UN expert urges choice and autonomy for older people needing care
A UN independent expert says needing care should not cost older people control over their lives, as delegates point to growing older populations.
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At a UN Third Committee meeting on 7 October, independent expert Zvezdan Pirtošek urged governments to ensure that older people who need care can still make decisions about their own lives. He warned that labelling someone “dependent” can lead others to treat them as a person to be managed rather than someone who can act and participate. [1]
Pirtošek said support systems should ask older people what they want, not only what they need. He also argued that families and informal caregivers cannot be treated as an unlimited source of care, particularly when women do a disproportionate share of unpaid work. Losing the ability to choose how to live, or moving into an institution, should not be seen as an inevitable part of ageing, he said. [1]
In the discussion, Morocco’s representative said the number of people aged 60 and over would exceed 2 billion by 2050. Cuba’s delegate said more than 30% of the country’s population would be over 60 by 2030. Both figures were presented as projections. [1]
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