Prior to our existence, several international organisations that promote service development and best practice in care and support for older people already existed, but they are generally based in countries with more developed economies and social conditions.
There was no organisation which had an established presence or had been able to build substantial relationships in the majority of smaller Commonwealth countries.
Following being selected for a place on the Commonwealth Study Conferences Leaders (CSC Leaders) programme in March 2013, our Founder and Chair, Andrew Larpent believed services and support for older people in many developing Commonwealth countries would benefit from access to the international aged care NGO community.
The Commonwealth Association for the Ageing, CommonAge, provides such access and helps deliver those benefits to individuals, providers, peak aged care industry bodies and Commonwealth Governments.
Much of our work includes Board Directors and Ambassadors representing Commonwealth at a global level, attending meetings and lobbying governments, as well as organising events and creating networking opportunities.
In this blog post we put the spotlight on some of our many achievements and significant events over the past 10 years.
2013
Officially launched in Melbourne, Australia in November 2013, the organisation had already engendered significant support across a number of Commonwealth countries with outstanding industry leaders in aged care, in countries such as India, Australia, Singapore, New Zealand, United Kingdom and South Africa, committed to its success.
Our thanks go to the generously support of the organisations and Founding Members who assisted CommonAge in those early days.
2014
- Board Director participates in study tour to Canada and US
Our board member Matthew Hutchinson, participated in a study tour to Canada and the US where he saw a range of world’s best practice in the delivery of community care, advances in seniors care information technology and centres of excellence in research and development.
2015
- Austrade India visit by CommonAge CEO, Klaus Zimmermann
In January 2015 our then CEO Klaus Zimmermann was part of an Australian trade delegation to India. With the networking opportunities this delegation gave, Klaus met Mansur Dalal, who later became our Vice Chair.
- Launch of our bursary to IAHSA/ACSA conference, 30 August – 3 September, 2015 Australia
Our first scholarship fund to enable our professional colleagues from developing countries of the Commonwealth to join us in Perth at the IAHSA/ACSA conference, 30 August – 3 September, 2015.
Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, scholarships were awarded to delegates from 12 developing countries across the Commonwealth.
- Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), Malta 2015
The achievements of our three board members (Chairman Andrew Larpent, Sharon Blackburn and Judy Martin) at CHOGM People’s Forum and Business Forum exceeded expectations, with Andrew presenting CommonAge to attendees. Another highlight was the ministerial meeting with Dr Justyne Caruana, the Maltese Parliamentary Secretary for Rights of Persons with Disability and Active Ageing.
2016
- Formally recognised as a Commonwealth accredited organisation
We joined the Commonwealth’s network of more than 80 accredited organisations working in specialist areas. Accreditation to the Commonwealth is carried out by the Accreditation Committee, which is formed of a subset of member governments.
- Call for the Commonwealth Masters Games
We commenced our call for the development of the Commonwealth Masters Games to be a part of the Commonwealth Games due to be held in Australia in 2018. (In 2022, we renewed this call by presenting a concept note for consideration by the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) and the Commonwealth Sports Ministers meeting in 2022.)
- Achieved charitable status
Our many thanks go to Finlaysons legal services in Australia who provided us with much pro bono legal advice to help us achieve charitable status.
2017
- Bursary to attend the Global Ageing Network/Curaviva Global Ageing Conference, 18-21 September 2017, Switzerland
Thanks to the generous support of Curaviva and other international aged care providers and supporters, we developed a scholarship fund for delegates from Commonwealth countries to be a part of the Global Ageing Network/Curaviva Global Ageing Conference, 18-21 September 2017, Montreux, Switzerland.
- Reframing Residential Care seminar 2017
Held in in collaboration with The Residential Forum, and hosted in London UK by Trowers & Hamlins LLP, our Chair Andrew Larpent OBE, and Jo Boylan, the then Operations Director of Southern Cross Care in South Australia shared experiences and evidence gained from the implementation of innovative alternative approaches to healthy ageing at our Reframing Residential Care seminar.
- Intergenerational story telling project
With the aim of connecting all ages across the Commonwealth, combating ageism and recording stories for generations to come, we launched our international story telling project. Taking the form of a competition, this projected invited young people (aged between 15 and 24 years old on 12 January 2018) living in Commonwealth countries to spend time with an older person and write that person’s life story. Read about the project here.
2018
- Ageing in the Commonwealth report launched
With generous sponsorship support from our Founding Members The Abbeyfield Society, Age International, Anchor and St Monica Trust, we commissioned the Oxford University Institute for Population Ageing at Oxford University to undertake a research project on “Ageing in the Commonwealth”.
This research explores how the demographics and challenges of ageing differ across Commonwealth countries and examines how governments and societies are responding. Read more and download your free copy here.
- Launch of our ebook A Common Wealth of Experience: Freedom fighters, child brides and other untold real life stories
This ebook was created as a result of our intergenerational story writing project. Edited by Dr Ingrid Eyers and Annie Waddington-Feather, “A Common Wealth of Experience: Freedom fighters, child brides and other untold real life stories” has been widely praised as an important contribution to the social history of the Commonwealth, and as a great example of intergenerational collaboration that promotes mutual understanding.
Described in a review in the United Nation’s International Institute of Ageing Journal as ‘a unique addition to the body of knowledge in the field of ageing’, download your free copy here.
- Bursary to attend the inaugural Commonwealth Elders’ Forum, 16 – 18 April 2018, UK
Thanks to the generous support of Quality Compliance Systems we were able to award 19 applicants from 10 Commonwealth countries a bursary, to attend our inaugural Commonwealth Elders Forum.
- Inaugural Commonwealth Elders’ Forum 2018
Linked to the 2018 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) our inaugural Commonwealth Elders’ Forum was held 16 – 18 April 2018 at DeVere Wokefield Estate Hotel and Conference Centre, Berkshire, UK.
Colleagues from around the world, learned from international speakers and participated in workshops with leading professionals from all over the Commonwealth. Themes include Human Rights, Women and Dementia, Intergenerational Communities, Leadership, Disruptive Care, the presentation of the first ever Ageing in the Commonwealth research project and much, much more.
2019
- Alzheimer’s International Asia Region Conference – Kuala Lumpur – August 2019
Our CEO Klaus Zimmermann participated in this conference and presented on CommonAge. His attendance resulted in a TV interview in which he was able to highlight the importance of international dialogue and collaboration. Read more here.
- Launch of our Quality Manual
In an exciting move to provide quality resources for those working with older people across the Commonwealth, in partnership with Quality Compliance Systems UK, we launched our Quality Manual: Aged Care Quality Practice Essentials.
This is a simplified quality manual designed for those working in aged care or with older people, in a variety of settings, that don’t have formal systems or regulations to abide by.
2020
Like many organisations across the world, much of our activity was curtailed due to the global pandemic.
- Virtual Commonwealth Elders’ Forum 2020
Bringing together leaders from across The Commonwealth, our virtual Commonwealth Elders Forum held Wednesday 30 September 2020, highlighted the need to tackle ageism in the Commonwealth.
2021
- Standards and Accreditation Matrix launched at
In partnership with Standards Wise International, we launched the Standards and Accreditation Matrix at the 3rd Annual Association of Senior Living (ASLI) Conclave, a virtual event attended by over 2000 people.
- Ageism in the Commonwealth white paper
Written in partnership with HelpAge International, our white paper, Ageism in the Commonwealth, How COVID-19 has exposed the urgent need for further recognition and protection of the rights of older people in Commonwealth countries, examines how the wellbeing, dignity and voice of older persons have been impacted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Commonwealth countries.
- Launch of new website
With its streamlined and contemporary design, our new website site showcases our many activities, and offers a more a user-friendly experience through improved navigation and functionality.
- Bridging the generations in The Commonwealth
Teaming up with Girl Effect’s TEGA (Technology Enabled Girls Ambassadors) in Rwanda, and HelpAge International, this project aimed to understand the challenges faced by older women, and looked at how women at every age can foster support within communities and across generations.
The TEGA researchers interviewed young women aged between 18-24, and older women aged between 50-90 years old in Rwanda, and collated the conversations into a unique video.
2022
From sending a delegation to CHOGM and setting up a healthy ageing task force for Mauritius to holding a healthy ageing webinar and Reneta D’Souza, based in India joining the team in the position of part-time Executive Assistant, read our key highlights of 2022 here.
Our partners
Our work continues to go from strength to strength, but it would not be possible without the support of our partners and other donors.
In particular we’d like to thank Quality Compliance Systems and Standards Wise International for their generous support over the years.
This year we are looking for partners to assist with our travel bursary for delegates from lower and middle income nations of the Commonwealth to attend the Global Ageing Network’s (GAN) biennial conference, Glasgow, Scotland 7 – 8 September 2023.
These bursaries do make a difference to leaders in developing countries.
Our Ambassador and bursary recipient in Cameroon Francis Njuakom explains how our scholarship helped his organisation Community Development Volunteers for Technical Assistance (CDVTA), and our ambassador and bursary recipient in Zimbabwe Ruth Mazarura explains how the work been carried out by her organisation helping older people support young children affected by HIV benefited from her attending an international conference.
In Bangladesh, our Ambassador and bursary recipient Md. Mehedi Hasan Khan explains how his experiences of two international conferences have helped him create new opportunities and given him inspiration in his work.
Please contact our Executive Assistant, Reneta Dsouza, secretariat@commage.org, if you are interested in supporting this programme.
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