In response to the challenges and opportunities that population ageing and longevity bring in South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa, ILCSA aims to bridge research, education, policy and advocacy in programmes that focus on the promotion of healthy and productive ageing, and older persons’ empowerment towards full participation. The programmes reflect the mission and scope of the organisation, and involve scholars from diverse intellectual disciplines and a wide range of stakeholders.

Overall, researchers investigate a relationship between health, longevity and quality of life in old age. However, some studies focus on livelihoods and income security, while others focus on living habitats and personal safety, and others on health care and human rights. Researchers generate and draw on both macro and micro data to analyse situations and identify developing trends; evaluate social, health and economic programmes and policy options; and offer conceptual clarification for the development of new strategies and responses.

ILCSA currently implements four core programmes, outputs of which are aimed at informing stakeholders, creating awareness and forging action.

In South African settings, older persons contribute to family, community and societal life in a variety of ways. The SUFFICE study aims to assess older persons’ levels of functioning, and contributions to family and community, specifically residents of historically disadvantaged areas, in order to determine how the elders’ functioning may be optimised though health intervention and their capacity to contribute sustained. SUFFICE is a collaborative project of ILCSA and ILC-USA. Co-investigators in the USA are Dr Barry Gurland at the Stroud Center for Study of Quality of Life at Columbia University and Dr Harrison Bloom in the Brookdale Department of Geriatrics and Adult Development at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and ILC–USA. Both collaborators are associates of ILC–USA and ILCSA. South African partners in the project are Dr Sebastiana Kalula and Dr Monica Ferreira at ILCSA, and Dr Bilkish Cassim in the Department of Geriatric Medicine at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban.

A report on a 2006/07 SUFFICE pilot study, entitled “Study to Understand and Foster the Functioning and Involvement of Contributive Elders (SUFFICE): Report and pilot study towards a health intervention,” (Ferreira, Gurland, Bloom & Kalula, 2007), may be consulted. Click here Planning for a survey, and intervention, building on outcomes of the pilot study, is under way. More information on the SUFFICE programme may be obtained from Dr Kalula at sebastiana.kalula@uct.ac.za

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ILCSA aims to empower older women who care for persons infected with the HI virus and/or affected by AIDS, through a dedicated research, policy and education programme, aimed at reducing the women’s vulnerability, supporting them, and sustaining their contribution to the care management of the epidemic. ILCSA has a first-rate partnership with the NPO Grandmothers Against Poverty and AIDS (GAPA), based in Khayelitsha in the Western Cape Province and operated in several settings in three provinces. Click here
GAPA offers ILCSA investigators a participatory research site to generate evidence to inform programme and policy development, as well as to contribute to the women’s empowerment and capacity building.

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In 2002 South Africa's Social Development ministry conducted a country-wide investigation that uncovered horrific cases of elder abuse and disturbing instances of violation of older persons' human rights. Numerous older persons were found to be neglected or marginalised, and numerous pensioners to be exploited for their money and assets. Building on knowledge on elder abuse and such exploitation generated by the Institute of Ageing in Africa over two decades, the programme aims to empower and ensure the protection of older persons through new research evidence, dissemination of information, promotion of awareness of their human rights, and advocacy, in order to help elders withstand the abuse and to combat the problem in the country. ILCSA enjoys a first-rate partnership with the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA), which has chapters in several African countries. Click here

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Geriatric Medicine is viewed by some health professionals in South Africa as a Cinderella sub-specialty. The sub-discipline is hardly included in the teaching curricula of tertiary institutions and few resources are made available for the care of geriatric patients. A growing number of people who live to an advanced age is contributing to an increasing demand for services and putting a strain on the public health system, especially in the management of chronic illnesses and disabilities. The programme aims to develop a strategy with government to improve and expand clinical education and services in this field, and to extend quality geriatric care to under-served rural areas in particular. The programme is linked to the SUFFICE project. Click here Principal collaborators in the geriatrics “expansion” programme are Dr Sebastiana Kalula at ILCSA, and ILCSA associates Dr Barry Gurland at Columbia University (USA), Dr Harrison Bloom at ILC–USA and Dr Bilkish Cassim at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

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Progress in ILCSA’s current programmes is reported on the website from time to time. New programmes will be described as they are identified and implemented. Interaction between ILCSA co-ordinators, associates and investigators, national and international stakeholder institutions and organisations, and South Africans of all ages and walks of life are key to the achievement of ILCSA’s programmatic goals.

Selected, recent publications based on outcomes of ILCSA programmes are listed below. For help in accessing a publication, please contact us at ILC-Centre@uct.ac.za

Aboderin, I. & Ferreira, M. 2008. Linking ageing to development agendas in sub-Saharan Africa: Challenges and approaches. World Demographic Association Discussion Paper Series. Available at www.wdassociation.org

Ferreira. M. 2008. Training in Africa towards forging implementation and monitoring of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing. BOLD (Journal of the International Institute of Ageing (United Nations-Malta)), 18(3): 2-6.

Ferreira, M. 2007. Ageing, support and care in Africa: How feasible are high standards in low economies? In: Krishna, S (Ed) Geriatric healthcare. Global scenario. Hyderabad, India: The Icfai University Press, pp. 164-174.

Ferreira, M. 2007. The relationship between longevity and wealth in South Africa. Les Cahiers de la Fiapa, Research and Action on Ageing. Longevity: A challenge for science and society, 6 (September), pp. 101-102.

Ferreira, M. 2006. Geriatric Medicine in South Africa – a Cinderella subspecialty? South African Family Practice, 48(5): 18.

Ferreira, M. 2006. HIV/AIDS and older people in sub-Saharan Africa: Towards a policy framework. Global Ageing: Issues and Action, 4(2): 56-71.

Ferreira, M. 2006. The differential impact of social-pension income on household poverty alleviation in three South African ethnic groups. Ageing and Society, 26: 337-354.

Ferreira, M. 2005. Research on ageing in Africa: What do we have, not have and should we have? Generations Review, 15(2): 32-35.

Ferreira, M. 2005. Advancing income security in old age in developing countries – focus on Africa. Global Ageing: Issues and Action, 2(3): 22-39.

Ferreira, M., Gurland, B., Bloom, H. & Kalula, S. 2007. Study to Understand and Foster the Functioning and Involvement of Contributive Elders (SUFFICE). Report on a pilot study towards a health intervention. Cape Town: University of Cape Town, International Longevity Centre-South Africa.

Ferreira, M. & Kalula, S.Z. 2007. Ageing and human rights in South Africa. In: Macleod, R. (Ed) Human rights in an ageing world: Perspectives from around the world. London: International Longevity Centre-United Kingdom, pp. 7-10.

Ferreira, M. & Kowal, P. 2006. A minimum data set on ageing and older persons in sub-Saharan Africa: Process and outcome. African Population Studies, 21(1): 19-36.

Ferreira, M. & Lindgren, P. 2008. Elder abuse in South Africa: A case of marginalization, disrespect, exploitation and violence. Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect, 20(2): 91-107.

Hale, W.A., Joubert, J.D. & Kalula, S.Z. 2007. Aging population and chronic illness. In: Markle, W.H., Fisher, M.A. & Smego, R.A. (Eds) Understanding global health. New York: McGraw-Hill, pp. 208-229.

Kalula, S.Z. 2007. Drugs and the older person. CME - South African Journal of Continuing Medical Education, 25(9): 422-425.

Kalula, S.Z. 2007. Prevention of falls in older persons: Africa case study. In: A WHO Global Report on Falls among Older Persons. Geneva: World Health Organization, pp. 1-31. Available at http://www.who.int/ageing/projects/AFRO.pdf