1993 Aging with Dignity

1993 Aging – Dignity and Participation
UN Offices in Vienna

These stamps highlight the Vienna International Plan of Action of Aging, adopted by the General Assembly in 1982. Today, greater numbers of people are reaching old age; thus, as a portion of the total population, this group is the largest it has ever been, Medical, social, political, and economic structures are enormously stretched by the needs of the elderly and traditional family support systems are severely stressed or lacking. Dependent elders lose their self-esteem and dignity and younger generations increasingly perceive them as burdens. The Vienna Plan was formulated on the belief that the best solution lies in delaying the start of dependency.

Housing, environment, and education are Vienna’s feature topics. The home is the main place of activity as age progresses, so it must be designed accordingly. For example, home-based educational opportunities will enable elders to keep in touch with the changing world.