On the UN International Day of Older Persons 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) is urgently calling for action to not only strengthen but transform the way countries provide care and support for older people, especially as we approach the halfway point of the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021–2030).

“We all require support to care for ourselves at some point in our lives, but we are more likely to require care the longer we live,” said Dr Anshu Banerjee, Director of the Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health and Ageing. “However, evidence shows that care and support systems across the world are not yet prepared to meet the needs of older people.”

Dr Banerjee added, “The UN Decade of Healthy Ageing underscores that a radical shift is required in how we value and deliver care to foster healthy ageing – and WHO stands ready to support countries who are committed to make this shift.”

The International Day of Older Persons is commemorated every year by the global community on 1 October to both celebrate older people’s contributions to society and highlight the challenges older people face. The international day grows in relevance every year, as the world’s populations continue to live longer and rapidly age. By 2030, it is projected that 1 in 6 people in the world will be aged 60 years or over. Furthermore, 80% of older people will be living in low- and middle-income countries by 2050, making healthy ageing a truly global priority.