The United Nations is preparing to mark the 36th International Day of Older Persons with a focus on how longer lives can become an opportunity for healthier, more productive and inclusive societies.
UN DESA's Programme on Ageing and the NGO Committee on Ageing in New York will hold the commemoration on 8 October under the theme The Age of Longevity: Rethinking Systems for Longer Lives.
The United Nations says increased longevity can generate a longevity dividend through sustained health, productivity and participation across generations, while inequalities, ageism and gaps in social protection continue to prevent many older people from benefiting from longer lives.
The programme is expected to bring together policymakers, researchers, civil society, academia, the private sector and older persons to examine health, accessibility, economic participation and the ways institutions need to adapt to ageing populations.
