List of initiatives and actions across Europe to promote the European Year 2012

Belgium

Elderly Week 2012: 'Active Ageing and intergenerational Solidarity'

Each year the elderly organisations in Belgium organise the Elderly Week during the third week of November. For that week the Flemish Council of the Elderly launches a theme. In 2012 the Flemish Council, the official advisory body of the Flemish Government on all matters concerning older and retired people*, will work around 'Active Ageing and Intergenerational Solidarity'. The aim is to raise awareness of the contribution of older people to society. The Flemish  Council of the Elderly will also work together with the Flemish Youth Council concerning intergerational solidarity.

Last Updated on Tuesday, 28 June 2011 14:15

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Independent living

The Eldy Association is an Italian, non-profit organization looking to make it easier for new computer users to learn about email, browsing the web and more. According to their website, the Association’s goal is to reach out to the elderly and disabled communities with a simple computer program that can encourage their staying active and social, thus reducing their isolation and loneliness.

The resulting computer program that the Eldy Association came up with is also called Eldy, a bundle of essential programs in a easy-to-understand interface for the elderly, with big text and simple, recognizable icons, that has been translated to 22 languages. Think of it as a blown-up mini-operating system that contains an email client, chat system, web browser and even access to a simplified version of Notepad, Eldy TV, and Skype.

For more information, please visit Eldy’s website (www.eldy.eu) or contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Brighter Futures – Supporting Later Life

Brighter Futures is a pilot peer mentoring service for isolated older people run by the Mental Health  foundation in Scotland. They aim to significantly improve the quality of life of isolated older people, enhance their social networks, improve their mental health and enable them to participate in meaningful activity. Volunteers use their skills and experience to help an older person become more actively involved in their community. 

Last Updated on Monday, 05 September 2011 09:35

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Active Ageing in employment

ReACT (Respect A Caregiver’s Time)

ReACT (Respect A Caregiver’s Time) is a coalition of employers which aims at addressing the challenges faced by employee caregivers and the companies that employ them. In particular, the network focuses on careers forwith age-related chronic conditions and reducing the impact on the companies that employ them.  A lot of important companies joined the coalition (e.g. Pfizer, Johnson &Johnson and Gallop).

ReACT seeks to create a working environment where the needs of caregivers for people with chronic illness are taken into account. This makes caregivers feel supported. It also gives them the resources to better meet their personal and professional responsibilities.

More information will be  available asap.

« Générations & Talents » : the intergenerational programme of Alcatel-Lucent and APEC (a French
recruitment agency)
Alcatel-Lucent launched the programme « Générations & Talents» which seeks to promote an intergenerational culture at work by mobilising the potential of all workers and helping them to develop
their skills and professional paths. This programme applies to all 15 company branches in France. It revolves around skills development and knowledge sharing.

Last Updated on Tuesday, 31 May 2011 12:03

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Intergenerational and Intercultural Exchange

European Senior Travellers

The European Commission, as well as INATEL, SEGITTUR, and the Ministry of Sport and Tourism – Poland, have developed a project called “European Senior Travellers,” which aims to encourage the exchange of senior citizens between Portugal, Spain, and Poland.  This trial project will serve as a way to analyze the possibilities for a more comprehensive transnational seniors exchange program between seniors in all EU member states.  Such research and promotion of intercultural exchange through tourism is a great way to encourage safe travel for seniors by tailoring it to their specific needs, and, therefore allowing them the mobility and freedom to explore Europe and meet other seniors from all different countries.

For more information about European Senior Travellers, please visit http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/tourism/files/calypso/est_project_summary_final_en.pdf

Linking Lives

Help Age International has developed the “Linking Lives” project, which is a part of a new campaign to increase communication between peoples around the world to address the subject of older peoples’ rights.  Linking Lives has a website where people from around the world can upload videos with personal comments and relevant stories, therefore creating an international and intergenerational video dialogue.  In this way, older people from the Czech Republic can “meet” and converse with Josaphine, an older woman from Nairobi, for example.  Linking Lives, therefore, provides a unique opportunity to discuss older peoples’ rights with perspectives from around the world and allows older people to share their stories and to be heard.

For more information about Linking Lives, please visit http://www.helpage.org/get-involved/meet-the-activists/josephine-napkonde/

Germany's Older Generations Take Up Graffiti

In Germany, many seniors have the opportunity to be creative and interact with others in an unconventional way – through graffiti classes.  Graffiti classes for seniors are now gaining popularity and aid in the promotion of intergenerational solidarity and active ageing.  In their classes, seniors and young people have the opportunity to paint graffiti alongside each other, which allows for intergenerational exchange through social interaction.  The classes also promote increased community involvement for seniors. 

For more information, please visit http://www.spiegel.de/international/0,1518,778978,00.html

Last Updated on Thursday, 20 October 2011 12:58

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Cross-border relationship

 

Winner in a German competition / Robert-Bosch-Stiftung:

 

Retelling life stories: exchange programme involving young and older people from France and Germany (carried out by Parkwohnstift of Arnstorf, Germany, and ViTaCiTé of Massy, France)

End of 2009, German and French young people met older rest-home residents, first in France and then in Germany, and collect their stories on the change in their living conditions and the development of technologies that they have experienced (and are experiencing) throughout their past and present life. Those 'life stories' will then be completed with video recordings and pictures made by the young German and French participants. Every stay will end up with a small celebration bringing together all generations.

Last Updated on Thursday, 09 June 2011 13:20

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Active Ageing in the Community

Sustainable Learning in the Community
The SLIC project, coordinated by the Austrian Red Cross, aimed to empower older people to become active citizens, encouraging the development of skills and competences through formal and informal learning opportunities and directly linking the concepts of lifelong learning and community involvement. 

Last Updated on Thursday, 21 April 2011 10:49

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Social Inclusion

Intergenerational Program of the department of Older People - Torrejón de Ardoz

These intergenerational activities seek to enhance community participation of older people and advance the mutual knowledge between generations. Within the context of learning throughout life, it intends to show the younger generations the importance of maintaining intellectual and physical activity. Activities include games between the kids and the older people inside the classroom, as well as having both groups visit the exposition of works by the older people in the plaza.

Last Updated on Thursday, 09 June 2011 13:27

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Health

Baluchon Alzheimer: an idea developed in Canada and spreading throughout Europe

Usually families prefer to care for Alzheimer sufferers at home for as long as possible. A range of services giving carers a break, such as day-care centres or a few hours respite care, have been in existence for some years. But when carers need a few days physical and mental rest, the only service on offer is temporary shelter, usually offered by long-term care centres, but this is a very stressful solution for Alzheimer sufferers. This provided the impetus behind the creation of the Baluchon initiative, intended to provide the patient’s relatives with a complete break for a week or two without having to move their relative out of his or her home. A trained volunteer comes to the home to care for the patient while the family is away.

Last Updated on Thursday, 09 June 2011 13:30

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