To realise active ageing in 20 years, action has to start now
Depending on the different fields of research, the experts came up with a series of recommendations addressed to policy-makers. Professor Gerhard Naegele for example put forward to adjust existing pension systems through raising retirement ages, linking them to life expectancy, but also to create working conditions that allow for longer working careers. To build effective long-term care systems, Amílcar Moreira suggested “a national social care legislation, with increased coverage and reduced regional variation”. He also advised municipalities to give more attention to social care projects.
Prerequisites: active ageing as a policy for all
These recommendations are nonetheless useless unless citizens start to think in a different way. Professor Asghar Zaidi listed five prerequisites for realising active ageing in Europe:
- start considering older people as agents of change, with experience and rights, like any other citizen;
- active ageing is a right to all, and not just reserved to the elites;
- active ageing is a life course perspective and should be implemented as soon as possible in a preventive manner;
- active ageing is a multidimensional process that includes physical activity, social engagement, independent living and security; and
- enabling age-friendly environments for active ageing for a very diverse population.
All presentation and recommendations are available on the website and the conference can be viewed online here.
For more information, please contact Philippe Seidel, philippe.seidel@age-platform.eu