How can we manage the change and embrace the opportunities presented by shifting demographics? This is the question that addressed an article of the latest ISO Focus focusing on active ageing. In a paper entitled “How to adapt to ageing societies?”, the author comes back on the opportunities offered by standardisation to support the adaptation of goods, services and environments to the needs of ageing populations.
Multi-sectoral policies are needed to ensure that older citizens are able to participate actively in the economic, social, cultural and political life of their societies.
If several initiatives are on the way, standards would surely be a powerful tool to scale up towards universal access. Interviewed by ISO Focus, Malcolm Fisk, coordinator of the PROGRESSIVE project, reminds: “Universal design criteria must apply… and must be more embedded in standards”.
“We will work on frameworks to get the voice
of older people heard in the standardization process”
Accessibility is a core objective of the PROGRESSIVE project, an EU-funded project of which AGE Platform Europe is part of. “Our work will include setting frameworks to get the voice of older people heard in the standardization process. The commercial interests of the companies involved in such processes will, therefore, need to be more balanced, at least in those areas that impact on older people” says Malcolm Fisk.
Read the latest ISO Focus “Active Ageing” in English – French – Spanish
For more information on PROGRESSIVE:
https://www.age-platform.eu/project/progressive or contact Estelle Huchet
For more information on AGE position on standardisation:
https://www.age-platform.eu/press-releases/standardisation-powerful-tool-address-population-ageing-and-support-age-friendly
