This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development-professionals-network/2013/jun/08/nutrition-summit-nutrition-for-elderly
The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Previous version
1
Next version
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| G8, don't neglect the elderly in nutrition talks | G8, don't neglect the elderly in nutrition talks |
| (4 months later) | |
| Given the essential roles that older people play in many communities, as child carers, income providers, educators and advisers, it is crucial that their right to proper nutrition is recognised by governments, donors and humanitarian agencies. | Given the essential roles that older people play in many communities, as child carers, income providers, educators and advisers, it is crucial that their right to proper nutrition is recognised by governments, donors and humanitarian agencies. |
| Saturday's G8 Nutrition for Growth summit is a perfect opportunity to raise the issue of undernutrition in older people in humanitarian crises. The problem is seldom acknowledged, even by professionals working in the field as the assessment of the nutritional status and needs of the elderly is neglected by governments, NGOs and donors alike, expecially in emergency situations. | Saturday's G8 Nutrition for Growth summit is a perfect opportunity to raise the issue of undernutrition in older people in humanitarian crises. The problem is seldom acknowledged, even by professionals working in the field as the assessment of the nutritional status and needs of the elderly is neglected by governments, NGOs and donors alike, expecially in emergency situations. |
| Governments have few policies concerning the prevention and treatment of undernutrition in older people. When they are identified as a vulnerable group, they are rarely given first priority but come after children and pregnant women and lactating women. Many NGOs tend to prioritise the same groups of children and women, either because they follow government policy, or because they have decided to specialise in certain vulnerable groups. | Governments have few policies concerning the prevention and treatment of undernutrition in older people. When they are identified as a vulnerable group, they are rarely given first priority but come after children and pregnant women and lactating women. Many NGOs tend to prioritise the same groups of children and women, either because they follow government policy, or because they have decided to specialise in certain vulnerable groups. |
| "We are only involved in caring for children and women," is the comment often heard. But how can it be justified to ignore the humanitarian principles of impartiality and equity? How does the principle of designing interventions on the basis of needs (or rights) apply here, and since when do humanitarian organisations choose "their" target groups? When it comes to donors, or UN agencies providing specific foods, the easy answer is "resources are too scarce, and we have to prioritise", meaning, of course, that older people are not a priority. | "We are only involved in caring for children and women," is the comment often heard. But how can it be justified to ignore the humanitarian principles of impartiality and equity? How does the principle of designing interventions on the basis of needs (or rights) apply here, and since when do humanitarian organisations choose "their" target groups? When it comes to donors, or UN agencies providing specific foods, the easy answer is "resources are too scarce, and we have to prioritise", meaning, of course, that older people are not a priority. |
| The first step to making older people more visible in humanitarian situations is to assess their food situation and nutritional status. Rapid assessments performed jointly by several NGOs at the beginning of a crisis often "skip" this vulnerable group, though recently some efforts have been made to include them. | The first step to making older people more visible in humanitarian situations is to assess their food situation and nutritional status. Rapid assessments performed jointly by several NGOs at the beginning of a crisis often "skip" this vulnerable group, though recently some efforts have been made to include them. |
| The ReliefWeb website, a humanitarian information service of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha), now includes "aged persons" among their vulnerable groups. A recent joint assessment report about the Syria crisis identified older people as a vulnerable group in terms of health and nutrition, and recommended nutrition support as a priority. However, in most assessments, the reporters acknowledge that there is a gap in the data concerning older people. | The ReliefWeb website, a humanitarian information service of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha), now includes "aged persons" among their vulnerable groups. A recent joint assessment report about the Syria crisis identified older people as a vulnerable group in terms of health and nutrition, and recommended nutrition support as a priority. However, in most assessments, the reporters acknowledge that there is a gap in the data concerning older people. |
| But even after it has been stated that older people are undernourished and that they need specific nutrition interventions, there is a lack of national policies, protocols and guidelines aimed at this group. Humanitarian workers willing to implement specific feeding programmes are sometimes put off by the lack of guidance, as well as by the lack of qualified staff. The global nutrition cluster, which coordinates nutrition interventions in emergency situations, has produced a training module on nutrition for older people in emergency situations, which is a resource for trainers and humanitarian workers to increase their technical knowledge. | But even after it has been stated that older people are undernourished and that they need specific nutrition interventions, there is a lack of national policies, protocols and guidelines aimed at this group. Humanitarian workers willing to implement specific feeding programmes are sometimes put off by the lack of guidance, as well as by the lack of qualified staff. The global nutrition cluster, which coordinates nutrition interventions in emergency situations, has produced a training module on nutrition for older people in emergency situations, which is a resource for trainers and humanitarian workers to increase their technical knowledge. |
| Humanitarian workers, donors and policymakers should realise that interventions designed to treat children's undernutrition also work for older people. Supplementary feeding for the moderately malnourished, and community-based management of acute severe malnutrition are strategies that should be used to treat undernutrition in older people. The specific foods used for treating malnutrition at home have been designed for children and are not always easily accepted by older people, but they are effective. | Humanitarian workers, donors and policymakers should realise that interventions designed to treat children's undernutrition also work for older people. Supplementary feeding for the moderately malnourished, and community-based management of acute severe malnutrition are strategies that should be used to treat undernutrition in older people. The specific foods used for treating malnutrition at home have been designed for children and are not always easily accepted by older people, but they are effective. |
| The protocols must be adapted, although evidence on how best to do this is lacking because few interventions have been documented. Addressing micronutrients deficiency is an important issue for older people, requiring a varied diet, or, occasionally, supplementation with vitamin sprinkles. | The protocols must be adapted, although evidence on how best to do this is lacking because few interventions have been documented. Addressing micronutrients deficiency is an important issue for older people, requiring a varied diet, or, occasionally, supplementation with vitamin sprinkles. |
| Training humanitarian stakeholders (NGOs, donors, ministries staff)about the needs of older people is a strong advocacy tool. HelpAge has designed a training package aimed at improving the understanding of older people's needs, particularly in emergencies. Helping older people in emergencies (Hope) provides tools and the know-how to put age-friendly humanitarian programming into practice. | Training humanitarian stakeholders (NGOs, donors, ministries staff)about the needs of older people is a strong advocacy tool. HelpAge has designed a training package aimed at improving the understanding of older people's needs, particularly in emergencies. Helping older people in emergencies (Hope) provides tools and the know-how to put age-friendly humanitarian programming into practice. |
| By advocating to policymakers, NGOs, donors and UN agencies and training humanitarian and health workers involved in nutrition programmes, as well as by building evidence of older people's vulnerability for undernutrition and developing guidelines for interventions, the development community can bring the right of older people to proper nutrition to the attention of the humanitarian community. | By advocating to policymakers, NGOs, donors and UN agencies and training humanitarian and health workers involved in nutrition programmes, as well as by building evidence of older people's vulnerability for undernutrition and developing guidelines for interventions, the development community can bring the right of older people to proper nutrition to the attention of the humanitarian community. |
| Dr Pascale Fritsch is emergency health and nutrition adviser for HelpAge International | Dr Pascale Fritsch is emergency health and nutrition adviser for HelpAge International |
| This content is brought to you by Guardian Professional. To get more articles like this direct to your inbox, sign up free to become a member of the Global Development Professionals Network | This content is brought to you by Guardian Professional. To get more articles like this direct to your inbox, sign up free to become a member of the Global Development Professionals Network |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. |
Previous version
1
Next version