International Day of Older Persons 2020

This year, the United Nations observes the 30th Anniversary of its International Day of Older Persons and begins its Decade of Health Ageing initiative. Given that this year has also been recognized as the “Year of the Nurse and Midwife,” the Day will highlight the role of the health care workforce in contributing to the health of older persons.

Between 2017 and 2030, the number of persons aged 60 years or over is projected to grow by 46 per cent (from 962 million to 1.4 billion) globally outnumbering youth, as well as children under the age of 10. Moreover, this increase will be the greatest and most rapid in the developing world (A/RES/73/143). Population ageing is poised to become one of the most significant social transformations of the 21st century.

Older people have always played a significant role in society as leaders, caretakers and custodians of tradition. Yet they are also highly vulnerable, with many falling into poverty, becoming disabled, facing discrimination, and as we have learned in 2020, battling more severe impacts from COVID-19. As healthcare improves, the population of older people is growing. Their needs are also growing, as are their contributions to the world.

The International Day of Older Persons is an opportunity to highlight the important contributions that older people, and those who provide them with healthcare, make to society and raise awareness of the opportunities and challenges of ageing in today’s world.

CGFNS joins the UN in celebrating the 30^th Anniversary of the International Day of Older Persons on Oct. 1, 2020.

This #OlderPersonsDay, we highlight the important contributions older persons have made to society and recognize the unique challenges they now face as they are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19: Symptomatic individuals in their 70s are 20 times more likely to need hospitalization than young adults and in the U.S., 80% of COVID-19 deaths have been adults age 65 or older. We also extend our gratitude and appreciation to the global healthcare workforce for their efforts to improve and promote older persons’ health, including those elder nurses and other health professionals who have come out of retirement to provide care during the global pandemic.