Workforce development
Ageing populations will increase the demand on health systems unless chronic disease patterns in older people can be reduced by health promotion across the life course. At the same time ageing workforces exacerbate the challenge of meeting these increased needs. Most countries currently have primary health care systems that are inadequately trained to meet the needs of older people. There is also generally a shortage of specialized health care workers. A key response is to strengthen the workforce by ensuring that health care practitioners have the skills and knowledge needed to respond to the needs of the aged.
ALC’s approach for preparing the health workforce for an ageing population includes:
- strengthening the geriatric skills of health professionals at the undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate levels;
- sensitizing policy-makers to the challenges of recruitment and retention of geriatric specialists;
- making more age-friendly primary health care centres;
As a first step, ALC has taken action to promote the inclusion of geriatrics within medical education in collaboration with the International Federation of Medical Students' Association (IFMSA).