Adding Life to Years: The UN Decade of Healthy Ageing
An increasingly ageing population is a world-wide phenomena. According to the United Nations,
“Every country in the world is experiencing growth in both the size and the proportion of older persons in the population.”
The world has already reached a significant milestone.
- In 2020, there were more people aged 60+ than children under the age of 5.
- By 2030, 1 in 6 people will be aged 60+.
- The percentage of the world population aged 60+ will increase from 12% in 2015 to 22% in 2050.
- By 2050, the number of people worldwide aged over 60 will reach 2.1 billion.
Long life across all the world can have tremendous benefits, but with one proviso:
“A longer life brings with it opportunities, not only for older people and their families, but also for societies as a whole. Additional years provide the chance to pursue new activities such as further education, a new career or a long-neglected passion. Older people also contribute in many ways to their families and communities. Yet the extent of these opportunities and contributions depends heavily on one factor: health.”
That’s one reason why we’re now in year three of the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021–2030), led by the World Health Organization (WHO). With its focus on “Adding Life to Years”, the Decade brings together multiple organizations and governments for what is described as:
“10 years of concerted, catalytic and collaborative action to foster longer and healthier lives.”
As the Decade website explains:
“Longer lives are one of humanity’s greatest achievements. However, we don’t just want to add years to our lives. We also want to enjoy good health and well-being in later life. This is healthy ageing.
Today, too many people around the world experience worse health than they should because of unsupportive environments that prevent them from maximising their later years. The UN Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021–2030) aims to give everyone the opportunity to add life to years, wherever they live.”
A focus on care
The focus of the Decade is to take action in four key areas:
- Creating age-friendly environments
- Combatting Ageism
- Integrated Care
- Long-term Care
As a home care company in Calgary run by two highly experienced care professionals, we’re particularly interested in the Decade’s two core care areas.
Integrated care
“Equitable and affordable access to good quality, person-centred health care is key for fostering healthy ageing.”
Access to long-term care
“We can make sure that we all have the care and support required to live with dignity, meaning, and rights.”
Both are areas close to our own mission here at Vytality at Home.
- Our mission is to enhance the quality of life of those we serve, by keeping you safe, comfortable, happy and healthy.
- We are passionate about providing your or your loved one with exceptional home care experiences in Calgary.
- All our hand-picked caregivers share our core values of Compassion, Respect, Innovation, Care, and Integrity.
- Vytality’s purpose to create exceptional experiences applies to all of our stakeholders ensuring an enhanced quality of life across the board.
Exceptional care experiences
Like the UN (albeit on small scale!) we too looked at how to best provide quality home care both for the people we care for and for their family. Vytality at Home was started after founders Nicole and Brad found it challenging to balance the demands of their own life with coordinating quality care for their aging family members. With their backgrounds in Healthcare, Nursing, Senior Care and Human Resources, they created a more transparent approach to home care for seniors.
Almost five years on, Vytality at Home is an established and respected home care company in Calgary. Our approach is to continue innovating and developing better home care solutions for our full service, client-focused care. Which means we’ll continue to provide home care that is tailor-made for each client, including Engagement, Personal Care, Homemaking, Nutrition and more.
It’s an approach that is very much in line with what the Alberta government calls “aging in community” (aka aging in place):
“(This) means having the health and social supports and services needed to live safely and independently in your home or community for as long as you wish and are able.”
Practical partnerships
“Over 95 per cent of older adults want to remain in their homes, yet only five per cent of homes are suitable for those dealing with challenges of ageing; (wider doorways, no stairs in the home, for example).”
That’s why at Vytality at Home we have a network of trusted Partners who can help with the practical side of ensuring your home is adapted to your needs, including easier access grab rails, accessible bathrooms, etc. Other Partners can also take care of challenges that ageing in place in your own home can raise, such as someone to maintain the garden, clear the snow or take you an appointment in a fully accessible taxi.
If you like to discuss home care requirements for yourself or a loved one:
