The International Day of Older Persons is observed every year on October 1 to focus on issues that affect the aged, such as dementia and the abuse of old individuals.
This is also a day when we should sit back and remember all the contributions that have been made to society by old people.
It was on December 14, 1990, that the United Nations General Assembly voted to establish this date as the International Day of Older Persons. The next year, the day was observed as a holiday.
The International Day of Older Persons is similar to National Grandparents Day in the United States and Canada and also Respect for the Aged Day in Japan.
According to official figures released in 2016 by the ministry of statistics, the number of Indians over the age of 60 is at an all time high, comprising 8.6% of the country’s 121-crore population.
Keeping this in mind, we need to make sure that increased attention is given to the challenges faced by elderly people. It is also imperative that we make the world a more inclusive place so that they can participate more freely in it and be an active part of our communities.
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