Ageing and Health - follow up of the side event held on 23 June 2016
Laurence LWOFF, Secretary to the Bioethics Committee of the Council of Europe (DH-BIO), Lord Georges FOULKES, Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (United Kingdom, Anne-Marie CHAVANON, President, Alexandra-Luminita PETRESCU, Former Secretary of State at the ministry in charge of Public consultation and civil dialogue in Romania
Lord Foulkes Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (United Kingdom), Rapporteur on « A European social commitment guaranteeing the rights of older people and their comprehensive care », and President of the Charity AGE Scotland , stressed that "because it is the Council of Europe, that is producing the report, we are looking at it from human rights point of view. That doesn’t mean to say, he added, that we are not concerned with compassion for the elderly and how we have got responsibility to look after our older people but we are looking at it not from a compassion point of view but from human rights of older people. So, it is important to think in terms of the rights of people."
A huge demographic change versus austerity programs
Lord Foulkes pointed out the huge demographic change taking place. Soon in Europe, he said, 25% of our population will be over 65; And in the world as a whole there will be 40 million people over the age of 85, particularly vulnerable older people. And meanwhile, the working population is reducing. The income and the wealth of the countries is going down. And we are also going through a time when governments around Europe are talking about making cuts. They have programs of austerity. They do in the UK and in many other European countries.
A guarantee of charter for older people
So it is even more important. It is now absolutely the right time that we should get an agreement through the Council of Europe to get a guarantee or charter for older people.
The rapporteur calls for a Charter at Council of Europe level to
A huge demographic change versus austerity programs
Lord Foulkes pointed out the huge demographic change taking place. Soon in Europe, he said, 25% of our population will be over 65; And in the world as a whole there will be 40 million people over the age of 85, particularly vulnerable older people. And meanwhile, the working population is reducing. The income and the wealth of the countries is going down. And we are also going through a time when governments around Europe are talking about making cuts. They have programs of austerity. They do in the UK and in many other European countries.
A guarantee of charter for older people
So it is even more important. It is now absolutely the right time that we should get an agreement through the Council of Europe to get a guarantee or charter for older people.
The rapporteur calls for a Charter at Council of Europe level to
- make sure that there is no discrimination against any person in any service as a result of their age whether it be health service or insurance
- garantee a minimum level of income
- provide an appropriate housing (comfort, security).
- foster active ageing because the more active a person is, the more likely he or she will not need the services of society, social services and health services.
- Getting health and social care working together providing adequate services
- regular monitoring and inspection in services for the elderly to make sure that older people are not being abused since no one admits that older people are being abused in their country. In some cases by their own relatives, in other cases in institutions.
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