Vision for the ageing sector

Abstract

My political career is only a shade over 18 months old; in April of last year I was thrust as the top man at the Active Ageing Ministry. As a medical doctor, it may be reflexive to get lost in the detail of medical care for older persons. However, having this attitude as a Minister can be deleterious. If we are to excel in end-user satisfaction, which is what really matters, we need to embark on a balancing act with the promotion of the healthcare aspect of older person medicine on one side and the pursuit of social reform on the other. In keeping with this, Government has recently launched a new version of the National Strategy for Active Ageing that will take us to 2030. Aside from the important pillars of social inclusion and addressing diversity and inequalities, the third pillar is healthy ageing and I shall focus on this aspect. [excerpt]