Regional Workshop on Healthy Ageing Hosted in Tbilisi

There was a symposium held on November 28th, where the invited guests and international experts talked about the current demographic trend on ageing, the policy exercised by the states and the best practices for supporting the healthy ageing, after which there was a training held on November 29th on establishing and managing the healthy ageing centers.

Fast economic progress and improved living conditions in developed countries, along with family planning, extended life expectancy at birth and low fertility contributed to steady population ageing. The same pattern at even greater pace is now followed in developing countries and countries in transition so it is expected that on global level the number of persons over 60 will triple from 600 million to almost 2 billion by mid-century. In percentages, the proportion of persons over 60 will double from 10% to 21% compared to overall population.

It is observed that population ageing is putting economies of developed countries to a huge test. For countries in transition and developing countries it may prove to be even more challenging. Nevertheless, social and cultural features in many of these societies offer opportunities to address some of the most critical elements of ageing: the physical and mental health of older persons, which is significantly affected by isolation and loneliness.

The workshop aimed to share the experience of countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia, and to elaborate common approaches for advocating for active and healthy ageing, and to ensure the welfare of population.