Montreal (Canada) - Organizers of the IFAs 9th Global Conference on Ageing have recently confirmed the content of plenary panels and the names of their keynote speakers. From a quick read of plenary descriptions, one can clearly get a sense that next September's conference, organised jointly by Ageing Design Montréal (ADM) and the International Federation on Ageing, is taking shape as a seminal gathering in the field of aging. Indeed, this conference will explore new approaches, in particular those geared towards offering aging people living conditions that will allow them to maintain their autonomy and an active lifestyle. In fact, speakers at this year's Conference are engaged in some of the most forward-thinking ideas meant to address barriers that aging people must confront on a daily basis.

By integrating principles of design into the different fields of aging, one creates an impressive opportunity to share ideas, knowledge and creativity. That is the essence of what delegates will receive from the five plenary panels made up of prominent speakers.

A breakthrough in the field of aging
The first plenary panel of the conference is entitled The New Paradigm: Aging and Design. Delegates will see how the future of seniors lies in the sharing of knowledge among experts from various circles of aging and in the creative ability of the design sector to meet the needs. It will highlight the essential contribution of speakers such as Dr. Chris Luebkeman, Ms. Valerie Fletcher and Mr Gordon Lishman. Delegates will discover several practical innovations and, moreover, they will get a better understanding of the challenges that need to be addressed to ensure greater collaboration between the various stakeholders in the field of aging.

Innovations in the Canadian Environment is the title of the second plenary panel. It will provide an opportunity to discuss, among other things, the Canadian Initiative on Frailty and Aging, which aims to "understand and respond to the needs of frail older persons in the Canadian health care system." Through a variety of topics on the rights of seniors such as dementia, caregivers, law as it relates to seniors and income security and pension reforms, delegates will appreciate why Canada is known as a leader in seniors' policies. Speakers include such highly regarded academics as Dr. Howard Bergman and Ms. Ann Soden, from McGill University, along with Mr. Paul Gérin-Lajoie, a key political figure of the last forty years in Québec who now chairs a foundation in his name that contributes to adult literacy in the poorest countries.

Serving Seniors through Universal Design
The importance of Creating an Enabling Environment to support the lives of people of all ages is demonstrated in this outstanding plenary panel with speakers from Japan, Brazil and Spain. The nature of the concept of universal design will be further developed with testimonials and concrete examples of the impact of its application in a living environment. Mr Yoshinobu Ishikawa, Governor of Shizuoka Prefecture in Japan is the driving force behind the transformation of one of the most inclusive and accessible cities in the world. Mr Francesc Aragall, President of the Design For All Foundation in Spain is a renown leader in the field of design of cities which has lead to the Flag of Towns and Cities for All Program across Europe. Finally Dr Alex Kalache needs no introduction to IFA conferences; a passionate, committed and visionary speaker on Age Friendly Cities and Ageing in a Foreign Land. Through this session delegates will gain an appreciation of the true impact of an enabling environment on the lives and contributions of older people and appreciate the importance of design to the well-being of an aging population.

Issues of Aging That Transcend Borders
Food is the most fundamental need of every human being! Many of us may think that only older people in developing countries are hungry every day. This is far from the truth. The plenary session Hunger, Health and the Environment, will bring together a formidable panel of speakers; Dr Peter Walker (Tufts University), Ms Enid Borden (Meals on Wheels Association of America) and Mr Matthew Cherian (Help Age India) each of whom have 'on the ground experience' in many countries and situations. This is a 'not to be missed' session that will be confronting and controversial.

The final plenary panel of the conference, Public Health and Longevity, will provide an opportunity for delegates to see how important it is to build awareness regarding the complexities and challenges encountered in the different segments of health and social care systems today. The key challenge in this plenary session is to ensure that seniors can make their way into the healthcare system, and through it, ensure their longevity and quality of life. Speakers for this plenary will be confirmed shortly.

Symposia to come
As important as the plenary sessions are to the content of the conference, organisers are also hard at work finalizing another key component of the programme. Over the coming weeks, readers will learn more about the symposia and workshops that form the backbone of the programme. Fuelled by the hundreds of abstracts sent in so far, the symposia will deepen our understanding of the many issues facing aging people today.

Visit the event description for more details.

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