October 2025

A heartfelt thank you to the more than 500 delegates from 63 countries who came together in Cape Town, South Africa for the IFA’s 17th Global Conference on Ageing, co-hosted with North-West University (NWU).

Their presence and participation created a truly historic moment for ageing - one that will inspire action across regions for years to come.

The energy, expertise, and passion in Cape Town turned YEBO/YES! Action on Ageing: Evidence | Policy | Practice into more than just a theme: It became a call to action. Across plenaries, workshops, and side events, delegates shared ideas and built solutions to ensure that people everywhere can age with choice, voice, and dignity.

From exploring age-friendly environments and inclusive policies, to tackling issues of health, technology, rights, and equity, the conference reinforced one message loud and clear: when we come together, change is possible.

We’re deeply grateful for the contributions of all who made this conference possible and we’re excited to share highlights, resources, and next steps with our wider community.

Catch a full overview of the 17th Global Conference on Ageing including key themes, high-level side events, inspiring keynote messages, and the collective call to action that emerged in Cape Town.

📄 Read the full post-conference press release here.

IFA members have access to the full gallery and other conference materials. If you’d like to explore these resources or catch up on key highlights, consider becoming a member to unlock full access.

Find out more here.

We want to hear from you!

Raising Awareness: Lived Experiences on the Burden of Influenza.

The International Federation on Ageing is seeking older adults (65+) in Canada who have experienced influenza to participate in interviews for the project “Raising Awareness: Lived Experiences on the Burden of Influenza.”

This initiative aims to amplify the voices of older adults by highlighting the real-world impact of influenza on health, quality of life, and daily living. The insights shared will inform awareness-raising efforts and support stronger vaccination policies across Canada.

If you or someone you know is interested in sharing their experience, please contact cmoore@ifa.ngo.

Centring the Voices of Carers for Canadians Living with Dementia

Care partners and older people living with dementia have unique experiences that deserve recognition.

To amplify these voices, the IFA conducted interviews with Canadian caregivers, highlighting their lived experiences, the support they need, and the impact they bring to their communities. The series explores how culture, race, gender, class, age, and sexual orientation shape caregiving, and underscores the importance of including caregivers in developing supportive resources.


All three episodes of the series are now available!

New Report Launch!


Evidence to Action: Towards Improved Vaccination Policy for High-Risk Populations in Long-Term Care

The International Federation on Ageing is pleased to announce the release of Evidence to Action: Towards Improved Vaccination Policy for High-Risk Populations in Long-Term Care. Drawing on (virtual) semi-structured expert interviews conducted across 10 countries, this report highlights existing policy benchmarks while identifying critical gaps and best practices in absence of comprehensive long-term care immunization policy.

This report offers actionable recommendations which aim to strengthen disease prevention, enhance access to vaccination, and improve the resilience of LTC systems worldwide.

IFA Celebrates World Sight Day 2025: Advancing Vision Health for Healthy Ageing

On October 9^th, 2025, the International Federation on Ageing (IFA) joins the global community in marking World Sight Day, a day to raise awareness and drive action on vision health, ensuring eye care is accessible, available and affordable for all.

Vision loss is one of the most common yet often overlooked health issues in later life. It affects people’s ability to meet basic needs, form and maintain relationships, contribute to society, and learn, grow and make decisions. Vision health is also closely linked to other aspects of health. For example, vision loss is associated with the presence of other chronic co-morbid conditions, accelerated cognitive decline and dementia, increased falls and mobility limitations, and increased depression, social isolation and loneliness.

Protecting and promoting vision health is therefore not only a health priority but also a cornerstone of healthy ageing and overall quality of life. IFA is working to ensure vision health is included as a core component of healthy ageing and the IFA continues to advocate for stronger, more equitable vision care systems that enable older people everywhere to live healthier, fuller lives.

Sign up here to receive weekly invitations to join the IFA’s Global Café, hosted every Friday at 7:00 a.m. EST.

Have topics or speakers you would like to see on the IFA Global Café? Feel welcome to contact Policy and Project Coordinator Salsabila Ahmed (sahmed@ifa.ngo) with your recommendations!

IFA Global Café Archive

If you were unable to attend any of the IFA Global Café sessions, we have great news for you! All past sessions, along with valuable resources and materials, are now accessible on our website.

We invite you to visit our website to experience the wealth of knowledge and expertise shared by our distinguished speakers and panelists. Don't miss this opportunity to engage with the thought-provoking content from the IFA Global Café series.

Stay up-to-date: Follow the IFA on Twitter today!