On 11 June 2026, COTEC Vice-President Yara Peterko attended the International Federation on Ageing (IFA) Expert Meeting in Brussels, Belgium, on the topic “Pain Management in Later Life: Aligning Evidence, Policy, and Action.”
The meeting brought together experts from a wide range of professions and sectors to discuss current challenges and opportunities in pain management for older adults. One interesting observation was that manyparticipants naturally framed their discussions using concepts closely aligned with the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), highlighting the importance of participation, functioning, and the impact of pain on daily life.
A strong focus of the meeting was pain prevention and healthy ageing. Discussions explored how societies can support older adults not only to live longer, but to extend the number of years they live in good health. This also led to reflections on how we define health. The World Health Organization defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity,” a definition that remains ambitious and thought-provoking, particularly when considering ageing populations.
Another important theme was understanding what older adults value most in their lives. Conversations focused on maintaining engagement in meaningful activities, social participation, and quality of life. This provided an excellent opportunity to highlight the contribution of Occupational Therapy, as our profession is fundamentally concerned with enabling participation in meaningful occupations and supporting people to continue doing the activities that matter most to them.
The meeting was a valuable opportunity to represent the Occupational Therapy perspective, exchange ideas with international experts, and strengthen connections with stakeholders working to improve the health and wellbeing of older adults.
You can read more about the White Paper published by IFA on Advocating for Accessible Pain Relief for Older Adults in the European Union (EU) here
