The healthy ageing advocates showing that life begins at 50

Emiratis and UAE residents acting as ambassadors for healthy ageing have been put to work under a new government scheme encouraging more people to plan for a healthier life into old age.

Inspirational figures from different walks of life have been selected in each Emirate to offer tips on healthy ageing. They include older people in community projects and healthy living schemes.

The Gulf is one of the fastest growing ageing populations in the world, with many countries experiencing lifespan increases surpassing birth rates. That will continue as the UAE offers more options for expatriate retirement visas.

A resulting demographic shift towards older populations will place greater strain on health services and economic changes to society. According to a recent PwC ageing report, those over 50 in the GCC currently make up 18.5 per cent of the population, up from 14.2 per cent in 2020, while the average age is expected to rise from 32 in 2022 to 51 by the end of the century.

To prepare for that seismic demographic change, the UAE has launched a national framework for healthy ageing – with inspirational people at its core.

Dr Hayat Ahmed, consultant and senior health programme director at the Ministry of Health and Prevention, said the framework was developed by 23 government bodies to ensure all community aspects were considered.

“The first pillar focuses on how people view ageing and how younger generations interact with older people,” Dr Ahmed told The National.

“We are also looking at how communities support ageing through initiatives such as the Healthy Ageing Cities programme. Another pillar focuses on health care – how the health workforce supports healthy ageing through specialised and integrated Care for Older People clinics.”

Elderly care training

A three-day training programme hosted by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Ministry of Health and Prevention in Dubai trained selected doctors and specialists in the latest integrated care for older people approach.

The global standard aims to increase understanding of specific health needs of the elderly, and how to respond to the unique challenges of geriatric support to enhance independence and quality of life.

Other main pillars under the national framework include strengthening social cohesion and driving sustainable development, while ensuring quality of life, dignity and independence for all older citizens.

“The framework also focuses on caregivers – both formal and informal – who provide care and support for older people who need help,” said Dr Ahmed.

“The healthy ageing ambassadors are a vital part of this framework. We trained them for three intensive days, covering topics on the physiological, cognitive and psychological changes that occur with ageing, and how to communicate correct health messages to the community.

“They were tested on their knowledge and now serve as role models – showing how to age well and live healthily. They will share our message in their own language and through their own platforms, reaching people in a way that feels close and authentic.”

Dedicated ambassadors

Each emirate will have a dedicated healthy ageing ambassador during the programme’s pilot phase, with two in Dubai, who will serve the Emirati and expatriate populations.

One of them is Saeed Al Mamry, a healthy ageing advocate in Fujairah, who served in the UAE Armed Forces and is an accomplished mountaineer. At only 47, Mr Al Mamry was picked out to inspire others thanks to his exploits on the world’s highest peaks.

“I have seen many real examples of people over 50 and over 60 who can do a lot with their lives,” he said. “I’m 47, I’m getting old and facing the same problems as anyone else. The idea of this programme is to engage with older people, to encourage them to be active by sending them positive messages about what can be achieved.”

In May 2025, he became the first Arab to climb Kanchenjunga, the world’s third-highest peak. He was the first Emirati to reach the summits of Mount Everest and K2, the two highest. Now, as the director of Fujairah Adventure Centre, he hopes to inspire more people to exercise in the great outdoors. He expects his children’s generation to be the first to reach the age of 100 in good health.

“For us, the age is the number only, we can still do a lot with our lives as we get older,” he said. “When you’re in retirement, your world or your life is not finished, you actually start out on a new journey. Living in Fujairah is different to living in Dubai or Abu Dhabi, it’s a different terrain, people are living in a natural, mountain environment.

“The elderly wake up near their own families, and just have to walk a short distance to be in the mountains or by the sea. People there are living together like small families, if someone doesn’t show up at prayer time, we just go to his home and check everything is OK.

“Even if we are sitting together, and we are missing someone, we just call them up to check on them,” he added. “It’s a smaller community, but very beautiful and connected to nature and the lifestyle has a slower pace.”

Ambassadors such as Mr Al Mamry will share practical tips on gradually increasing activity levels, from daily walks to reaching 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise per week. They will also encourage community involvement through field events to bring families together to support elderly well-being.

With ageing comes greater demand for managing chronic health conditions, and a broader understanding of living with life-changing illness and disease. On October 26, a regional meeting in Cairo of the WHO signalled a transformative shift in how the Gulf region supports people facing life-limiting illness, frailty and chronic conditions. Experts said 2.4 million people across the region require palliative care each year but fewer than 1 per cent receive it.

A proposed resolution showcased the moral, scientific and economic imperatives behind expanding the provision of palliative care, and urged member states to integrate palliative care into national health strategies and benefit packages. Most nations revealed strategies and systematic reforms, including the UAE, which framed palliative care as a right and a planned expansion into primary care.

“Palliative care is not a challenge, it’s a solution,” said WHO regional director for the Eastern Mediterranean, Dr Hanan Balkhy. “Let’s ensure that those who need palliative care in this region receive the care they need by building capacity, reforming regulations and ensuring that no patient suffers needlessly. The time to act is now.”