Background: The number of older people is growing and they frequently have health-related problems with a mixture of physical, mental, social and behavioural aspects. In the past, these problems were seen only in a few older people and the families were able to take care of their parents or old relatives. However, societies are changing as a result of the demographic and cultural developments and they face the increasing possibilities of modern medicine. The Middle East Academy for Medicine of Ageing Started in 2002. The first course 2003/2005 to stimulate the development of health care services for older people in the Middle- East area. The course has been build up with 4 sessions, each of 4 days, that will cover important topics of the health-related problems in older people. The aim of the Middle-East Academy for Medicine of Ageing:

• To stimulate the development of services to meet the health related problems in increasing number of older people in the Middle- East Area.
  
• To improve knowledge and skills of professionals, physicians, nurses and health care officers, in health related problems in older people, starting with a special interest in community care in the Middle-East area.
  
• To harmonise the attitudes and goals of future opinion leaders in approaching the health related problems of older people in the Middle East area.
  
• To establish a network among physicians, nurses and health care officers, responsible for the health care of older people and those responsible for medical and nurse students instruction, as well as general physicians caring for aged people.
  
• To stimulate scientific interest in the health related problems in older people.

Benefit of application: The course will increase knowledge and skills in the management of health related problems in older people in the Middle-East area. Participants will be trained in searching literature, presenting state of the art lectures, discussion with opinion leaders and chairing and reporting groups discussions. Each participant will be evaluated individually, to reach a maximum improvement of experiences and skills. The certificate of the course will be a valuable document for the participants' career.