Ensuring dignity in an ageing world: improving care through a human rights approach

The unprecedented global increase in life expectancy is driving rapid population ageing, with individuals aged 60 and over projected to reach 1.4 billion by 2030. This fundamental demographic shift poses profound challenges to global resource allocation and the capacity of healthcare and social systems to ensure quality of life, not just longevity. Evidence consistently indicates that the current societal structures are inadequately prepared for this demographic transition. Older adults frequently face significant marginalisation in accessing fundamental human rights, including dignity and the highest attainable standard of health. This marginalisation stems from pervasive systemic barriers such as ageism, ableism, and mentalism, compounded by a paucity of older-adult-friendly facilities. This communication identifies and examines these systemic barriers, proposing targeted strategies for a fundamental rethinking of care (e.g., policy reforms that support integrated health and social services, intersectoral collaboration, and truly person-centred care models that prioritise dignity and autonomy), crucial for fostering inclusive environments that enable older populations to fully enjoy their human rights and thrive in an ageing world.