News

The 2015 Conference theme – Global Communities Coming Together – is a fitting description of what will happen during the conference – connecting the diversity and interdependence of aged care around the globe, when those who are committed to ensuring the highest quality of life, care and support for our world’s elders come together to learn, innovate and share.

2015 International Conference
\’Global Communities Coming Together\’
Perth, Australia 31 August – 4 September 2015

KPMG publishes two fascinating and relevant reports:
An Uncertain Age: Reimagining long-term care in the 21st Century
Future State 2030: The global megatrends shaping governments

Each year the Commonwealth Study Conferences Leaders (CSC Leaders) progamme draws together groups of 100 people working in leadership positions in a wide range of activities and businesses from throughout the Commonwealth. CSC Leaders is a partnership between HRH The Duke of Edinburgh\’s Commonwealth Study Conferences and leadership development organisation Common Purpose.

CommonAge was incorporated in Adelaide, Australia in July 2014. A lot of preliminary work had to be taken care of, including establishing our reason for being, the Constitution, appointing an International Board of Directors and creating some foundation infrastructure to get things started.

Our Story… The world is facing a massive demographic age imbalance. Increasing longevity is recognised as one of the major achievements of modern health systems and this offers great quality of life opportunities for westernised populations.

We warmly welcome the initiative of CommonAge in bringing together aged care service providers in Commonwealth countries so that collectively they can work to improve the quality of life and care of our older citizens. A distinctive feature of the Commonwealth is the range of organisations that link and serve our people. These bring depth and strength to the worldwide connections of citizens in our member states – as reflected in our theme this year ‘Team Commonwealth’.

CommonAge Board member and Policy and Communications Director for the National Care Forum, Sharon Blackburn, offers a whistle stop tour of activity from the UK. Major reform is taking place across the UK in relation to how people are seen as leaders and owners of their own care. It is referred to as \’personalization\’ and stems from the desire to put people first. This has led to major reforms across health and social care.