IFA VoltAGE | March 2021

April 2021

15th Global Conference on Ageing "Rights Matter"

As a response to the unprecedented challenges COVID-19 pandemic has brought for both, people and society, and to keep staff, delegates, speakers and leaders safe, the IFA is thrilled to announce that the 15th Global Conference on Ageing “Rights Matter” will be convened, both virtually and in-person in Niagara Falls, Canada from 10-12 November 2021, with pre-conference summits and master classes to be held on 9 November 2021.

During the three days of the conference, delegates will have the opportunity to learn and be inspired by 3 renowned keynote speakers, 3 presidential symposiums and concurrent sessions focused on the four action areas of The Decade of Healthy Ageing 2021-2030: ageism, age-friendly cities and communities, primary health care, and long-term care alongside older people and pandemics.

The virtual conference will be held through an interactive, smart, all-in-one virtual platform where more than 2,000 delegates will be able to network, have real-time meetings with presenters and delegates, join chats, groups, have Q&A sessions, among other features.

As the host venues for the in-person conference, the Hilton Niagara Falls/Fallsview Hotel & Suites, as well as Canada’s largest casino resort facility, Fallsview Casino Resort, make for an ideal combination to meet and learn during the day and unwind at night.

Don't miss the opportunity to participate in these four days of learning, networking and so much more! Visit https://www.ifa2021.ngo for details on the conference programme, events, registration and more.

The IFA looks forward to seeing you in November 2021 at the 15th Global Conference on Ageing "Rights Matter"!

UN OEWG11 Webinars

From 29^th March to 1^st April 2021 the 11^th Session of the United Nations Open-ended Working Group on Ageing will convene for the purpose of strengthening the protection of the human rights of older people. In preparation, the Global Alliance for the Rights of Older People (GAROP) in partnership with IFA organized a two-part webinar series to deliberate urgent issues impacting the rights of older people, and opportunities to be involved in advocating for the protection of these rights through a universally binding legal instrument, a UN Conventions on the Rights of Older People.

Watch the videos below:

IFA/GAROP 2021 Webinar Series | Time for a UN Convention on the Rights of Older People!

IFA/GAROP 2021 Webinar Series | 11th session of the Open-ended Working Group on Ageing

UN OEWG11 Side Event

On 30^th March 2021 the IFA alongside partner organizations hosted a virtual side-event entitled “The Impact of COVID-19 on the Human Rights of Older Persons: An International Dialogue.” This premier event offered a unique opportunity for all those who are interested and active in advocating for the rights of older persons to engage with this United Nations mechanism directly.

ILC Canada Official Side Event at the UN OEWGA 11th Session

UN Statement

On 16^th February 2021 within the 25^th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council Advisory Committee IFA was honoured to be selected to provide an oral statement regarding Current levels of representation of older women in human rights organs and mechanisms.

As older women comprise 58% of the global population aged over 65 years, their representation and integration within decision-making bodies is an important step in combatting the intersecting discrimination on the basis of gender, disability, socioeconomic status and compounded by ageism.

To read the full statement click here.

Vision

The World Health Organization’s (WHO) World Report on Vision estimates about 196 million adults worldwide suffer from age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and another 146 million from diabetic retinopathy (DR), with an exponential increase in prevalence in later life. Concurrently, population ageing may significantly impact the prevalence and need for treatment of eye conditions, with the number of people aged 60 years and over expected to increase from 962 million in 2017 to 1.4 billion by 2030.

Biosimilars in ophthalmology are a rapidly emerging and largely unfamiliar part of the global vision health landscape, with the potential opportunity to expand vision health options for millions worldwide. Within Canada, IFA and partners in vision and healthy ageing call for new and forthcoming Biosimilar policies to be fundamentally based upon evidence-based recommendations and responsive to patients’ needs to ensure safe, effective and appropriate vision treatments are accessible to all Canadians.

Read the World Report on Vision and an IFA report on stakeholder perspectives regarding Biosimilars below:

Read the Report

Find out more about Biosimilars in ophthalmology at www.EyeSeeYou.care

Hearing

On 3^rd March 2021 IFA was delighted to celebrate World Hearing Day with the launch of the World Health Organization World Report on Hearing.

The importance of hearing to healthy ageing and functional ability cannot be understated, and is a focus area for the IFA together with leaders from the fields of audiology, or otolaryngology, psychology, dementia research, geriatric medicine, gerontology, academic, public health, government, industry and others within civil society.

Read the World Report on Hearing and the IFA Statement of Intent below:

Read the Report

Interactive Dialogue

IFA recently held an Interactive Dialogue entitled "Good Practice in Interactive Vaccination Communication".

This discussion featured expert remarks by Ms. Krystle Lai (Associate Director, Public Health, Evoke KYNE) and aimed:

To increase importance of integrating interactive communication approaches into promoting adult vaccination
Explore sustainable strategies to enhance meaningful communication practices to reduce vaccine hesitancy and increase uptakes.

Watch Now

IFA Global Café

IFA invites you to attend the Global Café. In Conversation with , Mr Cornelis P. de Joncheere, President at International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), which will be held on April 16th, at 7:00am EST.

This Global Café features expert will lead a discussion around the The Hidden Epidemic of Drug Use Among Older People.

DR Barometer Program

Launched in February 2021, the monthly Diabetes Alert! Series Town Halls are a virtual collaborative opportunity to share knowledge and learnings to help those working alongside those living with diabetes. Speakers are from the community and comprise of a mix of clinicians as well as civil society.

Recordings of past town halls are available at drbarometer.com where registration details for the next town hall in the series can also be found.

Country Spotlight Series

The program’s Country Spotlight Series is a series of interviews that aims to showcase the resilience and innovation of professionals at work in the field of diabetes and vision at a country level to provide country-specific guidance. Interviews are available for viewing at the DR Barometer website.

Living with the Times, A Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Toolkit for Older Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Living with the Times: a mental health and psychosocial support toolkit for older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic has been developed by the Inter-Agency Standing Committee Reference Group on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings (IASC MHPSS RG).

This resource includes posters with key messages for older adults on how to take care of their well-being and how they can provide support to those around them during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

Read the toolkit below:

IFA Expert Centre

Did you know that the IFA has a “virtual expert centre,” that features thought leaders and special experts in policy, research and practice in fields associated with population ageing. This platform is an opportunity for agencies and people in the field of ageing to use experts as a source for growth and also to connect more strongly with one another.