Last Wednesday was International Day of Older Persons, a stark reminder that the world will soon see more people aged 60 and over than children.
Almost 700 million people are aged over 60. By 2050, this figure will reach two billion, more than 20 per cent of the world’s population.
Malta is no exception. Figures based on the 2011 Census indicate that at the end of 2013 a quarter of the population, equivalent to 105,068 people, were aged over 60.
Societies have a challenge in dealing with the diverse needs of the older population. While most financial resources and human capital invested in social services are channelled to allay poverty and deprivation due to the increased possibility of deterioration in health with age, older people use significantly more health services than the total population.
It is calculated that globally, older adults spend over 30 per cent on health despite comprising only 10 per cent of the population.
Another challenge involves the provision of quality care to older people living within the community, who continuously face physical and cognitive struggles.
Although the ageing of populations is often referred to as an ‘agequake’, my parliamentary secretariat looks at things differently.
The government has perceived the extension of life expectancy as a triumph, a way of lengthening the lives of our dear elderly. I embrace human ageing, shielding away from the traditional view of the elderly, who are generally seen as poor, frail and unemployable individuals.
The Parliamentary Secretariat for Rights of Persons with Disability and Active Ageing has introduced new policies, whereby the social sector takes centre stage. These policies aim to enable elderly people in Malta to achieve improved levels in their quality of life.
The main objective is to add life to years, as opposed to adding years to life. In March 2013, the new Labour government took the decision to put ageing policy under the responsibility of a Parliamentary Secretariat for Rights of Persons with Disability and Active Ageing.
This is the new direction that ageing policy is taking in Malta. In November 2013, the government launched the National Strategic Policy for Active Ageing: Malta 2014-2020, which focuses on three major themes – active participation in the labour market, social participation in the community and independent living.
Primarily, the policy aspires to increase the number of older workers in the labour market. It also hopes to increase the participation of older people in social, economic, cultural and civic affairs.
The National Strategic Policy for Active Ageing aspires to increase the number of older workers in the labour market
Finally, the policy accepts that transforming our perception of ageing from one of dependency to active ageing requires a paradigm shift that supports independence and dignity with advancing age.
The adoption of the strategic policy complements other policy measures. Earlier this year, my parliamentary secretariat issued the National Dementia Strategy and the National Minimum Standards for Care Homes for Older People for public consultation, while also financing the running of a new centre for Malta’s University of the Third Age in Cottonera.
Every public care home and day centre for older persons now has representative committees, a strategy to empower the elderly in the running of such entities. Other initiatives included providing ICT classes for people aged 60 and over and offering the services of social workers to frail and vulnerable people. We also equipped these social workers with the latest gerontological and geriatric knowledge through in-service training courses delivered by university academics.
Other strategies launched recently include the transformation of day centres for older people into centres for active ageing that fulfil the role of lifelong learning hubs and the organisation of pre-retirement learning programmes.
These two strategies are key features of the secretariat’s intention to improve levels of empowerment in elderly people. On one hand, those attending the day centres will be able to take part in learning sessions delivered by older people. On the other, the pre-retirement learning programmes span a number of sessions that focus on aspects of later life, ranging from legal issues to financial aspects, health promotion, ethical questions, social services and dementia care.
The parliamentary secretariat will also be exploring how recent advances in assistive technologies can improve the safety and well-being of older people to enable them to ‘age in place’.
This is being done through a re-organisation of the Office for the Commissioner for Older Persons and by embarking on the legislation of an Adult Protection Act.
The latter follows the introduction of new forms of deterrent measures in the Maltese criminal code, specifically dealing with elder abuse, a concept which, until this year, had been legally defined in a very broad manner.
After this legislation on elder abuse was successfully passed in parliament, criminal code amendments are now in force. We are also seeking to facilitate longer working lives.
Strengthening the older workforce is key to overturning a shrinking employment age population that risks dragging on economic growth through labour and skills shortages.
Hence, we are strongly working on policies that secure more age-friendly working arrangements, healthy workplaces and flexible retirement schemes.
Moreover, supporting informal carers to increase labour market participation of older women workers lies at the heart of our ongoing and future efforts.All these initiatives have the potential to strengthen social and health care policies within the community as well as in care homes.
They will also enable older people to engage further in successful, productive and positive ageing lifestyles – namely progressing from the mentality of adding life to years.
Justyne Caruana is Parliamentary Secretary for Rights of Persons with Disability and Active Ageing.