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Adaptable solutions Older people are not a homogenous group. Interventions must therefore be adapted to their varying needs, functional trajectories and life circumstances. Lessons learnt in public health and human rights caution against a one-size-fits-all approach, and point to the importance of meeting the needs of all older people. These lessons are especially relevant in the context of universal health coverage (UHC). Some countries in the region have been confronting the challenges of ageing and health for decades. Japan, for instance, is the most ‘silver’ country in the world. More than 20 years ago in Japan, the number of people aged 60 years and older surpassed the number of those younger than 14. Now countries like Japan and the Republic of Korea provide a wealth of experience that can guide other countries. For its part, the WHO engages in technical collaboration, policy advocacy and dialogue with countries on the efforts needed to move towards UHC in the context of population ageing. The global momentum building around the goal of UHC provides a fresh platform for policy and action to meet the health needs of older people. UHC means ensuring that all people – regardless of their age, sex, wealth or place of residence – have access to needed services of sufficient quality without experiencing financial hardship. In moving towards UHC, countries have the opportunity to take a whole-ofsystem approach to develop people-centred health services through both individual- and population-based interventions, and also to mobilise other sectors to take needed action on the social determinants of health and reduce health inequities. Comprehensive national policies The WHO urges countries to develop comprehensive national policies that respond to population ageing, with an emphasis on several essential areas of action. First, we must build age-friendly environments through intersectoral action. Such environments support health and wellbeing, and empower older people to remain active and productive. For example, policies can ensure access to open and green spaces for physical activity or affordable and nutritious foods. While calls for intersectoral action in health are not new, ageing and health is an area in which collaboration with other sectors is critical. For this reason, countries in the Western Pacific region, including Cambodia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Mongolia, have created institutional mechanisms on ageing with participation from different government ministries and partners. Such mechanisms can support and promote healthy ageing through action across sectors. The broader agenda on ageing and health cannot be addressed by the health sector alone. Ministries of health have an important leadership function in fostering whole-of-government and wholeof society approaches that promote health and well-being for people of all ages, including older adults. The WHO-supported Global Network of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities brings together a steadily growing number of cities and communities that share a commitment to becoming more agefriendly. P l a n n i n g f o r a n a g e i n g p o p u l a t i o n In the Western Pacific region, 18 cities and communities in Australia, China, Japan and the Republic of Korea have now joined this network, helping to strengthen learning on how to meet the needs of older people. Healthy Cities have also gained momentum in the Western Pacific region, with initiatives such as the Alliance for Healthy Cities. These cities are increasingly interested in and ready to incorporate agefriendliness within their ambit. Second, action is also needed to promote healthy ageing across the life course to prevent diseases and maintain independence among older people. Older people comprise a large share of those with non-communicable diseases. Although these diseases remain the leading cause of disability, morbidity and mortality in the Western Pacific region, a significant share of them are preventable. The WHO advocates a life-course approach to healthy ageing, recognising that good health in older age depends largely on living conditions and exposure to risk factors earlier in life. Appropriate policies and programmes can enable people to exercise more, eat better and not take up or quit smoking, significantly lowering the risk of ill health. At the same time, health promotion and disease prevention activities must fit the needs and circumstances of older people, enabling them to stay healthier longer. Specific attention is required to prevent or delay functional decline, including action on frailty and dementia. Improving older people’s health literacy enables them to take better care of themselves and better adapt to changing capacities as they grow older. Community-based mechanisms, including older people’s associations, hold promise as models for supporting and mobilising older people as well as strengthening their participation in society and policy-making. The WHO Western Pacific region The Western Pacific region comprises 37 countries and territories: American Samoa Australia* Brunei Darussalam* Cambodia China Cook Islands Fiji* French Polynesia Guam Hong Kong Japan Kiribati* Lao People’s Democratic Republic Macao Malaysia* Marshall Islands Micronesia, Federated States of Mongolia Nauru* New Caledonia New Zealand* Niue Northern Mariana Islands, Commonwealth of the Palau Papua New Guinea* Philippines Pitcairn Islands Republic of Korea Samoa* Singapore* Solomon Islands* Tokelau Tonga* Tuvalu* Vanuatu* Vietnam Wallis and Futuna * Commonwealth member countries Commonwealth Health Partnerships 2015 33


Commonwealth Health Partnerships 2015
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