2. European Year for Active Ageing
and Solidarity between
Generations
People are worried about
growing older, about their
place in society when they
are 60, 70 or 80. There is a
lot to life after 60 — and
society is coming
increasingly to appreciate
the mcontribution older
people can make. That’s
what active ageing is about
— getting more out of life
as you grow older, not less,
whether at work, at home
or in the community.
3. The Council of the European Union agreed in principle,
subject to the vote of the European Parliament, to designate
2012 as the European Year for active ageing and solidarity
between generations. The promotion of active ageing
involves creating better opportunities and working conditions
to enable women and men who are in their late 50's and
above to play their part in the labour market, combating
social exclusion by fostering active participation in society,
and encouraging healthy ageing. The purpose is to enable
local authorities, social partners and civil society
organisations, which have a role to play in promoting active
ageing, to plan campaigns and activities around this theme.
4. The objectives of the Year are to:
• raise awareness of the value of
active ageing by highlighting the
contribution that older people can
make to society and to the
economy by mobilising more their
potential;
• exchange ideas and good
practice on how best to promote
active ageing policies; and
• offer a framework for action to
enable member states and
stakeholders to develop policies
and specific activities to encourage
active ageing and solidarity
between generations.
5. 2012 - the European
Year of Active Ageing
and Solidarity between
Generations. A chance
for all of us to reflect on
how Europeans are living
longer and staying
healthier than ever
before — and to realise
the opportunities that
represents.
6. Active ageing can give the
baby-boom generation and
tomorrow's older adults the
opportunity to:
stay in the workforce and share
their experience
keep playing an active role in
society
live as healthy and fulfilling lives
as possible.
It is also key to maintaining
solidarity between generations
in societies with rapidly
increasing numbers of older
people.
7. The challenge for
politicians and stakeholders
will be to improve
opportunities for active
ageing in general and for
living independently, acting
in areas as diverse as
employment, health care,
social services, adult
learning, volunteering,
housing, IT services or
transport.
8. The European Year seeks
to raise awareness of the
issues and the best ways of
dealing with them. But most
of all it seeks to encourage
all policymakers and
stakeholders to set
themselves goals and take
action to meet them. 2012
should go beyond
debating; it should start
bringing tangible results.