The World Health Organization (WHO) designates the Gérontopôle of the Toulouse University Hospital as WHO Collaborating Center for Frailty, Clinical Research and Geriatric Training.
This nomination confirms that the Gérontopôle is an internationally recognized innovating organization and a reference center in geriatrics, particularly due to its research work on frailty.
WHO’s global strategy on Health Ageing
Today, for the first time in history, the majority of the world’s population can expect to live up to 60 and older. Combined with a notable decline in fertility rate, this increased life expectancy leads to a rapidly ageing population around the world. It represents a major change and generates considerable impact.
According to WHO, a comprehensive public health action on population ageing is urgently needed. This will require fundamental shifts in how we think about itself. WHO’s World Report on Ageing and Health outlines a framework for action to foster “Health Ageing” built around the new concepts of functional ability and intrinsic capacity. This will require a transformation of health systems away from disease-based curative models and towards the provision of older-person-centered and integrated care.
In this context, the Gérontopôle of Toulouse has been designated WHO Collaborating Center for Frailty, Clinical Research and Geriatric Training, thus supporting WHO’s global world strategy on “Health Ageing”.
The Gérontopôle’missions as WHO Collaborating Center
As WHO Collaborating Center, the missions of the Gérontopôle, conducted by Professor Bruno Vellas and Associate Professor Matteo Cesari, will be to :
- Contribute to research: the Gérontopôle will collect and analyse scientific data on functional and intrinsic capacities of older people, in compliance with WHO criteria.
- Disseminate information: the Toulouse center will assist WHO in the dissemination of its new world strategy on “Health Ageing”, including the WHO Guidelines on Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE).
- Develop promotion material: the Gérontopôle will assist WHO in developping therapeutic education and medical training programs, for professionals in primary care and referral care centers. This material is intended for old persons with light, moderate or more severe needs. The Toulouse center will also contribute to implement good practice guides and learning corresponding to countries and resources.
Published by the Editorial Staff on