International Day of the Older Persons

This year as well, the Red Cross of the Republic of North Macedonia is included in the activities for marking October 1 – the International Day of older persons. This day is designated by the United Nations General Assembly on December 14, 1990. Official figures show that 703 million people over the age of 65 were registered globally last year. Over the next three decades, the number of older people worldwide is projected to double, reaching more than 1.5 billion by 2050. With this in mind, there is clearly a need for increased attention to the special needs and challenges faced by many older people.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the United Nations and the 30th anniversary of International Day of Older Persons. COVID-19 also appeared this year, sparking a worldwide upheaval. Given the higher risks that the elderly face during pandemics, such as COVID-19, countries in their policies and program interventions implement activities aimed at raising awareness of their special needs. It is also important to recognize the contributions of older persons to their health and the multiple roles they play in the preparedness and response to current and future pandemics.

This year the theme is “Pandemics: Do they affect how we Deal with aging” which aims to:

• To inform the citizens about the strategic goals of the Decade of Healthy Aging 2020-2030, adopted by the World Health Organization. (The Decade is an opportunity to bring together governments, institutions, civil society, international agencies, professionals, the media and the private sector for ten years of collaborative work and action to improve the lives of older people, their families and the communities in which they live.)
• To raise awareness of the special health needs of the older persons and their contribution to their own health.
• To propose reductions in health differences between older persons in developed and developing countries.
• To increase the understanding of the impact of COVID-19 on the older persons

On the occasion of the marking of October 1, the Red Cross of the Republic of North Macedonia sends messages, shared by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, with which we want to increase the attention that:

“Pandemic is not an obstacle for volunteering in old age” – We want to emphasize that during a pandemic older people can be actively involved in activities and that the pandemic is not, and should not be, an obstacle to volunteering, regardless of age.

“Aging Healthy – Aging Better” is associated with the Decade of Healthy Aging, and the promotion of healthy aging and a healthy lifestyle, and emphasizes the importance of seniors who can contribute to society.