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Knowledge for healthy ageing

Find and share knowledge that can improve the lives of older people, their families, and their communities.

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Join the movement to transform the world to be a better place to grow older

Longer lives are one of humanity's greatest achievements. But longer lives are not yet healthier lives for all.

We have an opportunity to change this. It's time to work together to make sure we all have the chance to maximise our later years – for current and future generations, no matter where we live.

It's the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing. Will you join us?

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Latest contributions

Launch Webinar: PAHO/WHO Age-friendly Environments Virtual Training Course

31 October 2024 / Events

Join PAHO/WHO on World Cities Day, 31 October at 10:00 am (EST), for a webinar launching a virtual course aimed at providing knowledge on age-friendly environments, healthy ageing, and the importance of developing cities and communities that foster the abilities of older people.

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Online Webinar: Towards robust, responsive and equitable Long-Term Care systems around the world

29 October 2024 / Events

To mark the United Nation’s International Day of Care and Support, the Global Observatory of Long-Term Care will host a day long event featuring presentations from experts on Long-Term Care on key topics that need to be addressed to progress towards robust, responsive and equitable Long-Term Care Systems globally, as well as a special session highlighting the World Health Organisation’s work on Long-Term Care. The presentations will be grouped in 6 themes: Unmet Long-Term Care needs; Community-based Long-Term Care; Financing; Workforce; Care homes of the future; Quality of care.

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Ageing with Dignity: The Importance of Strengthening Care and Support Systems for Older Persons Worldwide – UN International Day of Older Persons 2024 (New York Event)

7 October 2024 / Events

Population ageing is a major global trend reshaping societies worldwide. Life expectancy at birth now exceeds 75 years in half of the world's countries, 25 years longer than in 1950. By 2030, older persons are projected to outnumber youth globally, with this increase most rapid in developing countries. This demographic shift has significantly transformed the caregiving landscape, encompassing a wide range of needs for both paid and unpaid support in formal and informal settings. As populations age, the demand for comprehensive healthcare, care, and social support services has grown substantially, particularly for older persons with conditions such as dementia. In recognition of these challenges and opportunities, the 34th commemoration of the United Nations International Day of Older Persons will focus on the theme of "Ageing with Dignity: The Importance of Strengthening Care and Support Systems for Older Persons Worldwide".

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Geneva Calls: A Pivotal Moment for Older Persons' Rights – UN International Day of Older Persons 2024 (Geneva Event)

1 October 2024 / Events

On the International Day of Older Persons, October 1st, 2024, Geneva will host a significant event titled “Geneva Calls: A Pivotal Moment for Older Persons’ Rights,” at the Palais des Nations. This session, organized by the NGO Committee on Ageing in Geneva, in collaboration with Member States and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), coincides with the 57th session of the Human Rights Council (HRC). It is a crucial forum for examining and discussing the progress and actionable strategies that Member States and stakeholders can employ to enhance the human rights of older persons.

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Decade News

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WHO calls for urgent transformation of care and support systems for older people

1 October 2024

On the UN International Day of Older Persons 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) is urgently calling for action to not only strengthen but transform the way countries provide care and support for older people, especially as we approach the halfway point of the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021–2030).

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UN Decade of Healthy Ageing intervention accelerator releases database of promising interventions to prevent and respond to abuse of older people

17 June 2024

To mark World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) has released an interactive database of 89 interventions that show promise to prevent and respond to the abuse of older people, also known as elder abuse. This database is the first product of the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing’s Intervention Accelerator initiative on abuse of older people. The Intervention Accelerator is an international network of experts, led by WHO, working to develop a portfolio of effective approaches to address the abuse of older people.

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United Nations agencies launch first report on the Decade of Healthy Ageing, 2021-2030

22 November 2023

WHO and UN partners have launched the first UN Decade of Healthy Ageing progress report, which charts efforts to improve the lives of older people since 2020, capturing the impact of major challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, during which over 80% of deaths were among over 60-year-olds. The report also highlights activities in support of healthy ageing in nearly 50 countries. The report features results from a survey of 136 countries, conducted between late 2022 and early 2023, and notes the areas of greatest progress, by comparing with a previous survey from 2020. This comparison showed an over 20% increase in the number of countries reporting: legislation against ageism, legislation to support older people’s access to assistive products; national policies on comprehensive assessments of health and social care needs of ageing populations; and national programmes for age-friendly cities and communities.

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Presenting the first ever Healthy Ageing 50: Leaders transforming the world to be a better place to grow older

22 September 2022

Fifty individuals from around the world have been recognised as part of the first ever Healthy Ageing 50: leaders transforming the world to be a better place to grow older. The individuals were evaluated by an expert panel of reviewers from across international organizations with over 500 nominations received across all Sustainable Development Goal regions.

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Decade Partnering Kit


The UN Decade of Healthy Ageing is a global collaboration that brings together diverse sectors and stakeholders to improve the lives of older people, their families and communities. In short, that means everyone has something to contribute – including you!

Ready to get started? We've prepared everything you need to be part of this growing global movement.

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