In the Panel 1 titled ACTIVE AGEING five countries were represented. Their representatives used their during the national panels gained knowledge in a new international and truly European discussion situation which gave an overview of this need and its consequences on the national level.
The Policy of Active Ageing
In Panel 1 we started by addressing the definition of active ageing and the European policy in this field. The main question discussed was whether working longer as planned by national reforms and European policies is a good thing, be on personal or/and on social level, or it is not a good thing.
The participants seemed to agree that times have changed and that situation is quite different now from the situation in the Otto Bismarck’s times: then life lasted on average 63 years, and retirement age was fixed at 65. Nowadays it happens in some countries that people spend up to fifty years retired. From the social point of view working longer is a good solution but not systematically; countries where the rate of unemployment of young people is low, the fact that older people should work longer might cause serious social frictions.
In some European countries retirement age is not mandatory, but working longer is culturally unacceptable and it is a shame for older people to work longer.
If older people were to work longer, huge public campaigning and education would be needed, social changes should be induced and cultural changes as well. National reforms and laws in this field should be accompanied by additional measures for older people not be squeezed out of the market, getting long-term ill or ending up on social aid allowances. In case of companies going bankrupt there is little chance for older workers to get a job, to renter the labour market. In that case they have to spend the last years spending their savings. Older people should be encouraged to have savings… and younger people educated to have some.
Basically everybody should be free to either work longer or to get retired.
It would be interesting to have studies addressing older workers’ reasons and conditions and motives to stay at work longer.
The Bulgarian representatives in the group suggested that couples should be able to get retired simultaneously.
Personal priorities in later life
The participants in the Panel were asked to state their priorities in old age. In pairs and in threes the discussion gave the following results: The majority considers healthy ageing a priority, then comes personal growth and finally social engagement. Social engagement is less present for a very simple reason: society is not used to have active older people. Changes are needed in all generations and the relations between generations are to be transformed by means of policies, education, guidance and public campaigning.
