International Day of Older Persons 1 Oct 2023 - Importance, Theme & History

International Day of Older Persons (IDOP) is a global healthcare event celebrated on the 1st of October every year that emphasises public awareness with respect to challenges and opportunities that are associated with ageing and mobilises community organisations, families and stakeholders to aid older people who are facing the challenges.

On this day, various international and national organisations join together to conduct events, national surveys, social campaigns and other awareness programmes and workshops to create awareness irrespective of the well-being and dignity of older individuals.

Importance of International Day of Older Persons (IDOP)

In 2019, there were 70.3 crores people globally who were 65 or older. Over the next three decades (30 years), the global population of older people is expected to more than quadruple, reaching more than 15 crores by 2050. Between 2019 and 2050, all regions will observe an increase in the number of older people. Less-developed countries, excluding the least developed countries, would increase more than two-thirds of the world's older population (110 crores) by 2050. However, the largest increase is expected to occur in the least developed countries, where the number of people aged 65 and more is expected to rise by a 225% increase (from 3.7 crores in 2019 to 12 crores in 2050).

India is the world's second-largest country, with 7.2 crore people over the age of 60. The number of old people aged 80 and older is expected to increase from 54 lakhs in 2021 to 3.2 crore by 2051. The increase in the number and proportion of the elderly will have a direct impact on the need for health care, income, and social security payments.

The increase in the number of the elderly could prompt abuse towards the elderly. Its prevalence is seen increasing globally (10% of the elderly experience some form of abuse). In these times of neglect and abuse, it is important to remind the public about elderly care and to safeguard their rights.

International Day of Older Persons 2023 Theme

This year 2023, the International Day of Older Persons Theme is "Fulfilling the Promises of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights for Older Persons: Across Generations", a call to draw attention to the unique needs of older people globally in terms of their rights and reporting violations, in addition to fostering solidarity through equity and reciprocity between the generations offers long-term solutions to fulfil the Sustainable Development Goals' (SDG) promise.

Year by year, the themes for International Day of Older Persons (IDOP) are:

• International Day of Older Persons 2022 theme: Resilience of Older Persons in a Changing World
• International Day of Older Persons 2021 theme: Digital Equity for All Ages
• International Day of Older Persons 2020 theme: Pandemics: do they change how we address age and ageing?
• International Day of Older Persons 2019 theme: The Journey to Age Equality
  

History of International Day of Older Persons (IDOP)

On December 14th, 1990, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) declared October 1 as the International Day of Older Persons (IDOP). This was preceded by the initiation of Vienna International Plan of Action on Ageing (VIPAA), adopted by the World Assembly on Ageing (WAA) in 1982 and approved by the UN General Assembly later in the same year.

Objectives of United Nations International Day of Older Persons (UNIDOP) 2023

• Increasing the protection of the human rights of current and future generations of senior citizens worldwide by increasing awareness of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and inspiring pledges from all stakeholders.
• Discussing and gaining knowledge from intergenerational models for the defence of human rights everywhere and
• Encouraging governments and United Nations entities to reconsider their current practices to integrate a life course approach to human rights in their work and to make sure the active participation of all stakeholders, including civil society, national human rights institutions, and older people themselves, in efforts to strengthen the intergenerational solidarity and partnerships.

Healthy Tips for the Elderly Persons

• Older people should have enough food, water, shelter, clothes, and health care through the provision of money, family and community assistance, and self-help.
• Older people should be able to work or have access to alternative income-generating options.
• Older people should have access to appropriate educational and training programs.
• Older people should be allowed to live in situations that are both safe and flexible for their changing needs and abilities.

Know more about health awareness days