We All are Europe - AESAEC

Module 1 – The European Union and its Relevance for Senior Citizens
really Is it not much closer and more transparent than we all think, and does it not care very much
about issues relating to all European citizens, including issues affecting older ones
Please discuss these issues, including all relevant pros and cons, as well as your points of view before
and after this unit.
Listen / Read
1.1.3. Demographic changes and the ageing society
The ageing society is one of the major current demographic changes. The other changes are shrinking
populations, the ageing workforce and migration.
When we think about ageing, we think about it principally as individual ageing, not as demographic
ageing. Demographic ageing is a rather new phenomenon which first appeared in the second half of
the 20th Century. Despite the progress achieved in all areas, human life is not any longer than in
previous times, however the number of people over the age of 65 is increasing considerably and
deaths are outnumbering births. Ever more people reach an advanced old age and at the same time
the rate of fertility is reducing in some European regions due to a number of reasons, migration
being one of them. Population is ageing and our societies are ageing. We live in an ageing society.
Of course, on the one hand this is a threat, but it is also a huge change. Any kind of change requires
adaptation. This brings about the need to promote a cultural change in attitudes towards older people
and old age, a change in the position of older people in society and the need to modify policies
that determine the relationships between generations and that meet the needs of different generations.
The members of the AESAEC project group believe that enhancing intergenerational solidarity and
cooperation is key in reacting constructively to today’s rapidly evolving social and demographic
context. Changes in the age structure of our populations will have a significant impact on the dynamics
among generations, and intergenerational solidarity and cooperation will need to be reinvented
and sustained by appropriate policies. A more inclusive approach to people of all ages
therefore needs to be developed and actively promoted in all areas of social and economic policy.
More positive attitudes and expectations in respect of older citizens’ contributions need to be cultivated
and ageist assumptions must be challenged and not tolerated. People of all ages have a vital
role to play in contributing to society and their experience, knowledge and vitality are needed to
build a stronger Europe. It is essential to develop targeted and well coordinated policies which capitalise
on the strong potential of older people to contribute.
In the ageing society much greater participation by younger and older generations is needed. In
addition policies and strategies as well as action plans serving this end are needed. Moreover, European
projects can, especially when launched by senior citizens, highlight these issues and can propose
ways to achieve greater participation by all generations in society.
Major older people’s issues and how they are being approached by European policies
Older people’s needs and issues are addressed by different policies adopted on the basis of the
European Treaties. However progressive they may be, they are often governed by a significant
number of negative or positive stereotypes about older people. In our view this is mostly due to the
fact that older people are approached mostly in terms of their age and not in terms of their involvement,
potential, situation etc. What is important are their differences. The least important
seems to be their age!
However people in later life – according to some definitions this already begins at around the age of
45 - are a large group of extremely heterogeneous people. Consequently, an in-depth knowledge of
the diversity of older people, of their needs and potential is needed before setting a policy or even
a European project.
39