IFA Virtual Town Hall Invitation
Alongside friends and colleagues working in the field with and on behalf of millions of vulnerable people, the IFA's Virtual Town Halls are an opportunity to share challenges and best practices related to COVID-19 and older people.
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Date and Time:
Friday 1 May 2020, 07:00-08:00 (GMT-4)
Opening Remarks:
Director of Thematic Engagement, Special Procedures and Right to Development Division, UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
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Date and Time:
Friday 8 May 2020, 07:00-08:00 (GMT-4)
Opening Remarks:
Chief Officer, Age Friendly Ireland
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In an effort to support the further development of targeted guidelines, the IFA has sought to understand where and how the unique needs of older people are being addressed in the WHO COVID-19 Country and Technical Guidance documents.
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United Nations Brief –
COVID-19 and Human Rights
In addition to identifying the populations most effected by the recent pandemic, the United Nations (UN) brief on “
COVID-19 and Human Rights
” gives voice to the challenges vulnerable populations are facing from both the virus and the measures in place to control it.
COVID-19 has held a flame to the critical role human rights play in protecting vulnerable and marginalized populations as well as the catastrophic consequences when the rights and well-being of these populations are not prioritized in policy.
"Older persons have faced higher infection and mortality rates, while at the same time being subjected to ageism in public discourse, age discrimination in health care and triage decisions, neglect and domestic abuse at home, isolation without access to essential services, and greater exposure and poor treatment in care institutions." In response, the UN entreats state authorities to be open and transparent in their decision making but to also be accountable to the people they have a responsibility to protect.
While action has been taken on some fronts, there is a considerable need for the international community to learn from the shortcomings in respect for human rights. This brief emphasizes that the negative practices made visible during this pandemic are equally important in helping us progress on the front of human rights – as they allow us to “build back better”. As such, the recovery process from this pandemic will require careful analysis of weaknesses in the public services being delivered and collective action towards protecting and respecting the right to health for all age groups.
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Long-term Care Homes and COVID-19
In response to the high COVID-19-related cases and deaths in long-term care home around the world, Greg Shaw, Director, International Corporate Relations at the IFA discusses some of the issues:
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This World Immunization Week (WIW), International Federation on Ageing (IFA) is delighted to launch a new knowledge mobilization platform –
vaccines4life.com
.
Vaccines4Life (V4L) serves as a point of connection to share knowledge, showcase good practice, and build collaborations on the most urgent matters related to adult vaccination
.
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The VacciNet database is a knowledge repository of the Vaccines4Life platform, curating content on adult vaccination from a variety of different sources, including but not limited to journal articles, reports, media, presentations, and webinars.
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This week, the IFA will launch the consensus statement "Influencing Policy to Improve Adult Vaccination in Germany" resulting from an IFA-led expert meeting held in February 2020. The meeting brought together experts in vaccination and public health, alongside leaders of ageing and at-risk patient organizations to identify opportunities to help improve adult uptake rates and strengthen vaccine-related policy in Germany.
The identification of barriers to adult vaccination as outlined in the report is the first crucial step to addressing them.
The IFA encourages you to read these articles and use the strategies within it to improve adult vaccination uptake rates in your community.
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This World Immunisation Week, Immunisation for All Ages (IFAA) calls upon professional, patient and advocacy organisations, together with all levels of government to increase their investment in prevention policy that supports immunisation at all stages of life.
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Vaccination is one of the most successful public health measures of modern times, preventing up to three million deaths worldwide every year; second only to clean water. The primary goal of V4L is to improve uptake rates of adult vaccination globally.
As part of IFA's World Immunization Week preparations, IFA launched three new videos focused on a life course approach to vaccination:
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Working Together to Defeat Invasive Meningococcal Disease
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The International Federation on Ageing (IFA) invites abstract submissions for symposiums, workshops, papers and poster presentations under each of the four themes to be presented at the
15th Global Conference on Ageing
, now taking place from 3-5 March 2021 in Niagara Falls, Canada.
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Pre-Conference events will now take place on
2 March 2021
. Find out more about:
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Release of guidance for patients with nAMD and their families during the COVID-19 pandemic
The Vision Academy, representing leading international experts in ophthalmology and ageing, have officially launched a set of guidelines to address the unprecedented global impact of COVID-19 on the lives and functioning of older adults and their access to safe and effective treatment for nAMD.
The guidelines contain key information regarding the adaptation of clinical spaces in the time of COVID-19 to ensure patient safety while continuing urgent treatment. Information includes managing appointments, ways to reduce risk of exposure to COVID-19 during appointments and helpful tips to minimize risks of eye complications in the event that patients are unable to attend appointments.
Be sure to visit the
Vision Academy website
where other key COVID-19 related resources are available, including publications, infographics, additional guidance for clinic practices, a letter to health care professionals encouraging the use of communication templates, and two patient communication templates.
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Coronavirus vs Vulnerabilities Worldwide – A Sociological Appraisal
By: Professor Emeritus Mohammad Taghi Sheykhi, Alzahra University
The pandemic of newly-emerged coronavirus is observed almost everywhere in the world. The new virus has surprised all people in every country from top to bottom. All the means available have been used to control it, but yet increasing number of people are reported dead every day. The virus is changing every norm and value in different countries.
All the socio-economic frames are being affected because of its deadly risks. Increasing people are currently vulnerable vs the coronavirus. Many (more elderly) lose lives in every corner of the world. So, corona deaths are changing relations in families; changing the real value of natural death, and surprisingly making many indifferent to the event of death. Increasing number of aging people who really need each other in old age, lose a spouse that is a great loss in the rest of their lives.
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WHO: Part-time Tutor Role
Passionate about the field of ageing and older adults? The World Health Organization calls for tutors for the online leaders programme on Healthy Ageing.
The role includes part-time, remote work and is an opportunity not to be missed. The application deadline is 23:59 UTC + 02:00 on 8 May 2020.
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