Open and Distance Learning for Sustainable Development

of ageing (Omotayo, 2006: 105-107).
The 4Rs of Ageing
The 4Rs of global ageing are projections from deduction of experts on how ageing will probable
restructure the way the society operates. The growing number of older persons should be seen as
an opportunity to develop policies that will ensure decent living standards for all members of the
society
Restructure Economy
The submissions of scholars revealed the following: That effect of global ageing will increase tax
rate, as more money will be needed to pay for pension and health care programmes. Probably,
governments will spend less on defence, education and spend more on health care since more
money will be required for geriatric care. There will be shrinking consumer market and reduction
in investment for domestic goods, owing to less preference for these goods by older persons.
Furthermore, there will be over capacity in industry such as construction, durable goods and real
estate. Finally, there will be refocusing on manufacturing of goods and services; for example the
pharmaceutical industry will have to produce more of geriatrics drugs.
Restructure the Family
Here, family commitment and organisation will shift. This is because old peoples' home will
probable become a norm, as there will be less people to care for older persons within the
traditional African family system. This is because owing to low fertility and the high probability
that today’s working adults are having and will have less children or relative to take care of them
at old age. Therefore at old age, most may have no other option than to be institutionalised, just as
the effect of modernisation makes day care and crèche for babies a necessity for today's family.
Restructure Politics
In politics, matters relating to ageing inter alia will be critical to election victory. Policies on
retirement and pension will probable become the epicentre for political campaign; as it was during
the election campaign between Angel Markel and G Scholder in Germany national election in
2005.
Restructure Social Institutions
Here there will be the need for social institutions such as sports and retirement to be adapted to
meet the need, interest and aspiration of the ageing population. There will be the need to introduce
retirement education into the adult education curricula.
Furthermore, out of 3,300 awards and grants from 47 countries, none is directly for gerontology
(Grant Register, 2004). These show the dearth of the programmes in institutions of higher
learning and posits a danger because the society lacks the appropriate machinery for manpower
training and development in the field of ageing.
Furthermore, the inclusion of gerontological social work program will create a new frontier in
research, teaching, preservation of information and addressing problems of caring for human
needs and other consequences of longevity. Owing to the fact that human beings cannot meet all
their needs on their own, assisting people to meet their needs when they are old, which is the
major function of gerontological social welfare will always be relevant to human society.
In addition, coupled with the fact that human societies continue to evolve and develop, change is
inevitable and creates new challenges, threats and opportunities, that must be met by the society.
Thus, the need of 'marrying the town with the gown', that relates to; making university education
more responsive to the need of the society will be promoted with programme to train
professionals in addressing the various consequences of ageing.
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