For World Alzheimer’s Day – Monday 21 September 2015
“They are not the only ones who forget” – UN expert urges
States to remember older persons with dementia
GENEVA (17 September 2015) – Speaking ahead of World
Alzheimer’s Day*, the United Nations Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all
human rights by older persons, Rosa Kornfeld-Matte, warns that the situation of
older persons with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia is still not sufficiently
addressed at the international and national levels.
In 2015, the total number of people, worldwide, living with
dementia is estimated at 47.5 million, with just over half living in low and
middle income countries; and this proportion is projected to double by 2030 and
more than triple by 2050, according to the World Health Organization.
“Older persons with dementia are forgotten, and their
condition often exposes them to multiple forms of discrimination, abuse and
neglect in communities and care settings.
There is a need to change the current paradigm: older
persons with dementia should not be considered passive recipients of care, but
rather active users who must be able to fully exercise their human rights.
As a starting point, States and other stakeholders must give
more visibility by raising awareness of dementia and the rights of older
persons with this disease.
As there is not yet a cure, much more should, and can, be
done to improve early diagnosis, to provide information, and training programs
to care providers and health professionals, as well as families and older
persons themselves in order to improve their well-being and quality of life.
There is a worrying amount of misinformation and a lack of
knowledge among care practitioners about the specific needs and rights of older
persons with dementia, which is aggravated by the limited availability of
age-appropriate care in many developing countries.
Despite the fact that there are positive initiatives, with
the adoption of national plans and strategies by several States, a human
rights-based approach is still missing. The whole of society will pay the cost
of the current inaction.
I therefore call on all States to urgently address the
situation of those with dementia and to renew their efforts in improving the
quality of life of the millions of older persons living with dementia nowadays.
I urge all Governments across the world to make dementia a
priority in order to ensure that older persons with Alzheimer’s disease or
other forms of dementia can live with dignity and security.”
(*) World Alzheimer’s Day was launched by Alzheimer Disease
International in 1994 and it is part of World Alzheimer’s Month, an
international campaign to raise awareness and challenge stigma. Alzheimer’ Disease International is an
international federation of 84 Alzheimer associations around the world.
‘Remember Me’ is the theme for year’s World Alzheimer’s Day.
ENDS
Ms. Rosa Kornfeld-Matte (Chile) was appointed by Human Rights
Council as the first Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by
older persons in May 2014. Ms. Kornfeld-Matte served as the National Director
of the Chilean National Service of Ageing where she designed and implemented
the National Policy of Ageing. She has a long career as an academic and is the
founder of the programme for older persons at the Pontifical Catholic
University of Chile. Learn more, visit:
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/OlderPersons/IE/Pages/IEOlderPersons.aspx
The Special Rapporteurs are part of what is known as the
Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest
body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name
of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that
address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of
the world. Special Procedures’ experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not
UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from
any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.
Human rights of older persons:
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/OlderPersons/Pages/OlderPersonsIndex.aspx
For further information and media requests, please contact
Mr. Khaled Hassine (+41 22 917 93 67 / khassine@ohchr.org) or write to
olderpersons@ohchr.org
For media inquiries related to other UN independent experts:
Xabier Celaya – Media Unit (+ 41 22 917 9383 /
xcelaya@ohchr.org)
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