问答题 Population ageing has become a world-wide phenomenon. Moreover, it has not only come to stay but, especially in the developing countries, it will become more felt and acute with the passage of time. Its repercussions are so wide-ranging and manifold that they can only be ignored at a tremendous cost to society.
The growing rate of population ageing poses many challenges which have to be faced realistically. A number of decisions have to he taken with the cooperation of every social institution, he it the State, Non-Governmental Organizations, the community, the family members and last but not least, the older persons themselves. Each has a very important role to play in ensuring a sustainable development for the elderly population.
Governments and civil society including organizations of older persons, academia, community-based organizations and the private sector need to help in capacity building on ageing issues. As the Shanghai Implementation Strategy points out, "A life-course and inter-sectoral approach to health and well-being is the best approach to ensure that both current and future generations of older persons remain healthy and active."
The gap between the projected increases of the older population and the consequently required services, combined with the parallel development of the personnel needed to carry out these services, creates a pressing and urgent need to train appropriate staff. Training programmes have to be tailored to the nature of the participants, the work they are doing and the needs entailed. Though the basic issues dealt with might often be the same, the approach differs. It will be important in the not too distant future to explore innovative ways of providing education and training in rural and remote areas and to apply, as much as possible, the new and emerging communication technologies to facilitate and enhance these programmes.
Every member of society should realize that aging is a process. Consequently, older persons are to be seen as equal citizens of any society, sharing the same rights like other citizens. Any form of discrimination is to be eradicated.