WHO launches Global Network of Age-friendly Cities

Urban environments that allow older people to remain active and healthy

29 JUNE 2010 – GENEVA - WHO launches the Global Network of Age-friendly Cities as part of a broader response to the rapid ageing of populations. Populations in almost every corner of the world are growing older. The greatest changes are occurring in less-developed countries. By 2050, it is estimated that 80% of the expected 2 billion people aged 60 years or over will live in low or middle income countries. The Network aims to help cities create urban environments that allow older people to remain active and healthy participants in society.

Invitations to join the Network were sent out last December and WHO has been swamped by responses. Many individual cities, both large and small have formally applied to join the Network. WHO has also established formal agreements with the French government, the Irish Ageing Well Network and the Slovenian Network of Age-friendly Cities to develop affiliated national programmes. The China National Committee on Ageing has also indicated interest in developing a national programme, and 5 Canadian Provinces are running complementary initiatives.

You can read more information on the Global Network,click here

Children's Art Projects Energize Japanese Elders

Young artists from Zerodate, a Japanese artist's collective, developed a project in 2009 to involve community elders with elementary school children in an art experiment using fabric. The elders taught the children to sew, the artists helped stimulate the creative vision of all the participants.

The artistic results speak for themselves, as the following video shows.

This Zerodate project was presented at a recent International Federation on Aging Regional Conference in Akita, Japan.

The project leader, Takuma Ishiyama, explained to the delegates that the gradual disappearance of a traditional 'Yamada Lion Dance' comunity ceremony spurred them to interest young children in art and sewing skills. But other equally important objectives were to instill a sense of respect from children for their elders, as well as energizing elders with the enthusiasm of youth. Communities interested learning about the project's outcomes and pursuing similar activities can contact Zerodate This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . 

The man who coined the term ageism passed away unexpectedly earlier this month of leukemia in New York City at the age of 83.

Robert Butler, the prominent gerontologist, psychiatrist and founder of the U.S. International Longevity Centre (ILC) was no where ready to leave us, wanting to accomplish so much more. His latest book, The Longevity Prescription, was published only last month and was looking forward to working for his cause indefinitely. Butler was the first director of the National Institute on Aging, establishing Alzheimer's disease as a national research priority and founded the United State's first department of geriatrics at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. His books included the Pulitzer Prize-winning Why Survive? Being Old in America and The New Love and Sex After 60, which he wrote with his wife Myrna Lewis.

Throughout his career, he developed a keen wit to contest misconceptions and ignorance fuelling age prejudice.

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