Estimates indicate an expected rise in the proportion of the elderly in the UAE from 6 percent to 29 percent by 2050, according to the Dubai Health Authority (DHA).

 

''These figures underline the urgent need for the development of an elderly care system to include health services and all related medical and social care services," Humaid Al Qutami, chairman of the board and director-general of the DHA, was quoted as saying by Wam news agency.

 

He was speaking during his opening speech at the Mena Geriatric Summit 2017, which was launched on Thursday by the DHA in partnership with the Swiss Business Council.

 

He added that the two-day summit seeks to provide an interactive platform to discuss and highlight numerous health-related issues and challenges when it comes to the care and treatment of the elderly.

 

''As the region's healthcare delivery improves, mortality numbers are dropping and there is an increasingly ageing population that we as healthcare professionals must take care of. The conference aims to provide an intensive and comprehensive review of the most important changes in elderly healthcare and geriatric medicine by bringing together specialists in the field to exchange ideas and knowledge between different disciplines,'' Al Qutami said.

 

The conference’s scientific programme will showcase new developments and share international views on different topics in elderly care, which will cover healthy ageing, nutrition for the ageing, geronto-psychiatry, sensory, neuro disorders of the ageing, non-communicable diseases, anti-ageing medicine and chronic diseases to name a few.

 

Peter Harradine, president of the Swiss Business Council - Dubai and Northern Region, said the DHA and the Swiss Business Council realise that the world, as a whole, is facing difficulties in providing the correct care for the elderly. More than half the adults over the age of 65 have three or more medical problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, dermatology, osteoporosis, obesity, kidney disease, prostate enlargement, eye diseases, Alzheimer’s disease, or high blood pressure and that is just to name a few.

 

He added that geriatrics has become an issue, which is why hosting such a conference that focusses on geriatric care is important.