5 ways to stay informed about aging, ageism and being healthy

Sustainable Development Goals and Aging

Introduction

Hello, dear readers. I am back after taking a brief sabbatical from my column, a first in 22 years. Several weeks ago, my column featured five areas that highlighted the subject of aging as reflected in digital and print media, podcasts, webinars, research reports and more.

Areas Highlighting the Relevance of Aging

Here are five more areas that indicate the pervasiveness and relevance of the subject. It’s a bird’s eye overview from just one person’s perspective and is not based on formal analytics.

Public Policy

• The Congressional bill entitled Protecting Older Workers Against Age Discrimination Act (POWADA) of 2023 is an example of public policy addressing age discrimination in employment.
• The bill aims to level the playing field for older workers and restore their ability to fight back against age discrimination in the workplace.

Older Consumers

• In 2022, the 65-and-older demographic accounted for 22 percent of spending in the U.S. economy.
• This demographic is considered an underserved market, often ignored by brand marketing.
• Marketers fail to recognize their role as trendsetters for mature consumers.

Employment

• In 2023, there were roughly 11 million older adults working, a significant increase since the mid-1980s.
• The fastest-growing age group in the workforce is workers age 75 and older.
• Age discrimination continues to be a problem in the workplace, with 78 percent of older workers reporting they have seen or experienced age discrimination.

Dementia

• Alzheimer’s Disease is the most common form of dementia among older adults, affecting nearly 7 million individuals.
• It has no agreed-upon cause or cure and is among the most feared age-related conditions.
• By 2050, the number of individuals with Alzheimer’s Disease is projected to grow to 12.7 million.

Intergenerational Relationships

• Age segregation is a century-long trend in retirement communities, nursing homes, and classrooms.
• Closer intergenerational relationships are vital to solving major social problems and preventing ageism.

Conclusion

Getting older presents challenges and extraordinary opportunities. We are slowly witnessing strategies to match lifespan with health span, enhance independence and dignity, and guarantee equal rights for older adults. Research studies focusing on the prevention and cure of Alzheimer’s Disease and programs to enhance intergenerational connections are also emerging. Let us all embrace aging by staying well, keeping informed, and staying connected to loved ones and our communities. Every act of kindness counts.

Helen Dennis is a nationally recognized leader on issues of aging and the new retirement with academic, corporate, and nonprofit experience. Contact Helen with your questions and comments at Helendenn@gmail.com. Visit Helen at HelenMdennis.com and follow her on facebook.com/SuccessfulAgingCommunity

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
• SDG 5: Gender Equality
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being.
• SDG 5.1: End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere.
• SDG 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value.
• SDG 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.
• SDG 11.7: By 2030, provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces, in particular for women and children, older persons, and persons with disabilities.
• SDG 16.5: Substantially reduce corruption and bribery in all their forms.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator for SDG 3.4: Mortality rate attributed to non-communicable diseases.
• Indicator for SDG 5.1: Proportion of women subjected to physical, sexual, or psychological violence by a current or former intimate partner in the previous 12 months.
• Indicator for SDG 8.5: Employment-to-population ratio by sex, age group, and persons with disabilities.
• Indicator for SDG 10.2: Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income, by age, sex, and persons with disabilities.
• Indicator for SDG 11.7: Average share of the built-up area of cities that is open space for public use for all, by sex, age, and persons with disabilities.
• Indicator for SDG 16.5: Proportion of persons who had at least one contact with a public official and who paid a bribe to a public official, or were asked for a bribe by those public officials, during the previous 12 months.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Copyright: Dive into this article, curated with care by SDG Investors Inc. Our advanced AI technology searches through vast amounts of data to spotlight how we are all moving forward with the Sustainable Development Goals. While we own the rights to this content, we invite you to share it to help spread knowledge and spark action on the SDGs.

Fuente: dailynews.com

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