With recent medical, technological, and socioeconomic developments, people are living longer. The rising average age of the world's population presents an opportunity to develop health policy that prioritizes functioning as a goal of healthy aging. In February 2024, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine convened a hybrid workshop at the University of Lucerne in Switzerland to host a discussion focused on the World Health Organization's concept of functioning. Amongst the speakers was also Birgit Prodinger. Speakers emphasized that the need for rehabilitation is increasing due to rapid population aging accompanied by a rise in physical and mental health conditions, limitations, and injuries. The associated economic and practical obstacles of optimizing functioning across the life course were also discussed.
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A recording of the workshop and panelist slides are available on
this page.
