Ageing is a Team Sport
If you want to go fast, go alone;
if you want to go far, go together. -- African proverb from Burkina Faso In a world where individualism often dominates, the adage "ageing is a team sport" resonates profoundly. This sentiment, captured by the Burkina Faso proverb, underscores the significance of collective support in the ageing process. I share, as promised, a few of the notions gleaned from Dr Bill Thomas’ online course Playing to Win, a Global Symposium on Ageing Magnificently. Ageing alone can lead to isolation and hardship, whereas embracing a team-oriented mindset offers emotional support, shared experiences and a better quality of life and this is what makes building and nurturing relationships so important. What Matters Most? Living life on one's own terms is attainable and calls for a deep search around the question “what matters most for me”, and then setting up a plan that aligns with personal values and aspirations, and is measurable, as Dr Thomas insists. Society insidiously primes us to expect to decline as we age, but we know that the imperative of life is growth and development till the last breath and
nothing stops us from challenging ageist attitudes. Planning is an excellent antidote and primes our brain to a more optimistic outlook. Our Care Partners All of us, at some stage have or will be involved in caring. Shifting caregiving dynamics towards partnerships instead of isolating one-on-one giver-receiver relationships
empowers all parties, and promotes mutual agency. By embracing the ethos of "ageing as a team sport," we reshape the experience. Through proactive planning, fostering partnerships, and challenging age-related biases, we create a future where ageing is celebrated as a collective journey. The Burkina Faso proverb reminds us that the road
ahead is best traveled together. Resilience and strength alone are not enough – purpose and belonging are essential ingredients to add to the mix. Moira Allan
Co-Founder & International Coordinator
Pass It On
Network |
GLOBAL 50/50 ONLINE CONVERSATION Digital Equity for Older Persons -
Perspectives
from 3 Continents In an increasingly interconnected world, digital equity has moved beyond a luxury and is now recognized as a fundamental right. However, older persons are at risk of being left behind due to growing digitalization of everyday life. Without
digital equity, older persons not only miss out on accessing crucial services, but are also excluded from participating actively within their communities. In this intriguing 50/50 conversation, we're excited to bring perspectives from three highly populated and culturally diverse countries across three continents: India, Nigeria, and the USA. We're eager to explore how these different regions are tackling the
issue of digital equity on a global scale. Presenters for this upcoming 50/50 Conversation are:
Richard Adler (CA, USA), Sonali Sharma (Help Age India), and Oluwagbemiga, Oyinlola (Nigeria) Monday, 11 September
1pm EDT / 5pm GMT / 7pm CEST / 7pm SAST Find your local time. View Time Zone Converter here. |
If you missed our most recent
50/50 Conversation,
check it out on our PION YouTube Channel! Pass It On Network 10th Anniversary
Mid-Year Reflection
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Every month Moira Allan, our co-founder and international coordinator, hosts an Open House for anyone who wants to find out more about our network. We offer a choice of two sessions to accommodate PION’s global outreach. |
Americas, Europe, Africa
Tuesday, 12 September
1pm EDT / 5pm GMT
7pm CEST / 7pm
SAST | Asia,
Australasia
Wednesday, 13 September
7am CEST / 10:30am IST
1pm SGT / 3pm AEST |
Shoot a short video and Join the Age with Rights Campaign Shoot a short video, maximum of 2 minutes, on your smartphone or computer. Let your voice be heard on the call for a UN Convention on the rights of older people … the more voices, the more impact. GAROP (the Global Alliance for the Rights of Older People) has published three versions of their campaign video guide English | Français |
Español. The guide contains a helpful 4-step outline on writing impactful advocacy script, provides video recording tips, and links to the media consent form as well as giving access to the WeTransfer tool for sending
your video to GAROP. Your video will be actively promoted on social media around the UN Human Rights Council session on 15 September, the UN General Assembly in September-October, and on the International Day of Older Persons on 1 October. Don't miss this opportunity to have your voice heard! The more voices that join the call the more impact we can have! |
Signs that Things are Moving Adults 65+ say it’s more important to feel
“useful” than “youthful”
Entering the New Age of Aging Old isn’t what it used to be. While age 60 was considered “old” in previous generations, now 80 is the median age. Today’s older adults are perceived to be more active, open-minded, and curious than the previous generation. Age Wave’s latest study, The New Age of Aging, provides pivotal
insights into what the rapidly unfolding future will look like in the United States as the older adult population skyrockets by at least 50% over the next 30 years. This study, based on a nationally representative survey of over 2,000 U.S. adults with over 900 adults age 50+, uncovered five key insights. Discover what they are here.
The Friendship Bench from Zimbabwe
Find out about Zimbabwe’s friendship bench that creates safe spaces and a sense of belonging in communities and enhances the quality of life. While it looks simple, the
Friendship Bench is not just someone sitting on a bench listening to a person share their problems. The concept has been developed over a 25-year period from extensive community research and includes multiple structured components. If you’re interested in setting up a friendship bench in your community, you’ll be walked through a five-phase process including a suitability test and training sessions. Find our more. |
Pass It On Network and CommonAge at the Global Ageing Conference 6–8 September 2023 - Glasgow, Scotland
Pass It On Network will be well represented at the Global Ageing Conference in Scotland. Verna Cavey, a PIONeer from Denver, US,
and representative of a resident-directed home, will be appearing on a panel. In addition, three PIONeers were awarded travel bursaries. |
Femada Shaman, CEO of TAFTA in South Africa, PIONeer, and board member of both CommonAge and of the Global Ageing Network, will be making the case for change. |
Verna Cavey, a PIONeer, will be flying in from Colorado, US. She lives in a resident-directed home and will present this concept on a panel exploring different care models. The panel’s title is "Listening to and Empowering the People We
Serve". |
Lynda Smith, South Africa, CEO of the Refirement Network and of 50Plus-Skills. 2023 Bursary Recipient - View
here. |
Magen Mutepfa, Botswana, chair and co-founder of the NGO Ageless Inspirations. She is an associate professor of psychology and has been carrying out research into older people since 2012. 2023 Bursary Recipient - View here. |
Eli Mugabowishema, Rwanda, founder and president of NSINDAGIZA Organisation, an NGO which promotes the rights and welfare of older people. 2023 Bursary Recipient - View
here. |
PION Click-Ons to Pass-On |
We often brandish the slogan “nothing about us without us” but do you know its fascinating history? Read
more. |
Dori Mintzer in conversation with Richard Leider whose 11 books have guided and helped the baby boomer generation adapt. Listen
here. |
23-24 August
Johannesburg, South Africa. Afrolongevity Summit on Improving Geroprotective Policy and Technology. 3-6 September
Israel, EURAG Council on Financial Security in Later Years 6-8 September
Global Ageing Conference, Glasgow, Scotland, with a strong participation of CommonAge. 13 September, 15h-16h30 CET via Zoom IPPO (International Public Policy Observatory) Addressing Economic Inactivity Among Over 50s 13 September, 17h-19h CET via Zoom Artificial Intelligence (AI) Applied to Seniors 55+ in the Silver Economy: An Analytical Balance Between Ethics, Technology and Social Concerns, offered by Professors Emeriti Network.
Register at [email protected] 18-19 September SilverEco & Ageing Well International Festival in Cannes September is a great time to visit Cannes in France and participate in the dynamic two-day Silver Eco Ageing Well International Festival. Enjoy the buzz of world innovators in the field of ageing, the Expo
forum, and the International Awards Gala Ceremony. There will be a rich program with panel discussions, conferences, business networking, and the SilverEco Study Tour. Send in your candidate’s form now for the international trophy for innovation and get your free B2B access pass from Liliane Carvalho here. 1 October
IDOP (International Day of Older People) PLAN AHEAD
Theme: Resilience of Older Persons in a Changing World
Almost 700 million people are now over the age of 60. By 2050, 2
billion people, over 20% of the world’s population, will be 60 or older. The greatest and the most rapid growth will be in the developing world, with Asia as the region with the largest number of older persons, and Africa facing the largest proportionate growth. |
6-7 December
High-Level Forum on the Silver Economy Aging for all Ages The Global Coalition on Aging is offering its fourth High Level Forum on Aging in contribution to the Decade of Healthy Aging 2020-2030. It will be in-person at the United Nations and broadcast live from New York City’s Paley Center for Media, and will be available virtually. Find out more. Advocating for the Rights of Older People
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