Washington, D.C., March 26, 2025 (PAHO) - The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), in partnership with the Association of Former PAHO/WHO Staff Members (AFSM), hosted a webinar to discuss the impact of resilience on physical and mental well-being, as part of their continued work and contribution to the Decade of Healthy Aging in the Americas (2021-2030). The webinar gathered experts, pre-retirees, and retirees to explore strategies for strengthening resilience throughout aging.
Dr. Patricia Morsch, Healthy Aging Advisor at PAHO/WHO, welcomed the participation of AFSM members, and underlined the importance of the work of AFSM to the Decade of Healthy Aging. “Sharing knowledge about resilience is a very important aspect for the health and well-being of older people, especially in the context of emergencies. However, we know that the aging process is marked by changes and transitions, and resilience can surely be an essential factor in achieving greater well-being during this period of life,” she stated.
Dr. Luis Miguel Gutierrez, Geriatrician at the National Institute of Geriatrics of Mexico, PAHO/WHO Collaboration Center, underscored the need for a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms of resilience is increasingly important so that we can use resilience as a practical concept and intervene to foster its improvement. “Adding resilience to the healthy aging model could make this goal more accessible to the aging population. Furthermore, its use in designing interventions aimed at fostering greater resilience can take many forms, increasing social and environmental resources through public policy interventions,” he noted.
Dr. José Francisco Parodi, Geriatrician and President of the Latin American Academy of Medicine for Older Persons, moderated a discussion between the panelists on what practical ways resilience looks like.
In her closing remarks, Dr. Martha Peláez, AFSM member, board member of the US National Council on Aging, and former PAHO Healthy Aging Advisor, encouraged participants to “continue learning on what we all can do to strengthen our resilience and ourselves to do things to live better because that's really all we want.”
The UN Decade of Healthy Aging 2021-2030
In response to the challenges posed by population aging, the United Nations General Assembly declared the Decade of Healthy Aging 2021-2030 as a global initiative to build a society for all ages. Announced in December 2020, this strategy unites governments, civil society, international agencies, professional teams, academia, media, and the private sector in a collective effort to improve the lives of older people, their families, and their communities.
The vision of the UN Decade of Healthy Aging is to promote long and healthy lives for older individuals and improve healthy aging trajectories for all. Older people remain at the center of this vision, and engaging with them is critical to advancing progress in each of the four action areas of the Decade’s plan of action.
PAHO leads the concerted agenda of the Decade of Healthy Aging in the Americas (2021-2030) and works to amplify the voices of older persons while fostering meaningful engagement. Their participation is essential to each of the Decade’s action areas, as they are both agents of change and beneficiaries of services. Their voices must be heard, their dignity and autonomy respected, and their human rights promoted and protected.
For more information about the Decade of Healthy Aging in the Region of the Americas, please visit: https://www.paho.org/en/decade-healthy-aging-2020-2030
