Bulletin Vol. 64 no. 2 - AAFI-AFICS, Geneva - UNOG

HEALTH
LONG-TERM CARE : IMPORTANT PROGRESS AT THE WHO?
The joint meeting of the Health Insurance Surveillance Committees was held at the WHO
Headquarters on 18, 19 and 20 October 2004.
The purpose of this meeting was to revise the regulations of the health insurance scheme and to
examine new proposals concerning certain questions; it recommended that the principle of
degressivity in the reimbursement of non-medical expenses related to long-term care should be
abolished. A final decision is now in the hands of the Director-General.
AAFI-AFICS, which has for many months been asking for the elimination of this practice in all
insurance schemes of the United Nations system especially in Geneva (see the June 2004 Bulletin)
welcomes this proposal that will considerably improve the coverage of long-term care. We will
continue to report in the Bulletin on progress in the different organizations.
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HEALTHY AGEING - SEVEN "SECRETS" TO HEALTHY AGEI
1. Develop a “social portfolio”
A social portolio is like a financial portfolio. You need to (1) diversify your assets (2) have a safety net
(3) start early. Your assets are the diverse interests and relationships you develop and draw upon over
your lifetime. The safety net is the protection you develop when you cultivate a healthy range of
interests that include group and individual activities that require high energy/high mobility as well as
low energy/low mobility. The earlier you take these steps the more prepared you'll be for life as you
age.
Gene D. Cohen, M.D., Ph.D
Director, Center on Aging, Health & Humanities
George Washington University
2. Remember what your mother and grandmother told you
Don't abuse your body, eat well, and exercise. It's hard work, and people tend to look for easy
answers to staying healthy and vigourous. But your efforts will reap considerable benefits. You'll
sharply increase your chances of aging gracefully and taking advantage of opportunities to enjoy the
later stages of life.
William R. Hazzard, M.D.,
Professor of Internal Medicine,
Wake Forest University School of Medicine,
and Senior Adviser, J. Paul Sticht Center on Aging
3. Become a knowledgeable health care consumer
Few health care providers are trained in geriatrics, so don't assume they have all the answers.
Consumers need to ask advice, get second opinions, and be advocates for themselves. In addition,
they need to demand that geriatrics is included in medical school curriculums. Medical students are
trained in acute care hospitals that are not well equipped for geriatric care. Furthermore, most medical
students aren't exposed to nursing homes and other elderly care facilities.
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