UĦM Voice of the Workers eMagazine issue 45

Page 1

VOICE OF THE

WORKERS ISSUE 45 NOVEMBER 2014

Contents The Crux is Empowerment

02

Interview: Therese Galdes Debono

03

Living Longer, Staying Active

05

Active Ageing

06

Towards an Age-Friendly EU

07

ACTIVE AGEING THE OPPORTUNITIES Polish Poet Stanislaw Jerzy Lec once stated that “Youth is the gift of nature, but age is a work of art”. Works of art are made through effort, creativity and vision. This concept is very adept to active ageing. The United Nations and the European Commission describe active ageing as the “... situation where people continue to participate in the formal labour market, as well as engage in other unpaid productive activities (such as care provision to family members and volunteering), and live healthy, independent and secure lives as they age”. VOICE OF THE

WORKERS

The average age of the Maltese population is steadily increasing. The rising levels of people who turn sixty presents a plethora of challenges. People are living longer. On the other hand, the people working to sustain their welfare is steadily decreasing. Also, the rise in the number of elderly people means that our social welfare system, be it healthcare, social security and others, will need to focus better in this direction. Active ageing is not just about living longer. It is also about

EDITOR’S NOTE JOSEF VELLA

a better quality of life. It means a life of independence, proactive contribution to the economy, and a sector of the population who, rather than being just beneficiaries, become contributors to the society of which they form part. The national Strategic Policy for Active Ageing 2014-2020, is a definite step in the right direction. It aims at putting Malta on the path of sustainable ageing, both for the individual, as well as for the country in general. It is important that this strategy is implemented, and we start to look further than 2020, which is 1


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.