(1) Tribute to Gary Andrews

We have lost Gary Andrews.

We have lost Professor Gary Andrews, an outstanding scientist, practitioner and educator in the field of ageing. Professor Andrew’s contribution to the science and practice of ageing is by all measures outstanding. He was one of the giants of gerontology in our time, tirelessly and persuasively pushing it to the forefront of the global agenda and skillfully steering the debate on the implications of individual and population ageing for human life and development.

Gary Andrews was a thinker and a doer of the highest international caliber. His contribution to the development of international standards and norms for policy design, implementation and monitoring is well known and recognized around the globe. In 1989 the Secretary-General of the United Nations awarded Mr. Andrews with a Special Testimonial of the United Nations for his outstanding contribution to the United Nations Programme on Ageing. His contribution to the work of the United Nations in the area of ageing ranged from participating in various meetings of experts, developing the Research Agenda on Ageing for the Twenty-First Century, convening a famous Valencia Forum, and participating in the work of both the First and the Second World Assemblies on Ageing.

We at the United Nations Programme on Ageing feel also that we lost a dedicated colleague and dear friend. In addition to his continuing involvement with the UN and WHO in their work on ageing, in 1999, Gary spent the whole year working as a staff member of the UN Secretariat on ageing, contributing to the outstanding success of the International Year of Older Persons.
Gary will be remembered as a champion, in his own words, “of a quest for greater information, knowledge and understanding of just what ageing REALLY IS.” He ended that speech with a call: “May the QUEST continue!” May it continue in the name and memory of Gary Andrews – a scientist, an advocate, a policy designer, and a friend.

United Nations Programme on Ageing

(2) International Meeting in Spain

An international meeting “The situation of ageing 2006: Challenges and good practices” was held in Jaén, Spain, from 8 to 10 May 2006. The meeting was organized by the Institute of Older Persons and Social Services (IMSERSO) of the Spanish Government, and was viewed by its organizers as a preparatory event for the first cycle (2007-2008) of the review and appraisal of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing.

The themes addressed during plenary sessions and workshops included the following: indicators for effective policy-making and future projections; preparations for the first cycle of review and appraisal of the Madrid Plan of Action; active participation of older persons in policies on ageing; social protection of older persons and active ageing; and education and culture for older persons.

The participants were from governments, academia, civil society organizations, and the United Nations, including the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the Economic Commission for Europe and WHO.

(3) The Cost of Care

The UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, The Department for International Development of the UK (DFID), Global Action on Aging and HelpAge International invite you to a roundtable discussion to review the challenges faced by carers, in particular older carers, in their role as primary caregivers to adults living with HIV and AIDS and orphaned or dependent children.

Global evidence is that 90% of AIDS care is provided at home, often by older women. Up to two-thirds of people living with AIDS are cared for by their parents in their 60s and 70s. Up to 60% of orphaned children live in grandparent-headed households in Sub Saharan Africa. Progress in tackling HIV/AIDS will depend on how carers of people living with HIV and AIDS and vulnerable children are supported.

We will explore key strategies, and make recommendations, to ensure that economic and social support is delivered to carers in line with global commitments.

Outcomes will be communicated to delegations attending the UNGASS review and disseminated through the sponsors’ websites.

Date: Friday June 2nd 2006
Venue: Conference Room 6: United Nations Building
Time: 1.15 – 2.45

Chair: Mr Bob Huber, Chief, Technical Cooperation Unit, Division for Social Policy and Development, Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), United Nations

Speakers: Khun Kanitha Tantaphan, Chief of International Affairs, Bureau of AIDS, TB and STIs, Government of Thailand; Rep of Government of Lesotho (tbc); Ms Robin Gorna, DFID; Mr Pete McDermott, Chief of the HIV/Aids Section, UNICEF; Mr Godfred Paul, HelpAge International

(4) Introducing In-HAM (Innovation Centre in Housing for Adapted Movement)

In-HAM is an initiative from on one hand partners active in the sector of disabled people, grouped around the Service centre “Gidts” (www.gidts.be) and on the other hand partners from the construction sector, grouped around BBRI (Belgian Building Research Institute www.bbri.be ), partners from the home and building automation sector (domotics and immotics), grouped around BCDI(Belgian Centre for Domotics and Immotics, www.bcdi.be ) and IMEC (Flemish Interuniversity Micro-Electronic Centre, www.imec.be).

The main objective is demonstration and design of specific building and living technology in order to strive for a maximal independence for the disabled and elderly person in daily life.
The strategy is build up on four main lines:

(1) Building on expertise and collecting knowledge in the field of accessibility and usability of buildings and living environment.

(2) Advice and providing information in the field of assistive technology and the accessibility of buildings and living environment.

(3) Demonstration of the existing building and living technology, designed for disabled people (by means of four demonstration laboratories).

(4) Design of functional building and living technology by way of a thematic collaboration between the sector of disabled and elderly people (= needs) and the industrial and academic sector (= offer of technological solutions).

Result

A permanent cooperation between the health and welfare sector and the industrial sector with their technological expertise, which results in original innovations in function of an increasing quality of life, autonomy and social participation for the disabled person. This initiative is private funded and can count on the backing of the construction industry through the Belgian Building Research Institute which represents more than 65 000 Belgian construction companies.
For more information visit www.in-ham.be or mail to georges.klepfisch@bbri.be

(5) Introducing the State Educational Geriatric Centre in Ukraine
The Centre was established in July 2005 with the support of the Verkhovna Rada (Parliament) of Ukraine, on the basis of the National Medical Academy for Postgraduate Education and the Institute of Gerontology of the Ukrainian Academy of Medical Sciences. The Centre is aimed at developing and implementing the educational programmes for medical and social workers, as well as volunteers, in the field of care for older persons. The Centre is developing a unique approach of placing in the same class both professionals and volunteers so that they can be trained together and at the same time share their diverse experiences in the care for older persons.

Together with the Verkhovna Rada and with the participation of the UN Programme on Ageing the Centre organized a two day Policy Seminar on the National Implementation of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing in Ukraine. The purpose of the Seminar, which was held in Kyiv from 11 to 12 January 2006, was to explore the role of legislative measures in implementing and monitoring the Madrid Plan of Action and to discuss the ways to promote cooperation between the legislature, government and civil society in the area of ageing.

On February 16-17, 2006 the Centre organized in Kyiv an international conference "Teaching of Modern Aspects of Gerontology in Training of Specialists for Medical and Social Care of Older Persons. The Role of Education of Older People, their Family Members and Volunteers in the Organization of Geriatric Care.” Seminar on gero-psychiatry was also included into the programme of the Conference. Specialists from Belarus, France, Germany, Great Britain, Liechtenstein, Russia, Slovenia and the USA took part in the Conference. The Conference reviewed and analyzed issues related to collaboration between governmental, non-governmental and religions organizations, as well as volunteers in providing geriatric care.

Among the future tasks of the Centre is the development of multi-disciplinary educational courses in geriatric care. The Centre is open for international cooperation, and it currently explores possibilities for collaboration with the Eastern Michigan University, USA (Prof. David Thomas).

Contacts:

Prof. Leonid Stadnyuk, Director, State Educational Geriatric Centre; Head, Internal Medicine and Geriatrics Department, National Medical Academy for Postgraduate Education, Ukraine.
Tel/fax. + 380 44 430 3351
e-mail: stadnyuk@mail.ru

Dr. Vira Chaikovska. Deputy Director, State Educational Geriatric Centre; Head, Laboratory of Social Gerontology, , Institute of Gerontology Ukraine.
Tel/fax. +380 44 431 0509,
e-mail: sg@geront.kiev.ua