WK 9.2 Reading Why our world is aging – Hanane Ben Abdeslam

Because of the fast changes in demographics, the world population is aging more quickly than ever before. That aging is not just a Western story, on the contrary, life expectancy has risen more sharply in recent decades in Asia, North Africa and the Middle East. According to the statistics, in a few decades, life expectancy rose by 25 to 30 years, double the increase for us. The trend is noticeable, even today. Many countries, neither the environment nor the public services are meeting the needs of this rapidly growing group of older people. Nevertheless, the often-living conditions of the elderly remain underexposed. For the sake of convenience, we assume that older people in countries without social security are supported in a family context. While in more and more developing countries, the younger generations are moving away to the cities, and the elderly are left behind in rural areas. Furthermore, the current flow of refugees also leaves many elderly people alone in their home countries, which for the time being is not receiving much attention. In practice, human rights seem to become less and less evident as people age. The right to autonomy, to a living income, to personal dignity, to freedom from degrading treatment, to participation in society, they are all less obvious when it comes to older people. And certainly, when the elderly is in need of care. But as from today, the average life expectancy is seventy-two years of age, thanks to public health initiatives and successful infection control interventions. 

What is new to me, is that because of antibiotics and vaccinations, it has helped to reduce the number of deaths to diseases. Medical and technological breakthroughs, including screening technologies, helps the medical to identify illness and allow doctors and nurses to administer treatment earlier than before. Hereby, it improved to expand life expectancy for many years. I always thought it was because of the environment, like when the sun is shining, or when it’s raining, the nature would spread air and that’s how people would live longer.

After all, I believe that the elderly does not have to be a burden at all. The older people can continue to live independently, take care of family members. Because it the world is continuing developing medicine, antibiotics and other technological manufactures to heal illnesses. 

Hanane Ben Abdeslam

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