Dr. Seyedeh Saleheh Mortazavi, on the eve of International Day of Older Persons, stated about the accelerating trend of aging population in Iran: “Aging population is primarily an important achievement; as increased longevity reflects advancements in technology, health, and social systems. However, the speed of this change in Iran is such that we have a limited opportunity to prepare the country's systems.”
Rapid Increase in Senior Population
Mortazavi continued: “According to the latest census, in 2016, about 7 million people in the country were seniors, meaning 60 years and older, constituting about 9.3 percent of the population. Today, the senior population has surpassed 10 million and comprises about 12 percent of the country's population.” She predicted that in the coming decades, this share will significantly increase, as those born in the 1980s will reach 60 years of age in about 25 years, leading to an explosion in the senior population.
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Need for Changes in Social and Health Systems
The head of the Elderly Health Department at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Mortazavi, noted that the increase in the number of seniors also changes the pattern of community needs. She stated: “With increasing age, the likelihood of multiple diseases, fragility, and the need for rehabilitation and care increases.” Therefore, we must plan for long-term care and home services from now on and not place all responsibility on families.
Mortazavi also referred to the changing family structure, saying: “Extended families have shifted towards nuclear families and smaller families.” These changes can reduce the capacity for family care and increase the need for formal and informal care.
She emphasized: “Aging is an intersectoral issue and is not determined solely within the health system of the Ministry of Health.” Therefore, all aspects of seniors' lives, including housing, transportation, and economic security, must be considered. Nevertheless, Dr. Mortazavi also stressed the necessity of training and organizing caregivers, stating: “Caring for the elderly is a specialized job, and caregivers must receive the necessary training.”
In conclusion, she said: “Our goal is to maintain and enhance individual functional ability” and emphasized the importance of shifting from a disease-centered approach to a function-centered approach. The integrated care approach for the elderly, or ICOPE, emphasizes the early identification of declines in individual capacities and timely intervention.
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