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Dr Alex Kalache who recently opened COTA Queensland's new office has been awarded the IFA President's Award.
Dr Kalache was presented with his award by IFA Immediate Past President Irene Hoskins during the opening ceremony of the 11th Global Conference on Ageing in Prague, Czech Republic.
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The conference was held in Europe's year of Active Ageing and Solidarity between generations.
COTA Queensland Chief Executive Mark Tucker-Evans attended this important event which brought together the leading thinkers on ageing issues.
Held every two years the 2012 Conference explored issues under four themes:
1. Older Persons and Development;
2. Advancing Health and Wellbeing into Old Age;
3. Ensuring Enabling and Supportive Environments; and
4. Connected Technologies.
Under the sub-theme 1c Income security, social protection/ social security and poverty prevention delegates continue to work toward a Convention on the Rights of Older Persons.
Support for the Convention is largely coming from the developing countries whilst many developed countries oppose a Convention or are yet to commit their support.
Human rights define the quality of life. Baroness Sally Greengross said an easy way to remember how to treat older people was to remember the girl's name Freda.
Fairness, Respect, Equality, Dignity, Autonomy.
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Call for Action - International
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The IFA challenged NGOs around the world to urge their representatives at the UN level to support an international convention on the rights of older persons to help eradicate ageism.
Professor Alan Walker in his Daniel Thursz Memorial lecture called for a new vision for ageing which was inclusive and empowering. He said that much of current government policy was based on the view that older people were a homogenist group and did not recognize gender or ethnicity.
Dr Israel (Issi) Doron, President of Israel Gerontological Society said older people were subject to both social and economic injustice. He said we needed to deconstruct the language of ageing.
It is time to move from active ageing to activism. We need to challenge the current view of ageing which disempowered older people.
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Call for Action - Queensland
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COTA Queensland calls on the Newman government in their first State Budget to invest in:
- improving health and health care in older age;
- age-friendly environments and communities;
- supporting family and carers;
and supporting participation of older persons in Queensland society and protecting human rights.
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