More of Us on Track to Reach Age 100; Genes, Habits, Baboons Examined for Longevity Clues

by Paola Scommegna

In the countries with the longest life expectancies, average life span has grown over the past two centuries at the "absolutely remarkable rate" of about 2.5 years per decade, three months per year, or six hours per day, according to demographer James Vaupel of Duke University and the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research. Life expectancy in most industrialized countries has increased at this pace for the past 60 years, although in the United States there was a period of stagnation, especially for women, in the 1980s and 1990s, he noted.

While the future is uncertain, "it seems plausible that very long lives may be the probable destiny of younger people alive today," Vaupel said. "It is possible, if we continue to make progress in reducing mortality, that most children born since the year 2000 will live to see their 100th birthdays in the 22nd century."

Virtually all of the progress made in increasing life expectancy is the result of better medical care and rising living standards, he said. In the future, progress "will be fueled in part by interventions developed on the basis of deeper understanding of genetics and the root causes of aging in humans and other species."

Vaupel and other researchers in the growing field of biodemography are trying to unravel the often intertwined social and biological factors that contribute to longevity. With support from the U.S. National Institute on Aging, a group of U.S. and European scientists met last month at Duke's Population Research Institute to share findings from their ongoing work. The eventual goal is to identify interventions—public health policies, medical treatments, behavior advice—that prolong survival so more people lead longer, healthier lives.


Centenarians Shed Light on Longer 'Health Span'

People in high-income countries are living in good health nearly 10 years longer than their parents did, not because aging has been slowed or reversed, but because people are reaching old age in better health, according to Vaupel. But when the aging process does begin, it is still taking place at about the same pace. "Deterioration, instead of being stretched out, is being postponed," he said.

As a group, centenarians—those who live to age 100—tend to be extreme examples of healthy aging. Researchers are studying populations in Japan, Denmark, and Hawaii that have unusually large shares of centenarians to understand what sets them apart.

Most of these " 'exceptional survivors' delay major clinical diseases and disability," which is evidence of an "extended health span," according to Dr. Bradley Willcox, a University of Hawaii gerontologist. He and colleagues have examined data on the physical and mental health of 8,000 Japanese American men in Hawaii tracked since 1965 and more than 1,000 centenarians in Okinawa, Japan, since 1975. Many centenarians in this group lived independently well into their 90s.

These scientists found a gene that if inherited from both parents triples a man's chances of reaching age 100. But they also identified a set of disease risk factors that if avoided in mid-life increased chances of healthy survival into old age.

The study results suggest that men with fewer risk factors at age 50 are more likely to live to age 90 with no mental or physical impairment. Being overweight, high blood glucose, high triglyceride levels, high blood pressure, low "grip strength," having ever smoked, consuming more than three alcoholic drinks per day, not earning a high school diploma, and being unmarried increase the chances of impairment in old age.

Willcox is convinced that long life is influenced by good health habits including the low-calorie, nutrient dense diets of Okinawans and Japanese Americans, and what he has called "Mercedes-Benz genes vs. Ford Escort genes." Being born with certain genes may predispose a person to a longer life than people born with other genes, but Willcox argues that "if you treat that Ford Escort well, it could last longer than the Mercedes, so drive carefully."

To understand the distinct roles behavior and genes play in health at old age, Yi Zeng, a Duke and Peking University demographer, and colleagues compared the adult children of Chinese centenarians and their neighborhood peers. People who reach their 100th birthdays in developing countries are "extreme examples of healthy aging," he said. Compared to their Western counterparts, they are likely to be the "most robust, having survived severe living conditions and high mortality in the past."

The children of these centenarians had significantly better physical and mental health, and reported higher life satisfaction than their neighbors of similar age, gender, and socioeconomic status. But their findings suggest that life style and living conditions significantly interact with genes to contribute to health in old age, particularly for those without a genetic predisposition to long life.

"The effects of the environmental factors on health are much stronger among elders who have no family history of longevity compared to centenarians' children who likely carry genes that promote longevity," he explained. Some of those factors that interact with genes to affect health positively in later life included receiving adequate medical care in childhood, higher household income, and participating in social and leisure activities.


Danes, Prehistoric Skeletons, and Baboons May Help Explain Why Women Outlive Men Today

Compared with women, men are physically stronger, have fewer disabilities, and are much more likely to tell interviewers that they are in good health. On the other hand, men have higher mortality than women have at all adult ages (see Figure 1). This discrepancy between health and survival—known as the male-female health-survival paradox—has long puzzled demographers and other researchers.

Both biology and behavior likely play a role, reported researchers from diversity of southern Denmark. Kaare Christensen and Anna Oksuzyan based their analysis on the extensive and detailed data available from health surveys that sampled the entire Danish population and incorporated data on nonrespondents. Their analysis shows that Danish men were not as physically disabled as women of the same age but had higher mortality. Fundamental biological differences between the sexes such as different hormones and disease patterns play a part in these outcomes, but Christensen and Oksuzyan's findings support the notion that men's shorter life expectancy is partially rooted in behavior. Men's greater risk-taking behavior and greater reluctance to seek medical treatment, to take part in health surveys, and to report disabilities and diseases may contribute to the survival gap, they suggested.

Svenja Weise and Jutta Gampe of the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research pointed to interaction between biological and behavior to explain for survival differences between the sexes. They based their analysis on observations from 25,000 prehistoric human skeletons dating back as many as 11,000 years from sites in Scandinavia. Through most of history, women lived shorter lives than men and suffered from higher mortality rates, particularly during the reproductive years. This pattern continued until the late Middle Age when a shift to today's pattern of higher female survival occurred as populations became more urban and trade increased.

Weise pointed to a number of reasons for the shift. Later age at marriage led to fewer pregnancies, reducing women's risk of dying in childbirth. Access to food and health care within households became more equal. Men are more vulnerable to infections and parasites, and greater migration and trade increased the spread of disease, disadvantaging men. Finally, urban settings led to more competition for mates, causing increased male risk-taking behavior.

Males also tend to lead shorter lives than females among several primate species, reported Susan Alberts, a Duke University biologist. She described research on several thousand aging primates in the natural world by a team of biologists and demographers published in a recent issue of the journal Science. They found that the male-female mortality patterns of six species—sifaka, blue monkeys, mountain gorillas, capuchins, chimpanzees, and baboons—resemble one another and those of humans.

But mortality differences between the sexes in primates may be driven by intense competition among males for females, suggesting their life spans are shaped more by local social forces than evolutionary history or biology, according to Alberts. In baboons, she said, females remain in the groups they are born in, living with their mothers and other maternal kin, while males move between groups from adulthood and then every few years after that. These patterns avoid inbreeding and lead to strong relationships among females. As male baboons age, testosterone declines and they spend more time alone, findings that could have implications for their survival and potentially for understanding aging human males, she said.

Read More: http://www.prb.org/Articles/2011/biodemography.aspx

FREE Dementia / Geriatric Workshop by Dr.Neela Patel MD,MPH ,USA: 13th & 14th July 2011

Silver Inning Foundation (SIF) Invites you to for the following workshop in Mumbai. This is our continuous effort to make the society Elder Friendly, for well being of our Senior Citizens.


Dr.Neela Patel is MD,MPH ,Assistant Professor,Division of Community Geriatrics, Department of Family and Community Medicine,UT Health Science Centre , San Antonio,USA. She is here in India for our Dementia Pilot Study ' Stigma attached to Dementia in Urban India' from 11th to 14th July. This study is done by Columbia University,USA & TISS in association with SIF. During her trip she thought we could do a training cum Workshop in Dementia/Geriatrics:


The Tentative Topics for Interactive Workshop will be :
• Interdisciplinary Care
• Dementia - types and behaviours
• Geriatrics Syndromes : bathing , repetitive , incontinence , delirium , agitation etc

Workshop Date , Venue and Time:
1. L.T.College of Nursing (SNDT) Churchgate, 5th Floor , above Patkar Hall, Churchgate, Mumbia Wed 13th July 1.30pm (sharp) to 4.30pm .
2. Bhaktivedanta Hospital , Auditorium , 5th Floor , Mira Road on Thu 14th July 12.30pm (sharp) to 3.30pm .

Senior Citizens National Solidarity Day India: 16th August 2011 - WAKEUP CALL to all Senior Citizens

Senior Citizens inspite of their number, collective wisdom & experience, will continue to be ignored and marginalized unless they unite. – Kofi Annan



Executive Committee meeting of AISCCON was held at Hyderabad on 3rd July 2011. Many participants felt that the momentum gained by the observance of Senior Citizens National Protest Day last year on 15th August 2010 should not be allowed to be dissipated. We should continue to mark our presence felt in the society and in government circles. Therefore it was decided that we should observe 16th August 2011 as SENIOR CITIZENS NATIONAL SOLIDARITY DAY all over India. The Executive Committee has appointed me as the Chief Coordinator for this task.

Directly as a consequence of our nation wide protest activity last year, there has been some semblance of positive action from the central government. We have seen concessions in Income Tax structure, Railway fares, quantum of Old Age Pension, eligibility criteria etc. However, most State governments are yet to wake up and respond. They continue to be indifferent towards our problems and concerns. Hence through our activities on August 16, this year we should focus our attention to fulfillment of state level demands.

There are also numerous glaring disparities in payment of pensions to retirees from different sectors, causing severe hardship in some cases. We have to highlight them and seek their redressal.

There is likely to be some restrictions on rallies and walkathons this year due to existing political climate. Therefore, we shall limit ourselves to: 1) conducting a series of meetings of SCAs at District and State level 2) keeping media posted with our activities and efforts 3) meeting MLAs, MPs and Ministers including the CMs 4) getting the cooperation of media to partner with us in our struggle. Every effort must be made to bring together various groups like SCAs, NGOs, Walkers Clubs, Retirees and Pensioners associations etc. The feeling that senior citizens have come together as one united body must be created in the minds of public, media and the powers that be. They should be made to recognize our number and vote power of 100 million Senior Citizens.

A detailed kit containing strategies, templates and list of probable activities etc will be sent shortly. As the time is very short we request all city level and state level organizations to take up all initiatives by themselves to promote solidarity among senior citizens. Kindly call upon your constituent associations and arrange for meetings – among themselves, with politicians and send delegations to CM for submission of demands.

We shall soon be posting a kit of guideline documents to enable all concerned to take it up further.

Like last year, let us make SCNSD also a great success!


Regards

Dated: 5th July 2011

Dr P Vyasamoorthy
Chief Coordinator – Senior Citizens National Solidarity Day
Hyderabad Dated: 5th July 2011


Coordinating Committee
Sri R.N.Mital : Chief Sponsor . President –AISCCON. rnmital@gmail.com

Dr. P. Vyasamoorthy : Chief Coordinator . Jt Secretary – AISCCON . vyasamoorthy@gmail.com

Sri Sailesh Mishra : Joint coordinator . Founder – Silver Innings Foundation . silverinnings@gmail.com

Prof. V. Vishweswariah : General Secretary . Vice-President – AISCCON . viswam_1932@yahoo.com

Sri V. Nageswar Rao : Jt. Secretary . Secretary General – APSCCON. nageshwararao_v@yahoo.com

Sri K Krishna Rao : Treasurer . Secretary – AOSC-H . Kkr601@gmail.com

Contact Address:

Joint Action Committee for Organising Senior Citizens' National Solidarity Day on August 16, 2011
Address : 30, Gruhalakshmi Colony, Secunderabad 500015 ,A.P., INDIA, Tel. : 040-27846631, Fax : 040-2354 8409, Email : vyasamoorthy@gmail.com
Website: http://scnsd.posterous.com/

NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON GERONTOLOGY “Healthy and Productive Ageing- The Need Of The Hour” (3rd October and 4th October 2011) Mumbai ,India

Leelabai Thackersey College of Nursing (SNDT University),Mumbai is celebrating its Diamond Jubilee in the year 2011-2012 ,and as part of it is holding various workshops , National Conference and an International Conference.

It has planned to host National Conference on Gerontology at Patkar Hall Mumbai on 3rd and 4th October 2011. The main focus will be Geriatric Nursing and this kind of National conference on Geriatric Nursing is hosted 1st time in Maharashtra.

Population ageing is pervasive, a global phenomenon affecting every man, woman and child. The steady increase of older age groups in national populations, both in absolute numbers and in relation to the working-age population, has a direct bearing on the intergenerational and intragenerational equity and solidarity that are the foundations of society.

Population ageing is enduring. During the twentieth century the proportion of older persons continued to rise, and this trend is expected to continue into the twenty-first century. The elderly will outnumber children for the first time in 2045, according to a new UNDESA report. IN 2009, THE GLOBAL POPULATION OF PEOPLE AGED 60 AND OVER was 680 million people, representing 11 percent of the world's population. They have increased by 10.4 million just since 2007—an average increase of 30,000 each day.

China and India have the largest older populations. By 2050, China will see its number of elders grow 30% from 109 million to 350 million—India, from 86 million to 240 million.

Today India has 2nd largest Aging Population at 100 million after China , hence, we take this opportunity in holding a National Gerontology Conference and address the issue. The theme for the conference is “Healthy and Productive Ageing- The need of the hour”. It is an unique issue that spares none. The Gerontology Boom predicted in the near future calls for the involvement of the common man from all walks of life to provide expert care to this fragile, yet significant segment of the society.

“In the social sphere, population ageing influences family composition and living arrangements, housing demand, epidemiology and the need for healthcare services.”


Aim: The conference aims at equipping nurses and the common man from any walk of life to care for the elderly.

Objectives:
At the end of the conference, the participants will develop an overview regarding following aspects related to Gerontological care.

1. Concept and Process of ageing
2. Concept of hospital without walls
3. Issues and concerns in ageing
4. Health related problems in the elderly
5. Problems of older women
6. Medico-legal issues in geriatric care

Organisation like ILC –I (International Longevity Center – India) , Silver Inning Foundation (SIF) are collaborator ( as on 2nd July 2011).

If you want to participate, attend or sponsor the event please contact us at earliest.


Contact:
Leelabai Thackersey College of Nursing
SNDT Women’s University
1, Nathibai Thackersey Road
New Marine Lines,
Mumbai-400020

Mrs Shobha Gaikwad - Assistant Professor
(National Conference Secretary)
Website: http://www.ltcnsndt.org/
Email : nationalconferenceltcollege@gmail.com ; shobhagaikwad2005@yahoo.co.in

Report of India Online National Elder Abuse Survey ,Elder Abuse, Magnitude & Intervention , WEAAD 2011

Background:

On the occasion of 6th Annual World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) 15th June 2011 Silver Inning Foundation(SIF) a NGO working with senior citizens and their family members in association with INPEA (International Network for Prevention of Elder Abuse) Indian Chapter through Development, Welfare and Research Foundation (DWARF) and 'Little Things Matter Initiatives' (LTMI), SSS Global, FESCOM (Mumbai), ‘1298’ Senior Citizens Helpline, Mumbai, AISCCON , Harmony for Silvers Foundation & ALFRESCO FC commemorated Elder Abuse Awareness Day from on May 20th to June 20th 2011 . SIF through its networking and social media had taken the initiative to host various events pan India to create awareness and sensitize the Government and the Civil Society to eliminate/prevent elder abuse at both micro and macro level.

India is gradually undergoing a demographic change. With decline in fertility and mortality rates accompanied by an improvement in child survival and increased life expectancy, a significant feature of demographic change is the progressive increase in the number of elderly persons.The disintegration of the joint family system and the emergence of nuclear families, has affected the care of the aged the most, Elderly today are the most ignored and neglected segment.

World over 15th June is marked as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day by INPEA.INPEA is an organization, founded in 1997, which is dedicated to the global dissemination of information as part of its commitment to the world-wide prevention of the abuse of older people. The United Nations International Plan of Action adopted by all countries in Madrid, April 2002, clearly recognizes the importance of addressing and preventing abuse and neglect of older adults and puts it in the framework of the Universal Human Rights. INPEA is dedicated to supporting the plan of action.

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day month long programme aims to increase society's ability, through various programmes, to recognize and respond to the mistreatment of older people in whatever setting it occurs, so that the latter years of life will be free from abuse, neglect and exploitation.

Objective for WEAAD 2011:
• To create awareness in elderly people themselves regarding what comes under elder abuse.
• To sensitize young people regarding elder abuse and to bridge the intergenerational gap between elderly and young people.
• To create awareness in media and civil society at large regarding elder abuse.


Through this Online Elder Abuse Survey, we could find out the awareness about Elder Abuse, Magnitude & Intervention.


This survey was jointly conducted by Silver Inning Foundation(SIF) and Society for Serving Seniors (SSS Global) to assess Elder Abuse, Magnitude & Intervention from 20th May to 20th June 2011. It was hosted on the Survey Site www.questionpro.com at the link: http://elderabusemagnitudeandinterventionsurvey2011.questionpro.com/

The questionnaire was open for all Age group and was online for about a month. Wide publicity was given to this survey in a large number of web groups, blogs, websites and by email to Senior Citizens associations, Federations etc.

A total of 650 persons viewed the Questionnaire; however only 355 ventured to answer. Results below indicate the verdict of remaining 355 persons across India, no one dropped out after taking the survey. Results are given in Four sections and followed by Detail Report.


Summary Report

Section A

Question 1
What is your Age: 23.73% in Age group of 45 yrs to 59 Yrs & 22.88% in Age Group of 70 yrs to 79yrs

Question 2
What is your Gender: Male 57.98%

Question 3
What is your Marital Status: Married 58.97%

Question 4
What is your Living arrangement: Living with Spouse 45.76%

Question 5
Have you ever been a victim of elder abuse or neglect or you know someone who’s is victim of Elder Abuse or neglect: YES 57.26%

Question 6
If Yes then what types of elder abuse and neglect you have encountered: Neglect 25.74%

Question 7
Have you seen /Heard of Elder Abuse Case: Seen yourself 44.33%

Question 8
Who do you think are the Abuser: Son 32.76%

Question 10
Elder abuse is an important issue and it’s there in our society: Strongly Agree 70.54%

Question 11
How can you improve the situation of Elder Abuse/Victim, Intervention: General Awareness 19.04%



Question B
Top 5 Types of elder abuse and neglect you have encountered:
1. Neglect
2. Psychological abuse
3. Financial abuse
4. Exploitation
5. Physical Abuse


Question C
Top 5 Type of Abuser:
1) Son
2) Relative
3) Daughter
4) Spouse
5) Stranger


Question D
Top 5 Intervention, How can you improve the situation of Elder Abuse/Victim:
1. General Awareness
2. Value Education in Schools
3. Effective laws
4. Intergeneration programme
5. Grievances cell


Detail Report:

What is your Age?
18 to 24yrs : 6.78%
25 to 34yrs: 16.95%
35 to 44yrs: 7.63%
45 to 59yrs: 23.73%
60 to 69yrs: 19.49%
70 to 79yrs: 22.88%
80+yrs : 2.54%

What is your Gender?
Male : 57.98%
Female : 41.18%
Transgender: 0.84%


What is your Marital status?
Married: 58.97%
Unmarried: 23.08%
Widow / widower: 9.40%
Divorced /Living Separately: 8.55%



What is your Living arrangement?
Alone : 16.95%
Living with Spouse: 45.76%
Living with children/relative : 18.64%
Living at Old age home/ Retirement Township : 1.69%
Living with Parents: 16.95%


Have you ever been a victim of elder abuse or neglect or you know someone who’s is victim of Elder Abuse or neglect?
Yes ( if Yes , then answer below question): 57.26%
No: 42.74%



If Yes then what types of elder abuse and neglect you have encountered ? ( Select one or as many)
Psychological abuse : 23.27%
Financial abuse : 18.32%
Neglect : 25.74%
Physical Abuse : 9.41%
Sexual Abuse : 0.99%
Exploitation : 13.86%
Self-neglect : 8.42%



Have you seen /Heard of Elder Abuse Case ?
Reported by Victim : 24.74%
Reported by Family : 8.25%
Reported by Neighbor/Friends : 22.68%
Seen your self : 44.33%



Who do you think are the Abuser? (Tick as many as are applicable)
Son : 32.76%
Daughter: 14.66%
Relative : 23.28%
Spouse : 12.50%
Neighbor: 4.74%
Friend : 5.17%
Stranger: 6.90%


Elder abuse is an important issue and it’s there in our society?
Strongly Agree : 70.54%
Agree : 27.68%
Disagree : 0.00%
No comments : 1.79%



How can you improve the situation of Elder Abuse/Victim, Intervention? (Tick as many as are applicable)
Effective laws : 14.85%
Value Education in Schools : 18.20%
General Awareness : 19.04%
Intergeneration programme : 11.92%
Police Intervention : 9.21%
Charter for Senior Citizens Rights: 11.09%
Grievances cell : 11.51%
Other : 4.18%



How can you improve the situation of Elder Abuse/Victim, Intervention? (Others)
1. There must be alternative for the elders. If family is abusive, there needs to be a safe place to move to.
2. More community coalitions working to stop/prevent elder abuse
3. Adopt a senior citizen from your own family
4. Counselling and proper action by local Association of Senior Citizens.
5. Find reason for abuse and rectify
6. Sr. Citizens need to be educated to change with times, not to be rigid & interfering. Instead they should lend a helping hand to children.
7. State sponsered elder homes
8. Educating children about importance of grand parents
9. Social security systems
10. Support group and educating the elders about being non interfering in children's lives.
11. Non corrupt execution
12. Elders should be aware of types of Abuses and prevention should be point basis.
13. Registration of all senior citizens and their follow up....






We Thank all the Senior Citizens and organization working for elderly for their participation and success of this Online Elder Abuse, Magnitude & Intervention. We are confident this report will help civil society and government to address the issues of Elder Abuse.

The survey report was compiled Sailesh Mishra, Founder President Silver Inning Foundation , NGO working with Elderly in India.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

About Society for Serving Seniors (SSS):
SSS host world most active online senior citizens group: SSS Global. It is a society set up to take up the cause of the Senior Citizens Community as a whole. We believe that seniors should take care of themselves as far as possible and lead an independent life with dignity and respect. They must take responsibility for themselves for the sake of their own happiness. Fully responsible seniors not only take complete care of themselves but also reach out, not only to their families in a non-interfering manner but also to the society at large. This they do so by giving back to society what society has given them all along.


About Silver Inning Foundation (SIF):
SIF is Not For Profit organisation and is part of Social Enterprise Silver Innings which hosts one of the most comprehensive and dedicated website for elderly &their family www.silverinnigs.com . The vision, mission and goals of SIF are centered on creating and implementing services and programmes that are holistic in nahttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifture and address the need to acknowledge the much needed supportive environment that the elderly deserve. It looks at reintegrating the elderly into mainstream society and lives with dignity. Silver Innings is working towards creating Elder Friendly World where Ageing becomes a Positive and Rewarding Experience.


For Soft copy Detail Report with Graph, pls write to us at silverinnings@gmail.com

Alzheimer's Disease in India discussion groups

Alzheimer's Disease in India through the Blog choose to develop its action in spreading information on Alzheimer's Disease and related disorders in India in the aim to raise awareness and bring information and guidance to Indian families. The LinkedIn group is open to trained professional caregivers but also to family caregivers having enough experience with older people affected to share it in the aim to dialogue, learn and give tips. The Facebook page is totally open to dialogue and comments on the links.

People wishing to help and participate to the various actions of NGOs would be directed as potential volunteers to Silver Inning Foundation based in Mumbai or ARDSI or Helpage India.

Alzheimer's Disease in India is now also on Karmayog forum for the same purposes : go to group directory section: http://www.karmayog.in/groups/content/alzheimers-disease-india-0

As we just started, the groups are gathering few members from India and the USA mostly. I'd like to gather more people to make it more efficient. We all know someone who knows someone who is a specialist or who's taking/taken care of a patient in his/her family. I'd like them to know that there is a place where they can find information and support free of charge or on professional basis and in a elder friendly way.

If you know someone knowing people concerned by this issue, you may direct them to these groups.

Senior Citizens , Old Age Homes , Government , NGO's , Researchers and any one concern with Elders & Dementia/Alzheimer's can contact me.

Thanks.

Ms Hendi LINGIAH
Clinical Psychologist in Gerontology

alzheimerdiseaseinindia.blogspot.com,
Silver Innings Mumbai, Net consultancy,
http://fr.linkedin.com/pub/hendi-lingiah/16/652/a9b
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group
http://wishes.causes.com/wishes/293397

Modalities of the second review and appraisal of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, 2002 , Report of the Secretary-General

The present report, which is submitted in response to Economic and Social Council resolution 2010/14, gives an overview of the modalities of the first review and appraisal of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, 2002, that will be used for the second review and appraisal, as well as a preliminary indication of the United Nations system and civil society plans. The report also highlights lessons learned and issues which need more attention in the second appraisal exercise.


Introduction

1. The Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, 2002, adopted by the Second World Assembly on Ageing, stated that systematic review of its implementation by Member States was essential for achieving improved quality of life of older persons and that the Commission for Social Development should be responsible for the follow-up and appraisal of its implementation.

2. The present report has been prepared to facilitate discussions concerning the organization of the second review and appraisal of the Madrid Plan of Action at the Commission for Social Development, as requested in Economic and Social Council resolution 2010/14. Issues identified in resolution 2010/14, which relate to recent efforts by Member States and the United Nations system to participate in the implementation of the Madrid Plan of Action, are addressed in the report of the Secretary-General entitled “Follow-up to the Second World Assembly on Ageing”,submitted to the General Assembly at its sixty-fifth session (A/65/158).

3. While the principal approach to the review and appraisal of the Madrid Plan of Action has been defined in resolutions 42/1, 44/1 and 45/1 of the Commission for Social Development, further details are required on the modalities of the second review and appraisal cycle. Consequently, this report presents Member States with possible arrangements and a timeline. It also raises issues to be brought to the attention of Member States, taking into account lessons learned during the first review and appraisal process. Furthermore, the report outlines the initial plans of the United Nations system and civil society organizations in support of the review and appraisal process.

4. The modalities of the first review and appraisal exercise are summarized in the following section.

Process and modalities of the first review and appraisal of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, 2002,and their continuing relevance for the second review and appraisal exercise

5. In its resolution 42/1 on the modalities for the review and appraisal of the Madrid Plan of Action, the Commission for Social Development encouraged Member States to establish or strengthen national coordinating bodies or mechanisms to facilitate the implementation and dissemination of information about the Madrid Plan of Action, including its review and appraisal. The Commission also encouraged Member States to include both ageing-specific policies and ageing mainstreaming efforts in their review and appraisal of the Madrid Plan of Action and in their national strategies, bearing in mind the importance of mainstreaming the issue of ageing into global agendas.

6. In the same resolution, the Commission decided to undertake a review and appraisal of the Madrid Plan of Action every five years. Additionally, the regional commissions were requested to promote and facilitate the implementation, review,


Proposed calendar for the second review and appraisal of the Madrid Plan of Action

39. A step-by-step calendar of planned events, starting in 2011 at the national and
regional levels and leading up to the global segment at the fifty-first session of the Commission for Social Development in 2013, is a helpful tool for Member States
while organizing the second review and appraisal of the Madrid Plan of Action.

40. The participatory review and appraisal process was conceived as an ongoing national evaluation process that would also report to regional and global levels.
While the review and appraisal exercise is not time-bound, it is important to set the target year for consolidating the findings at the global level. The target year of 2012 is important as it will mark the tenth anniversary of the Second World Assembly on Ageing convened in Madrid and, since there has not been a regional or a global review on ageing since 2007, it will also close a five-year gap in assessing the situation of the world’s older persons and international action on ageing.

41. At the same time, however, a great deal of preparatory work remains to be done, at all levels, to make the bottom-up participatory review and appraisal more meaningful and successful compared to the first review and appraisal of the Madrid Plan. Therefore, a series of activities is proposed in the calendar that follows, highlighted by a global review and appraisal of the implementation of the Madrid Plan of Action during the fifty-first session of the Commission for Social Development in 2013. The tentative calendar for the second cycle of the global review and appraisal of the Madrid Plan of Action is set out below.


2011
42. As a first step, Member States would identify specific areas for in-depth participatory inquiries using the bottom-up approach and collect information about the actions they have taken since the first review and appraisal, such as new laws, policies and programmes, the establishment of coordinating mechanisms and information campaigns.

43. Information on the initial experience and good practices in organizing and conducting bottom-up participatory evaluation at the local and national levels will also be collected, analysed and presented later to the regional commissions. Upon request, the regional commissions, in cooperation with other entities, will assist countries in conducting their national review and appraisals and encourage participatory approaches to the process.

2012
44. Regional processes of review and appraisal will begin. Regional commissions will convene regional conferences in early to mid-2012, subject to the availability of sufficient financial resources, to consider the findings of national reviews, share experiences and good practices and identify priorities for future action. The regional commissions will submit the conclusions of the meetings and individual national reports to the Commission for Social Development in 2013.

2013
45. The Commission for Social Development, at its fifty-first session in February 2013, will conduct the global segment of the second cycle of review and appraisal of the Madrid Plan of Action. The modalities of this segment could include a series of plenary meetings, deliberations or a series of round tables. This would provide opportunities for assessing progress in the implementation of the Madrid Plan of Action at the national and regional levels, identifying achievements and obstacles in the implementation process, exchanging experiences and good practices, analyzing international cooperation on ageing and selecting priorities for the next cycle of the implementation process. Participants could include representatives of Member States, United Nations system organizations and representatives of civil society. An outcome document would include the conclusions of the second review and appraisal exercise along with the identification of prevalent and emerging issues and related policy options. Member States may wish to consider these and other options before making a final decision on the final format of the global segment for 2013.


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