Ageing and health
The Western Pacific Region has one of the largest and fastest growing older population in the world. There are more than 245 million people aged 65 years and older in the Western Pacific Region and this number is expected to double by 2050.
Population ageing has significant societal implications, including an increase in burden of NCDs as well as a growing population of people with diverse functional abilities. Supporting healthy ageing requires a long-term, whole-of-society approach. Specifically, health system transformation is needed to accompany people throughout their life, placing a greater emphasis on preventative health and addressing the social determinants of health. Communities also need to be strengthened to provide integrated services and supports to older adults that are tailored to individual needs.
Population ageing also offers many opportunities for individuals and society as a whole. People are living longer, enabling them to engage in a wider range of activities and interests that are meaningful to them across their lifetime. The growing older population is also better educated and more knowledgeable than ever before, enabling them to offer greater contributions to society. However, to fully realize these opportunities, a change in narrative is needed from one that views older adults as societal burdens to recognizing the many valuable contributions they can make to society when they are supported and encouraged to do so.
The rapidly population ageing population in the Western Pacific Region has widespread implications for health, wellbeing, and the general organization of societies. It increases demand for primary health care and long-term care, requires a larger and better trained health workforce, increases the need for physical and social environments to be made more age-friendly, and calls for actions to tackle ageism.
Turning challenges into opportunities by investing in healthy ageing through health promotion, prevention, quality healthcare, age-friendly policies and transformations is therefore paramount. It can yield significant benefits for individuals and society in general. Older adults contribute to society in a variety of ways including through paid and unpaid work, as caregivers for family members, and passing down knowledge and traditions to younger generations. They also contribute to the economy as employees, consumers, investors, and social service providers.
The World Health Organization is committed to supporting Member States and ensuring positive impact on communities across the Western Pacific Region in fulfilling this vision of older people living longer and healthier lives for the benefit of all.
WHO in the Western Pacific supports Member States, UN agencies and diverse stakeholders from various sectors to improve the health and well-being of older populations in the Region so that they thrive and contribute in society.
WHO does this work in the Region through the Regional Action Plan on Healthy Ageing in the Western Pacific, which advocates for a whole-of-society transformation, beyond health systems. Adding years to life can offer individuals and society new opportunities, but only if society encourages and enables older people to remain healthy and to continue participating and thriving.
Working with Member States, the Regional Action Plan outlines five objectives for achieving the vision of healthy ageing in the Western Pacific Region:
- Transform societies as a whole to promote healthy ageing.
- Transform health systems to address each individual’s lifelong health needs by providing necessary health and non-health services in a coordinated way.
- Provide community-based integrated care for older adults tailored to individual needs.
- Fostering technological and social innovation to promote healthy ageing.
- Strengthen monitoring and surveillance systems and research on older adults to inform programmes, services and policies.
WHO continues to support countries to operationalize this Regional Action Plan, to provide tools, knowledge and information-sharing platforms, and to advocate to prevent and counteract negative stereotypes about ageing.
