TEHRAN — The cabinet of ministers will finalize a national document on older persons aiming to improve their daily lives, secretary of the national council for the elderly said on Saturday.

The document, which is to be ready by July 22, will thoroughly focus on various aspects of the elderly’s lives by meeting four prime objectives of income and livelihood, health, training and employment, and building an empowering environment, IRNA news agency quoted Mohammad Salman-Nejad as saying.

Building an empowering environment means guaranteeing safety for the elderlies so that for example they can stay out late and promoting senior-friendly city planning to allow them an independent life, Salman-Nejad added.

Formerly two documents on older persons were proposed by State Welfare Organization of Iran and the Health Ministry but there were disagreements, therefore the two aforesaid documents were merged together and a final draft was drawn up, he explained.

He further highlighted that senior citizens over the age of 60 constitute to 9.3 percent of the population in the country.

To raise awareness about issues affecting the elderly the International Day of Older Persons (October 1), which falls on the ninth day of the seventh Iranian calendar month of Mehr was brought back to the Iranian calendar in 2015.

Proposed by the State Welfare Organization and approved by the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution, Mehr 9 (falling on October 2) is observed as the day to celebrate by enhancing attention to the particular needs and challenges faced by many older people.

This is also a day to appreciate the contributions that older people made to society.

According to the Iranian culture and Islamic instructions, the elderly are of great status. Respecting their wisdom, knowledge, grace and fortitude should become second nature to younger generations.

MQ/MG