The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Dementia Observatory (Osservatorio Demenze) have signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to formalize closer collaboration and information exchange aimed at improving care for healthy ageing.
The Dementia Observatory is part of the National Centre for Disease Prevention and Health Promotion of the Italian National Institute of Health.
The Dementia Observatory in Rome, Italy, coordinates and supports national and international public health responses to dementia and corresponding efforts for prevention and health promotion through an integrated evidence-based approach and a life course perspective.
The MOU outlines three specific areas of cooperation:
- Development of long-term care standards to strengthen the design and organization of the continuum of care for older adults, with a particular focus on older adults with cognitive impairment.
- To review and summarize the available scientific literature on emerging issues related to healthy ageing and to prioritize and guide interventions.
- Developing resources to address socio-cultural diversity in care approaches to older adults.
By focusing on these areas, we aim to make significant progress in improving care for older people. As we approach the midpoint of the United Nations Decade of Healthy Ageing, this MoU presents a great opportunity.
Anshu Banerjee / Head of Maternal, Child and Ageing Health, WHO
“This global collaboration, coordinated by WHO, aims to make the world a better place for ageing through engagement of diverse stakeholders including governments, civil society, international organizations, experts, academic institutions, media and the private sector,” Dr Banerjee added.
