different members of the International Longevity Centre Global Alliance (ILC Global alliance)on the retirement age reform process that has been included in the political agenda by governments around the world.
The different briefs from the ILC Global Alliance members were based on the following questions:
*What are the rules on eligibility age for state pensions in your country?
*Are there different rules for men and women?
*Are there different rules for different aspects of the state pension?
*Is there a ‘retirement age’ at which employers can legally retire their staff, and is this linked to the eligibility age for state pensions?
*Does the state also set retirement ages for public sector pension schemes?
*Are any of these rules undergoing reform, and how have policy-makers justified reform?
*What has public reaction been to reform proposals?
Documents
Retirement age (PDF)
Date :21 March 2011
UN Open Ended Working Group on Ageing
The new UN Open Ended Working Group on Ageing that has been set up by the UN to discuss better protection of older people’s rights and its first working session will be at the UN in New York 18-21 April 2011.
The Open Ended Working Group (OEWG) on Ageing is a new UN working group that was established by a decision made in a resolution (http://social.un.org/ageing-working-group) at the 2010 General Assembly. The OEWG is a working group of the UN which is made up of Member States.
Its main purpose is strengthening the protection of the human rights of older people. The OEWG on Ageing will examine the existing international framework in relation to the human rights of older people and identify possible gaps and how best to address them.
The first working session will be on 18-21 April 2011 at the UN headquarters in New Yorkn and will cover:
*Existing international framework on the human rights of older persons.
*Existing regional framework or mechanism on the human rights of older persons.
*Existing gaps at the international level.
The second working session will take place on 1-5 August 2011 (agenda to be confirmed).
NGOs with ECOSOC observer status can register to attend the meetings. NGOs without ECOSOC observer status can apply for accreditation and register to attend the meetings. Please visit http://social.un.org/ageing-working-group/ngosfirstsession.shtml#accreditation for more information.
Date :16 March 2011
Launch of the new ILC global Website
Message from ILC-UK’s Executive Director Baroness Sally Greengross.
On behalf of the ILC-UK I am delighted to announce the launch of the new ILC global Website.
This website will certainly give the ILCs the visibility and recognition they derive internationally not only to publicise their important work and achievements but as importantly provide dialogue between the ILCs and all other significant international bodies such as the UN,WHO,IFA,HAI and ADI etc.
This new website will in particular give us the opportunity to address the growing challenges that demographic change are bringing to our world. We expect this to facilitate contact and communication between the ILCs enabling much more collaboration and joint work. The first example of this, initiated by the ILC-UK is a collection of worldwide responses on the topic of’ Retirement age’. There are many other topics we hope to collaborate on and share expertise and experience worldwide.
I must thank ILC Japan for setting up the website for the Alliance in its early years, on which we have built and expanded to provide new ILC global Website from now.
Please do all participate and join us in this world initiative.
Date :10 March 2011
International Longevity Center USA Begins A New Chapter at the Mailman School
Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health and the International Longevity Center (ILC) announced today that the ILC, founded in 1990 by world-renowned gerontologist Robert N. Butler, is beginning an important new chapter in its history.
Honoring the wishes of the late Dr. Butler and in keeping with his longstanding commitment and generosity to the University, the mission, work, and the assets of the ILC will become the foundation for an interdisciplinary center on aging at Columbia University, anchored at the Mailman School of Public Health.
The new center will grow to serve as a research and educational hub for exploring issues in science and practice related to healthy aging, training a new generation of thought leaders in these issues, while also developing knowledge to inform aging-related public health policy in New York City, the U.S., and globally.
"Never in the history of humankind have people enjoyed the life expectancy beyond age 80 that is becoming commonplace in countries all around the world," said the Mailman School's Dean Linda P. Fried, MD, MPH. "With these extra years come many challenges to ensure that we are living not only longer lives, but rich lives filled with purpose and good health that benefit all generations and society at large. Bob Butler helped us all to understand this potential and work towards it. We are grateful and honored to have the opportunity to build on Bob's legacy here at the Mailman School. To do so, we plan to draw on the intellectual strength of faculty across many fields, building bridges throughout the University, and galvanizing innovative and interdisciplinary research."
"Longer life expectancies require more than strategies for ensuring good health. There needs to be a serious and sustained consideration of the best ways for older generations to enrich society," said Columbia University President Lee C. Bollinger. "With the Mailman School's international and interdisciplinary reach, Columbia's new center on longevity will be able to help us understand one of the most significant issues facing society today."
Dean Fried is a global leader in the fields of epidemiology and geriatrics and has dedicated her career to the science of healthy aging and exploring the opportunities of an aging society. Dr. John (Jack) Rowe, Chairman of the Mailman School's Board of Overseers, is a geriatrician and leading scholar on successful aging. They will serve as interim co-directors of the new University-wide center while an international search for a permanent executive director is underway. (See Drs. Fried and Rowe discuss an aging society on PBS's Richard Heffner's Open Mind.)
Dr. Butler, who led the ILC for 20 years, was previously the first director of the National Institute on Aging, as well as a Pulitzer Prize-winning author of several books on aging and longevity. He died suddenly in July 2010 even as discussions were being completed to bring the ILC to Columbia, where he had completed his undergraduate and medical education and been an active and honored alumnus.
Under Dr. Butler's leadership, the New York-based ILC has long been part of a multinational consortium of ILC centers in the U.S., Japan, Great Britain, France, Dominican Republic, India, South Africa, Argentina, the Netherlands, Israel, Czech Republic and Singapore. From the vantage point of their national experience, each of these ILC centers studies how greater life expectancy and the growing percentage of older persons in a population impact the culture, the economy, and the social fabric, and advocates for improved societal policies for an aging world.
Conducting research and programs in more than 100 countries, the Mailman School of Public Health has a well-established presence in global public health. "The presence of twelve ILC affiliates, based in countries spanning the globe, provides an exceptional opportunity for collaboration with global leaders in aging and an unprecedented capacity for comparative cross-national studies," noted Dr. Rowe. "We look forward to being a very active participant in this productive research consortium."
Alexandra Butler, one of Dr. Butler's four daughters, expressed the family's enthusiasm for the new chapter opening up for ILC at the University. "Our father credited his beloved Columbia College for helping him to think broadly across disciplines. We see the ILC's move to Columbia as a natural progression—a return to the beginnings of our father's long and outstanding career. We are grateful to all who support our father's work and who helped lead us to this day."
The Mailman School of Public Health will be embarking on a fundraising campaign to establish an endowment for the new center, with the goal of naming it in honor of Dr. Butler. The endowment campaign will be co-chaired by two members of the Mailman School's Board of Overseers: William Zabel, partner at Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP and a longtime member of the ILC Board of Directors, and Nancy Turett, global president, health, at Edelman.
"As his friend and longtime lawyer, I know it was one of Bob Butler's lifelong goals to see the ILC continue its mission at Columbia," said Mr. Zabel. "It would be a fitting tribute to Bob's extraordinary work to secure an endowment that allows us to name the center in his honor. I am delighted to be part of this."
Source: www.publichealth.columbia.edu
Date :08 March 2011
New Co-Presidents of ILC-Global Alliance
Baroness Sally Greengross, Chief Executive of the ILC-UK, and Monica Ferreira, President of ILC-South Africa, have been elected the two new Co-Presidents of the ILC-Global Alliance.
They will serve a three year term. Mr Shigeo Morioka, President of ILC-Japan, will remain a Co-President until October 2011.
Date :30 October 2010
ILC-Global Alliance Met in South Africa
The ILC Global Alliance has held its annual meeting in Cape Town, South Africa, on 24th-27th October 2010. Presidents and directors of the 12 ILC centres across the world met to report activities and programmes in each country.
Personal tributes were given to Bob Butler, founder of the first International Longevity Centre in the United States and President of ILC-USA, from all the ILC's present to honour his legacy and contribution to the ILC Global Alliance. Baroness Sally Greengross, Chief Executive of the ILC-UK, and Monica Ferreira, President of ILC-South Africa, were elected the two new co-presidents to serve a three year term. The ILC Global Alliance annual meeting was followed by an international symposium on "The Globalisation of Dementia: Issues and Responses".
Date :27 October 2010
2010 Meeting of the ILC Global Alliance
International Symposium on Dementia
The globalisation of dementia: Issues and responses.
International Symposium on Dementia
The globalisation of dementia: Issues and responses
Convened by International Longevity Centre–South Africa on behalf of the International Longevity Center
(ILC) Global Alliance
Pavilion Conference Centre, V&A Waterfront,
Cape Town, South Africa, 26 October 2010
PROGRAMME:
Part 1: Issues and challenges
Chairperson: Professor Monica Ferreira (President, ILC South Africa; Co-President-Elect, ILC Global Alliance)
13:30 Welcome and introduction
13:40 ILC Robert Butler Memorial Lecture: “Global Demographic Changes and the Challenge of Dementia” – Dr. Marc Combrinck (Senior Specialist and Associate Professor in Neurology in the Department of Medicine at the University of Cape Town).
13:55 “Dementia issues, policy and practices in the UK” – Baroness Sally Greengross (President, ILC United Kingdom; Co-President-Elect, ILC Global Alliance)
14: 10 Panel input: Dr Lia Daichman (President, ILC Argentina), Mr Jayant Umranikar (Chairman, ILC India), TBC (ILC USA)
14:40 Discussion
15:00 Refreshments
Part 2: Responses and best practices
Chairperson: Baroness Sally Greengross (President, ILC United Kingdom; Co-President-Elect, ILC Global Alliance)
15:30 Introduction
15:35 “Is an Alzheimer Plan an appropriate response?” – Professor Francoise Forette (President, ILC France)
15:50 “Responses to dementia in Less Developed Countries, with a focus on South Africa” – Dr Sebastiana Kalula (Director, ILC South Africa)
16:05 Panel input: Dr Sara Carmel (President, ILC Israel), Mr Tadaharu Goto (President, ILC Japan), Dr Martin Boekholdt (Vice President, ILC The Netherlands)
16:35 Discussion
17:00 Synthesis – Dr Mary Ann Tsao (President, ILC Singapore).
Draft ILC Declaration on a Global Response to Dementia – Dr Masako Osako (Executive Director – Secretariat, ILC Global Alliance)
17:25 Thanks and closure – Dr Sebastiana Kalula (Director, ILC South Africa)
The symposium was generously sponsored by SERVIER Laboratories South Africa
Date :24 October 2010
Documents:
Responses to Dementia in Less developed Countries with a focus on South Africa (PDF)Is an Alzheimer Plan an appropriate response? (PDF)
Dementia issues, policy and practices in the UK (PDF)
Global Demographic Changes and the Challenges of Dementia (PDF)
ILC-Global Alliance Pays Tribute to ILC-Global Alliance Founder, Dr Robert Butler
Baroness Greengross presented this tribute to Dr Robert Butler at his Memorial Service in New York in September.
For me, one of Bob’s key messages was that anything was possible, if it helped to further the cause he fought for all his life – a better life for older people and an end to the negative attitudes and discrimination they often face. He believed that we should always celebrate the unprecedented triumph of living in an ageing society. This message was always incredibly strong and permeated all his work.
He could also make others believe they could do anything, as he did me in persuading me to describe best practice across Europe to special Congressional and Senate Committees, each in seven minutes with no preparation. When I expressed some doubts about being able to do that, he said ‘of course you can do it Sally, just tell them what you know’. Somehow I managed, because Bob inspired me, as he did all of us. He was the best mentor ever.
Hearing him inspire audiences across the world was a privilege and he achieved momentous changes in policy and practice. Not only did he coin the word ‘ageism’ but also ‘shortgevity’ and his work was renowned.
But outside work, Bob was one of my dearest friends. He and Myrna first stayed with us in London when Alexandra was two and a half. Last year she and her fiancé returned to London, where a happy reunion reminded me of Bob’s delight in his family, such as, when in London with two charming grandsons, we all climbed to the top of Big Ben.
He was a determined walker covering huge distances, sometimes with me desperately trying to keep up. My husband Alan mapped out many historic walks across London for him. His insistence in maintaining physical and intellectual energy ensured, I believe, that he was able to remain fiercely active, even publishing a book a few days before his death.
My tribute to Bob, and that of my colleagues from the ILCs across the globe, will be to develop, expand and progress the work of the ILC Global Alliance. I am proud to have been involved sine the early days with Bob, Shigeo Morioka from Japan, and Francoise Forette from France, because if Bob’s message to recognise the economic and social force of older people is heeded, the world will surely be more balanced and more humane. The strength of Bob’s call to action demonstrates how future society can benefit from being, in all senses of the word, more mature and through the work of the ILCs we can ensure that Bob’s spirit and leadership will continue to inspire the world.
We owe him that at the very least and that, I promise, we shall do everything in our power to achieve.
Baroness Sally Greengross
Chief Executive, International Longevity Centre – UK
Date :30 September 2010
Dr Robert Butler
All of us at the International Longevity Centre - Global Alliance are deeply saddened by the sudden death of Dr Robert Butler, a world leader in the field of gerontology, psychiatry and geriatric medicine.
His loss deprives us of someone whose influence on policy, practice and research into ageing was unique and for which he was renowned throughout the world.
Dr Butler was the founding president and CEO, of ILC-USA. The ILC-USA was Dr. Butler’s vision when first organized in the early 1990s—and its programs on healthy aging, productive engagement and combating ageism were his driving goals.
Robert N. Butler, M.D., died July 4, 2010 at the age of 83.
Date :05 July 2010
2009 UN International Day of Older Persons
ILC Global Alliance Celebrate's UN International Day of Older Persons
The ILC Global Alliance was proud to join the United Nations in celebrating the nineteenth annual International Day of Older Persons. We were thrilled to reflect on the contributions of older people to societies around the world. We also congratulated all of those who have made enormous strides to improve the lives of older persons as it is our belief that these efforts will ultimately benefit people of all ages.
Date :01 October 2009
The European fight against malnutrition
An insight of Fight Against Malnutrition campaign
Professor Olle Ljungqvist's article from Orebro University Hospital focuses on the European-wide Fight Against Malnutrition campaign, led by ESPEN and ENHA, which aims to improve nutritional care in all types of care facilities.
Date :21 September 2009
Documents:
Download a PDF (PDF)
Global Aging Report: Threats to Longevity
In a new publication, Global Aging Report: Threats to Longevity, the ILC Global Alliance outlines the urgent need for the global community to work together to combat the increasing threats to longevity around the world.
This report presents a detailed portrait of the realities of population aging around the world and articulating a call to action from an intergenerational and lifespan perspective. The International Longevity Center Global Alliance comprises ten centers – the United States of America, Japan, France, the United Kingdom, the Dominican Republic, India, South Africa, Argentina, The Netherlands, and Israel. Together, we are engaged in an effort to understand and address the profound consequences of population aging and advancing longevity.
Documents
Global Aging Report: Threats to Longevity (PDF)
Date :16 March 2009
World Demographic and Ageing Forum
Upcoming WDA Expert Symposium “Demographic Ageing in Japan and Switzerland: Action through Exchange and Dialogue”
Date :03 May 2012
Press coverage from our new ILC Brazil president
Recent Press Coverage for ILC-Brazil's president, Alexandre Kalache.
Date :03 May 2012
ILC-Brazil was launched on the 9th of March in Rio de Janeiro with an inaugural symposium on “Discrimination in Older Age” with a large audience of health professionals and policy-makers.
Date :28 March 2012
ILC Brazil and ILC China Join the ILC Global Alliance
The ILC Global Alliance members are pleased to announce the creation of two more ILC centres which add to the existing 12: ILC Brazil and ILC China.
Date :21 November 2011
During the past Annual Conference in September 2011 in Leiden, the different ILC centres honoured the contribution of Dr Robert Butler and Mr Shigeo Morioka in founding the ILC.
Date :07 November 2011
