About HelpAge International
Promoting the wellbeing and inclusion of older women and men and reducing poverty and discrimination later in life.
HelpAge International is the secretariat to a global network of organizations promoting the right of all older people to lead dignified, healthy and secure lives. HelpAge and members of the network have longstanding experience working with older people, including older people with disabilities, and their caregivers. Through the network, HelpAge works with older people in low- and middle-income countries for better services and policies, and for changes in the behaviours and attitudes of individuals and societies towards old age. Older people are key actors in their work – as implementers, monitors, caregivers, advocates and campaigners. HelpAge and its network members offer technical support and guidance across a range of thematic issues, including health and care, which includes mental health and psychosocial support, social protection and income security, humanitarian inclusion, violence, abuse and neglect and protection, with a strong focus on disability, gender and accountability.
HelpAge’s humanitarian approach aims to address the issues faced by older people, such as the lack of meaningful inclusion and voice in responses and, the lack of sustainable emergency services. HelpAge supports older people most at-risk through outreach activities. The responses are community-based with outreach teams conducting home visits (in line with public health measures) to provide essential services, including advice on home-based care, psychosocial support, training for caregivers, food packages, access to basic services and referrals and the provision of water and hygiene facilities within the home. They also work with the rest of the humanitarian system to ensure that the wider humanitarian response is inclusive of older people.
Key figures on older people
- People over 60 are the fastest-growing age group in the world
- 10% of the world’s population (almost one billion people) are over 60, and by 2050 it will be 20%
- An estimated 14 million older people with disabilities are affected by humanitarian disasters each year
- Disability among older people is four times higher than for the younger adult population in low-income countries
- 75% of deaths from noncommunicable diseases in low- and middle-income countries were of people over 60
HelpAge International in action
At the onset of any crisis, HelpAge undertakes Rapid Needs Assessments (RNAs) among older people to listen to and understand their needs. These provide vital information to shape HelpAge’s guidance, programmes and advocacy initiatives. During May and June, HelpAge adapted its RNA tool to conduct a series of remote rapid needs assessments of older people to better understand the concerns and challenges they are facing during the COVID-19 pandemic. To date, assessments have been undertaken in 21 countries, gathering the inputs of 5 548 older people. Overall, the assessments reveal that older people are facing major challenges. These include accessing ongoing health services and medication, accessing food and that their mental health is under strain. While there are many common findings, there are variations between different settings, for example in relation to how older people prefer to get information. This further underlines the critical need to ensure consultation and participation mechanisms are in place to engage with the affected population prior to and throughout a response.
In Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, the COVID-19 rapid needs assessment revealed that older Rohingya refugees are severely impacted by movement restrictions. The face-to-face assessment, using personal protective equipment and respecting social distancing recommendations, was conducted with 121 adults over 60 in five settlements and camps. The top risks identified were emotional abuse, physical abuse, financial abuse, neglect and denial of resources, opportunities or services. Of respondents, 81% have had to reduce the quantity of food consumed, and 50% have had difficulty accessing health services. Respondents also acknowledge the mental health consequences of the pandemic, with 86% stating that they feel worried or anxious most or some of the time and 66% stating that they depend on external support to cope with the current situation. On the other hand, 98% of respondents reported having received adequate personal protective equipment, suggesting that distributions have been effective and well targeted.
The results of this assessment have been used by HelpAge International and the Cox’s Bazar Health Sector to better target efforts and advocate for the inclusion of protection issues that face older Rohingya in national shielding plans for COVID-19. “HelpAge International plays a key role in the Cox’s Bazar Health Sector in advocating for the needs of older people”, says Dr Mukesh Prajapati, Health Sector Coordinator. “Their contribution has not only been essential to develop the advice for people over 60 years old, but also to provide technical assistance to other humanitarian actors to integrate customized interventions in their health programmes.” HelpAge co-chairs the Disability and Age Working Group of the Cox’s Bazar Health Sector with Humanity International. This Working Group works together on advocacy, provision of technical assistance and coordination of several partners organizations.
In addition to its central advocacy and technical assistance roles, HelpAge International also provides service delivery in six facilities in six different camps in Cox’s Bazar working closely with local partners. In addition to meeting health-related needs, HelpAge partners are providing inputs and capital to support income-generation and greater access to food. There have also been extensive awareness-raising activities via door-to-door, loudspeaker, mobile phone and social media messages to share key information on how and where to access health services.
“We collaborate with local partners, such as Young Power in Social Action (YPSA) and the Resource Integration Center (RIC), as well as community-based organizations”, explains Jahangir Alam, Head of Party of HelpAge International in Bangladesh. “Considering 50% of older people cannot access health services, we are implementing home-based outreach services to bring health care closer to older people in the camps. This helps for example to ensure diagnosis and treatment of hypertension, diabetes and cardiovascular and chronic respiratory diseases are maintained. These services are vital at all times but have become all the more necessary because of the link between poor outcomes from COVID-19 and having underlying health conditions, and the subsequent need to ensure conditions are managed as well as possible. We liaise with transport service organizations so that older people can reach secondary and tertiary level care facilities, if there is a need. We also provide personal protective equipment and hand washing materials to the targeted communities. Since dementia frequently affects older people, we ensure family members and care-givers are well-informed and can provide the support needed.”
At the global level, the needs assessments were instrumental in informing the July update of the Global Humanitarian Response Plan (GHRP). HelpAge provided critical updates on the evolution of the health and collateral impacts on people in the COVID-19 context, based in large part on the findings from these assessments. The GHRP also noted reports from the WHO that there has been a sharp rise in violence against older people since the start of the outbreak and imposition of lockdown measures. HelpAge is now advocating for disaggregation by age, sex and disability in future plans and updates so that the impact on people at all ages is understood and to monitor how effectively the response is reaching those most at risk.
All 21 COVID-19 Rapid Needs Assessments will be published on the HelpAge International website, along with other guidance and resources for understanding needs and upholding the rights of older people and persons with disabilities.