Ageing in the Twenty-First Century: - HelpAge International

Training of care providers and
health professionals
In developed countries, health-care systems will need to
adapt to increasing proportions of older persons. In the
United States, the American Geriatrics Society reports
that there is one geriatrician for every 2,600 people
aged 75 or over. There will be one geriatrician for every
3,800 older people by 2030 if the number of medical
students choosing this specialty does not drastically
change. There are even fewer geriatric psychiatrists –
one for every 10,800 older Americans. This compares to
currently one paediatrician for every 1,300 Americans
below the age of 18. 183
In developing countries, demand for health-care systems
will change too. Health-care systems will have to
accommodate both the needs of the rapidly growing
older population and those in the area of child and
maternal health. In many of these countries, there is
a serious lack of geriatricians.
The increase in the absolute and relative numbers
of older persons makes geriatric and gerontological
education an urgent need. 184 Health and social-care
professionals, as well as informal caregivers, need
improved information and training on the needs of
older persons. 185
The out-migration of health-care professionals has led
to a decrease in the proportion of health-care workers
in the population, which seriously affects the
sustainability of health-care delivery. The demand for
health-care workers has increased in developed
countries because the existing labour force is ageing
and there are not enough health-care workers locally.
At the same time, there is a growing need for health care
because of the ageing of the population and the rise of
NCDs. With the speed of population ageing in developing
countries of origin, this brain drain of health-care
workers will exacerbate the problem.
Provisions for the training of health-care staff in
geriatric and gerontological health care are made, for
example, in Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Indonesia,
Japan, Kenya, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and South Africa.
In Latin America and the Caribbean, comprehensive
ageing and health-management programmes have been
established (see box below).
Ageing and health-management
programmes in Latin America and
the Caribbean
To address the primary health-care challenges that
accompany the ageing population, the Pan-American
Health Organization (PAHO) has partnered with the
Inter-American Centre for Social Security Studies (CIESS)
and the Latin American Academy of Medicine for Older
Persons (ALMA) to increase human resources in primary
health care for older persons in Latin America and the
Caribbean.
Specialization in health management of seniors
This regional initiative develops leadership in ageing and
health to better align policies and health services with
the needs of older adults. The programme is a theoretical
and practical, online education course aimed at current
managers and professionals interested in managing
programmes and services for older persons and seeking
to improve their skills in quality health management for
the older population.
Managers undertaking the training receive accreditations
leading to better management of services and the
establishment of minimum standards in the selection
and evaluation of administrators of programmes and
health services for older people in the region.
Between 2009 and 2012, 128 students of various
professions from 14 countries in the Americas graduated
with the specialization, which is available in Spanish,
Portuguese and English.
Master’s programme in ageing and health
management
PAHO and CIESS have promoted the organization of the
University Consortium in Public Health and Ageing with
more than 18 universities. The Master’s programme was
created to train competent, motivated, and skilled
professionals capable of seeking viable solutions to the
health problems of the older adult population. The focus is
on finding formulas for promoting health and preventing
disabling diseases, lengthening life and improving the
quality of life of this population group, and anticipating the
demographic, epidemiological, economic, environmental
and health challenges of the 21st century.
By encouraging collaboration between universities and
schools of public health in the region, the Master’s
programme promotes integration, continuity and
complementarity with the specialization course and
increases the human resources available to address the
primary health-care needs of the ageing population.
Source: Dr. Enrique Vega, Pan-American Health Organization
(personal communication, 5 July 2012).
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