ICAA honors innovative approaches to active aging

With adults over 60 now numbering 600 million worldwide, the United Nations draws attention every October 1st to the importance of healthy and productive aging. The International Day of Older Persons in 2006 centered on strategies to improve quality of life for mature people—essentially issuing a call to communities around the globe. In a message marking the observance, then-UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan explained that this call was for policies and programs that allow older adults “to live in an environment that enhances their capabilities, fosters their independence and provides them with adequate support and care as they age.” He concluded, “Together, we can and must ensure that people live not only longer lives, but better, more enriching, rewarding and fulfilling lives.”