DeVere Wokefield Estate Hotel and Conference Centre, Berkshire, UK.
Over 120 people from over 20 nations joined us on Day 1 of Ageing in Common: an international perspective incorporating the inaugural Commonwealth Elders’ Forum and the NFC UK Conference.
From the warm welcome by CommonAge Board member Margie van Zyl Chapman and Dr Charles Alessi saying we need to change the way we think about ageing, to Minister Anthony Agius Decelis from Malta and Hon Ken Wyatt AM from Australia calling for The Commonwealth to include older people and ageing in its work, it was a great day of sharing knowledge and inspiration.
International speakers included Francis Njuakom Nchii, Director, Community Development Volunteers for Technical Assistance, who explained how a CommonAge scholarship to Perth Australia in 2015 led to international collaboration to helped his organisation in Cameroon.
John Beard, Director, Department of Ageing and Life Course, World Health Organization, Geneva outlined the WHO agenda and challenge of preparing for the Decade of Healthy Ageing 2020-2030. He pointed out ageist jokes are still being made and we can learn from others how to change attitudes. CommonAge/QCS bursary recipient Sailesh Mishra, Director, Sliver Iinings Foundation Mumbai outlined the importance of dignity in care and how his organisation is helping people lead happy and meaningful lives in India.
In CEO Alzheimer’s Society Jeremy Hughes’ presentation, delegates learned how we need to readdress the understanding of what dementia is and how we tackle it. “It’s not difficult,” he says. “We just need a different way of looking at things.”
CommonAge/QCS bursary recipient Chief Kikelomo Laniyounu Edwards, CEO Dementia Care Society of Nigeria highlighted creating dementia awareness in school children helped change traditional beliefs of witchcraft held by adults, while Datin Jaqueline WM Wong, Hon. Secretary – Executive Committee Alzheimer’s Disease Foundation, Malaysia showed how a pilot project was creating a dementia friendly community.
The presentation of our Ageing in the Commonwealth research report, given by Dr George Leeson, Director of the Oxford Institute of Population Ageing, University of Oxford clearly demonstrates why ageing needs to be on The Commonwealth agenda.
And of course there were plenty of networking opportunities in the breaks, at the quiz and conference dinner for people to learn and share further!
For a full round up of the day’s events, read morning and afternoon blogs written by Vic Raynor, National Care Forum Executive Director.
Click here to see the presentations from Day 1.
Visit the CommonAge Facebook page for more images.
Follow the hashtags throughout the three days to keep up-to-date with the latest news and discussions coming out of Ageing in Common
