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Answers to question 2.
What did this study teach me about the living conditions of the older people in Arnhem in particular?
 

Policy should no longer be directed by what is on offer but by demand.
The most wonderful policies have been concocted for senior citizens and housing, but the outcome has often been disappointing, because the elderly had not been consulted during preparation.

Demand directed care; an example.
In his thesis Bijleveld (2001) describes: ¨The perspective of the older people on home care¨,
an inquiry into the wishes and needs of the elderly regarding their home environment.
This inquiry has led to a special Care and Service subscription offered by a health-insurance
company which employs the doctoral student.
A kind of AA-service (car breakdown service) for the older people with immediate problems.

Stimulating this development is important; getting senior citizens involved in policy making in order to turn this care into ¨demand directed¨.

Care generates anxiety.

Despite the fact that there are numerous care organisations, senior citizens doubt their availability at the time they are most needed.
This conclusion is particularly based on stories about the problems with waiting lists.

Arnhem has a number of good facilities: the Foundation for the welfare of the older people Arnhem (SWOA) with among other things posts spread across the town where advisors and neighbourhood care-takers offer help to the aged.

Senior Citizens Guides employed by the Office Facilities for the Elderly and the Disabled visit all the older people on a regular basis and provide information regarding financial, domestic and transportation facilities.

Nevertheless the senior citizens have doubts as to their future state.
Can I trust help being available when I really need it?
Within care there are waiting lists due to shortage of staff. And the ageing of the population will burden the system in the future.

Care subscriptions, whereby a care co-ordinator arranges adequate aid when and if required may eliminate much anxiety. Obviously not all care can be given free of charge.

Collecting and streamlining information.
Despite an abundance of information our self-study group slowly and after a long search started to develop a complete picture of what is happening in the field of Senior Citizens and Living / Care and Welfare in Arnhem.
Many elderly seem unaware of all sorts of facilities, which leads to them not using the aid they are legally entitled to.
We will advise the Municipality to publicise a chart containing an up-to-date overview of the most important data, regarding care and welfare, in the annual city guide.
All Arnhem residents will then have a summary of the possibilities.
 

Answers to question 3.
What can I, being a senior citizen, contribute to my wishes and those of contemporaries being heard?

Senior citizens should combine forces.
Becoming a member of a society for the older people is essential. This also facilitates social contacts locally. It also results in the senior citizens staying better informed as both national and local bulletins regarding a variety of subjects affecting the older people will be received.
With their membership they support the national co-ordinating organisations that look after their interests and perform the task of being a discussion partner with governmental organs.

The U3A/Volksuniversiteit may play an important part.
By stimulating study groups on subjects regarding the senior citizens the U3A/Volks-universiteit may mobilise forces that are of interest to the position of senior citizens.
For next year a programme has been established which will approach the care for the older people from very different stands.

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