Growing Older With A Disability (GOWD)INTRODUCTORY PLENARY:

International Perspectives on the Rights of Persons with Disability and Older Adults – Implications for Aging

“The best national programs

protecting the rights

of persons aging with disabilities”

Jerome BickenbachSwiss Paraplegic Research, Switzerland

Toronto, June 6, 2011

1. Strangely absent alliance between disability and ageing

2.The barriers to alliance, and removing them

3.The universality of disability

4. National Strategy

5.Success factors for a national disability and ageing strategy

Strangely absent alliance:people with disabilities and the elderly

What they have in common

The common strategic value of alliance

Strangely absent alliance:people with disabilities and the elderly

‟ Ageing Issues ” ‟ Disability Issues”

Diagnosis

Elderly:• Misconceptions about disability• Negative attitudes about disability …shared by the elderly

People with Disabilities:

• Focus on ‟ adult ” participation issues (e.g. employment)• Negative attitudes about elderly …shared by people with disabilities

International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF)

Conception of Disability

universalismCommon human condition, that is, ageing with and into disability

Solution

Ageing with and into disability

a

Solution:

ICF‘s CONCEPTION OF DISABILITY

Interaction between person‘s health state and environment

Functioning domains

Universal human condition

Ageing with and into disability

longitudinal variation

Ageing Trajectories

The functioning perspective on ageing

The universality of disability

The priority of functioning

The Universality of Disability

Human condition: the grounding of the ‘normal‘

Human situation: the normality of dependence and vulnerability

Human diversity: awareness of difference

CONSILIENCE OF SCIENCE AND POLITICSthe most robust basis for advocacy

The Priority of Functioning

AGEING: processes of functioning change

Time is a vector of both

Enhancement

Decline

ALLIANCE OF DISABILITY AND AGEINGthe most successful basis for advocacy

Political significance of the Universality and Priority of Functioning and Disability

Article 3 - General principles

The principles of the present Convention shall be:

a. Respect for inherent dignity, individual autonomy including the freedom to make one’s own choices, and independence of persons;

b. Non-discrimination; c. Full and effective participation and inclusion in society; d. Respect for difference and acceptance of persons with disabilities as part of

human diversity and humanity; e. Equality of opportunity; f. Accessibility;

Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Moving from ‟National Program” to

‟National Strategy ”

The Needed Alliance between Disability and Ageing

Optimally:

NOT a national Disability & Ageing strategy

National Policy Strategy for people

National Strategy

TRUE MAINSTREAMING

Practically:

Multi-domain(Health, transportation, housing, employment, education, communications…)

Integrated

Coherent

Strategic (mainstreaming)

National Strategy

LeadershipFrom government, state and agency actors . . . “Learning organizations”

“ …organizations where people continually expand their capacity to create the results they truly desire, where new and expansive patterns of thinking are nurtured, where collective aspiration is set free, and where people are continually learning to see the whole together. ” (Senge 1990: 3)

Success Criteria for National Strategies

ParticipationOf persons with disabilities and elderly

“Beyond consultation” to active involvement in implementing and monitoring the strategy

“Participation building” creating opportunities to further the leadership skills of people to meaningfully participate in implementation

Success Criteria for National Strategies

Legal RequirementsIn legislation creating and enforcing strategy

“Manditory obligations” strategy creates top-down duties that are precise and enforceable, while maintaining flexibility

“Entitlement funding” legally reinforced budget to prevent debilitating flucuation in funding

Success Criteria for National Strategies

Transparency In reporting implementation progress, barriers encountered and strategies to overcome them

“Accountability” for course correction and implementation best practice

Success Criteria for National Strategies

Mainstreaming objective Ensuring that all implementation tools serve both short-term strategic goals and long-term mainstreaming objectives “Universal design policy” policy for all people, flexible to their condition

e.g. transitioning for national strategy for disability & ageing in transportion to national stategy for transportation.

Success Criteria for National Strategies

Monitoring mechanism Tracking implementation goals and timelines by independent monitoring to ensure that goals are realistic, realizable, and progressive realized

“Strategic indicators” indicators developed specifically for the integrated strategy, responsive to overall mainstreaming objective

“Dedicated data sources” entrenched sources of relevant, disaggregated population data – census, longitudinal population survey, social and economic data streams

Success Criteria for National Strategies

The best national strategy for protecting the rights of persons aging with disabilities

Leadership “Learning organizations”

Participation “Beyond consultation” “Participation building”

Legal Requirements “Manditory obligations” “Entitlement funding”

Transparency “Accountability”

Mainstreaming objective “Universal design policy”

Monitoring mechanism “Strategic indicators” “Dedicated data sources”