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Commonwealth Health Partnerships 2015

Many people develop disabilities, such as arthritis, in later life due to the wear and tear of ageing • Having engaged with and garnered interest and support of other areas of government to disability Regional agencies such as the PIFS, Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), ESCAP and the Pacific Disability Forum (PDF) have worked together through partnership arrangements to support PICs in their national development in disability inclusion. The four aforementioned countries also shared common challenges and areas where there has been little or no progress: garnering commitment at a political level and across the whole of government for disability-inclusive development; accessing and allocating resources – budget, technical and human – for disability-specific and disability-inclusive programmes; and progressing inclusive education to meet the needs of people needing sign language in secondary, vocational and postsecondary education. Ageing and disability In both developing and developed countries, older people have a higher incidence of disability than any other demographic. Chronic diseases are significant and costly causes of disability and reduced quality of life. An older person’s independence is threatened when physical or mental disabilities make it difficult to carry out the activities of daily living. As they grow older, people with lifelong disabilities are likely to encounter additional barriers related to the ageing process. For example, mobility problems may be considerably aggravated later in life. D i s a b i l i t y - i n c l u s i v e d e v e l o pme n t i n t h e P a c i f i c Many people develop disabilities in later life related to the wear and tear of ageing such as arthritis; the onset of a chronic diseases such as lung cancer, diabetes and peripheral vascular disease; or a degenerative illness such as dementia. The likelihood of experiencing serious cognitive and physical disabilities dramatically increases in very old age (Kiribati National Disability Survey Committee, 2005: p. 11). There is strong evidence from disability surveys and research studies that disabilities are found frequently among older persons in PICs. The 2006 Cook Islands census found that more people (12 per cent) over 60 reported having a disability compared to other age groups. It also found that 33 per cent of those aged 75 or over reported having a disability. A national survey on disability conducted in Solomon Islands in 2005 found that 48 per cent of all disabilities were found in persons aged 51 years and over (Solomon Islands Government, 2006: p. 7). The Kiribati National Disability Survey conducted in 2004–05 found that 41 per cent of all disabilities were found in those aged 51 years or above. A disability survey in Eu’a, Tonga, in 2005 found that ‘one of the greatest causes of disability is the ageing process’ (Taylor, 2005: p. 7). A national baseline disability study conducted in Fiji in 2008–09 found that 50 per cent of all disabilities were found in those aged 50 years and above (FNCDP, 2010: p. 20). There is little in-depth research on ageing and disability in PICs but what exists provides compelling evidence of the importance of the issue. Research on ageing and disability in Fiji showed that Commonwealth Health Partnerships 2015 87 Chameleon’s Eye / Shutterstock.com


Commonwealth Health Partnerships 2015
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