Global Ageing Conference in Scotland

What a privilege it was to be able to attend this global event in Scotland. This was made possible through an organisation called CommonAge and funded by UK Research and Innovation.

The conference was attended by people from all over the world who care about the sustainability of care and support of our older citizens. The event took place at the Scottish Event campus in Glasgow.

It was also the 10^th anniversary of CommonAge and as a bursary recipient, it was a privilege to engage with and learn from this amazing group of active and concerned human beings from commonwealth countries. A highlight was the Awards Dinner.

Over the three days, I engaged with the board of CommonAge, the bursary winners, and many other individuals during the event. I love to connect, learn, and contextualize conversations and then to look for solutions and ways that I can share with others.

Here are some points from the event:

1. The Care Economy is made up of essential workers and needs love, support and to be paid a fair wage.
2. Find ways to include socialisation into care so that isolation does not happen.
3. Technology allows us the liberation of time. We need new ways to think about how we use our time effectively.
4. What does it mean to be healthy?
5. We need to practice mutuality. If you were in trouble, do you have family and friends that can support you.
6. We must include fun and laughter in our lives.
7. End of life conversations
8. Coaches for the 60 Plus generation.
9. Innovation in ageing space needs to include non-tech solutions.
10. We need to find ways to be creative, use our imaginations and find new methods and ways to plan the future of care.

Africa is a young continent in the percentage of older people who make up our population statistics. We can learn from those who are struggling with climbing numbers.  The developing world has different challenges that we need to address. Collaborative learning and creating immersion events may be a way for deep learning to happen. Personal development and growth for the caregivers who look after our most vulnerable citizens is an area to improve our human capital.

None of us are alone. We can learn from each other and encourage those around us find solutions.

Femada Shamam, CEO of TAFTA gave a wonderful overview of the African view at the conference and ended with this quote from Nelson Mandela: “A society that does not value its older people denies its roots and endangers its future. Let us strive to enhance their capacity to support themselves for as long as possible and when they cannot do so anymore, to care for them