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It should be noted, however, that few policies and interventions designed for ‘older people’ are specifically targeted towards this age-group. The EC-supported healthPROelderly project (see Box 7) found that only 15% of the projects were for the 55-60+ range (and less than 1% on migrants). Box 12 Key resource SHARE - Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe The Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) is a multidisciplinary and cross-national panel database of micro data on health, socio-economic status and social and family networks of more than 45,000 individuals aged 50 or over. Data collected include health variables (e.g. self-reported health, health conditions, physical and cognitive functioning, health behaviour, use of health care facilities), bio-markers (e.g. grip strength, body-mass index, peak flow), psychological variables (e.g. psychological health, well-being, life satisfaction), economic variables (current work activity, job characteristics, opportunities to work past retirement age, sources and composition of current income, wealth and consumption, housing, education), and social support variables (e.g. assistance within families, transfers of income and assets, social networks, volunteer activities). Eleven countries (Denmark, Sweden, Austria, France, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy and Greece) contributed data to the 2004 SHARE baseline study. Further data was collected in 2005-06 in Israel. The Czech Republic, Poland and Ireland joined SHARE in 2006 and participated in the second wave of data collection in 2006-07. The survey’s third wave of data collection, SHARELIFE, collected detailed retrospective life-histories in thirteen countries in 2008-09. Through the SHARE website it is possible to access National SHARE websites. The SHARE website contains a section with publications that have analysed SHARE data, and a section to ‘find out what you have always wanted to know about older Europeans (e.g. health, family networks, economic situation’). SHARE data and the SHARE website are therefore key resources for information about older people in Europe. http://www.share-project.org/ 22
5. KEY AREAS FOR HEALTH PROMOTION AMONGST “YOUNGER OLDER PEOPLE” Those health promotion policies and programmes that are targeted at or relevant to people in the EU that are 50+ tend to focus on employment and employment conditions, the transition into retirement and activities that they can take part in to stay active, up to date and socially connected following retirement. People aged 50+ should adopt good nutrition habits and engage in physical activity. This group should also utilise healthcare services, which are able to address their specific needs, on a regular basis. In addition, people in this age group are often ‘carers’ of youth and of older people, and may need assistance coping with these roles. This section provides information on these different topics on the basis of studies that have been conducted across Europe. It will address: A: Employment at transition into retirement B: Participation/social inclusion, including engagement in voluntary work and mental health C: Life-long learning and e-inclusion D: Physical activity and nutrition E: Utilisation of health services and intake of medication F: Carers Further examples of projects and programmes from EU countries and Canada addressing these topics are included in the compendium following this section. A. Employment and transition into retirement Given demographic change and ageing populations, there is a strong focus at EU level and in EU Member States on labour policies amongst those nearing retirement age. Many governments are developing policies and programmes to encourage people to work longer to help address the pressure on the younger generation. Organisations like AGE Platform Europe, however, stress that the debate around active ageing should not focus exclusively on prolonging working careers to lighten pressure on public budgets, but should aim at making a society where everyone is empowered to participate at all ages. 25 The EU have adopted this approach and dedicated 2012 as the European Year (EY2012) for Active Ageing and Solidarity Between Generations (see Box 2). The EY2012 will focus on advocating for a society for all ages but in terms of ageing, the year will encourage older people to stay in the workforce and share their experiences; keep playing an active role in society and live as healthy and fulfilling lives as possible. There are many health-related reasons to encourage people to work longer. While work can be demanding and compete with family time and leisure activities, employment also makes people feel like valued members of and connected to society. Analysis of data from the Survey of Health and Ageing in Europe (SHARE) (See Box 12) on 11,462 participants who were 50-64 years old in ten countries found that perceived poor health was strongly associated with non-participation in the labour force in most European countries. 26 Lower educational level, being single, physical inactivity, and high body mass index were associated with withdrawal from the labour force. Long-term illnesses such as depression, stroke, diabetes, chronic lung disease and musculoskeletal disease were significantly more common in those not having paid employment. The authors therefore concluded that social policies to encourage employment among older people should incorporate the role of preventing ill health and its influencing/contributing factors. Nevertheless, encouraging older people to continue to engage in full-time work might not be desirable. The Multilinks project (see Box 13), co-funded by DG Research, surveyed the opinions of Europeans in 23 EU 25 Statement by Anne-Sophie Parent, Director of the AGE Platform Europe at the 3 rd EU Demography Forum in Brussels, 23 November 2010. 26 Unemployment and retirement and ill-health: a cross-sectional analysis across European countries (Alavinia SM, Burdof A. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 2008; 82: 39-45 23
Page 1 and 2: healthy and active ageing A compend
Page 3 and 4: acknowledgements Thomas Altgeld, La
Page 5 and 6: Research undertaken to develop this
Page 7 and 8: 1. what is understood by ‘healthy
Page 9 and 10: Healthy ageing is therefore much mo
Page 11 and 12: Box 4 The Second Programme of Commu
Page 13 and 14: Box 6 Key resources WHO Policy Fram
Page 15 and 16: Health promotion has an important r
Page 17 and 18: EUROCITIES EUROCITIES is a network
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Page 25 and 26: Activating senior potential in agei
Page 27 and 28: The transition from employment to r
Page 29 and 30: Box 15 Key resource European Year o
Page 31 and 32: C. Life-long learning and e-inclusi
Page 33 and 34: D. Physical activity and nutrition
Page 35 and 36: E. Utilisation of health services a
Page 37 and 38: Box 22 Key resource Partnerships fo
Page 39 and 40: 6. COMPENDIUM OF GOOD PRACTICES Thi
Page 41 and 42: 8. PEOPLE - Pan European Older Peop
Page 43 and 44: More information is available at: h
Page 45 and 46: 13. Say yes! Opportunities for acti
Page 47 and 48: of 149 older people answering both
Page 49 and 50: 28. Healthy ageing among Arabic spe
Page 51 and 52: Special focus on mental health 34.
Page 53 and 54: 4. LARA -Learning, a Response to Ag
Page 55 and 56: 12. Vital Mind - ICT and Ageing Ena
Page 57 and 58: 4. Ageing Well Enhancing levels of
Page 59 and 60: 12. Delicious Life Improving knowle
Page 61 and 62: F. Carers 1. Danish Health and Soci
Page 63 and 64: 7. OVERVIEW OF GOOD PRACTICES BY CO
Page 65 and 66: • Go-myLife: Going online: my soc
Page 67 and 68: • AGNES (page 62) • New Ageing
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Page 71 and 72: 8. ANNEX I Seven Key Messages from
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The Healthy Ageing project definiti
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PRIORITY TOPICS FOR ACTION Policyma
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