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Healthy Ageing

Every person should have the opportunity to live a long and healthy life.

However, many people live in environments that put them at higher exposure to health risks. This can be due to factors such as air pollution, violence and low or no access to quality health and social care.

We work across low and middle-income countries to create opportunities to enable older people to experience healthy ageing. Many older people have one or more health conditions but with proper health care and management these can have little impact on their wellbeing.


Chronic Diseases

Almost three-quarters of chronic disease deaths occur in low and middle-income countries, where universal health coverage or access to health care services can be limited.

Chronic diseases, or non-communicable diseases (NCDs) as they are known, include:

  • Cardiovascular diseases (heart attacks and stroke)
  • Chronic respiratory diseases (e.g. chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma)
  • Cancers
  • Diabetes

These illnesses are associated with ageing and tend to be lifelong but are also caused by genetic and environmental factors, so we seek to educate older people and help address these risk factors. For those who do get ill, early detection and timely treatment can make all the difference.

Reducing chronic diseases in Vietnam

Age International is helping to reduce chronic illness in Vietnam by bringing the management and prevention of diseases from distant hospitals right into communities through our older people's associations. 

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Better healthcare for older people in Tanzania

Our work in Tanzania is an example of how we're seeking to address inequality in access to the screening and treatment of chronic diseases.

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Barriers to healthcare

There are many barriers preventing the poorest and most marginalised older people around the world from accessing health information and good quality healthcare. Through our work, we seek to address this inequality and help older people advocate for better and more inclusive healthcare.

Addressing the barriers

In countries where healthcare is stretched and limited, we make sure people can see a doctor and get the care that they need.

Improving health in Kenya and Mozambique

In Kenya and Mozambique we're helping to ensure healthcare services are able to understand and address older people's health concerns.

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Better Health, Care & Support

Healthy ageing is vital to social and economic development.

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