Ageing in Belgium Bovy Claire Deneil Hélène Mairy Pierre-Olivier Navet Amandine Racot Valérie Taybi Samira Teacher: Biernaux Marie-Frédérique

An other view of ageing Our population in maybe younger than 50 years ago Stereotypes : change your mind about that

Belgium case Ageing ? When do you become a senior citizen ? Senior citizen population can be devided in two parts  The actifs  The others

Belgium case Belgium

Belgium case What is the problem for us ?  Social security

Belgium case Still working Retirement Assistance needed 45 years old The end of your life

Belgium case Still working 45 years old The end of your life  Difficulties for seniors at work  Advantages for the organization  Belgium state’s help  Solutions to keep elderly to work

Physical and psychological difficulties PhysicalPsychological  Physical capacity ↘  5 senses ↘  Tiredness ↗  Memory ↘  Attention ↘  Work intensity ↘  Response time ↗

Advantages to have elder workers They bring:  Experience  Ambition  Great capacity of adaptation  Great competences

Belgium State helps elderly to stay employed Advantages for the employers  Reduction of costs  Financial help to adapt the working conditions  Professional experience’s found Advantages for the workers  Senior vacation  Bonus for lighter function  Double premium for the training  Complement of salary for unemployed people who return to work after 50 years old

In the future… In 2012 the Belgium government takes two decisions  Employment plan for every company  The obligation to dismiss in every category of age in case of collective dismissal

Solutions to keep elderly at work Training and professional improvement Promotion and mobility Tutoring Adaptation of the working time Ergonomic adaptation Recognition → « Baton passing »

« Baton Passing » Invention of Victor Newman in 1980 Transfer of knowledge from elder worker to new arrival

Methodology A person helps the knowledge's’ transfer between the two participants Simple and team « Baton Passing »

Three steps 1.Discussion between the (facilitator) and the older worker 2.Discussion between the (facilitator) and the new arrival 3.Meeting all together

Belgium case Retirement 45 years old The end of your life  Pension  Pension bonus

Pension The age of the retirement How is it calculated ? The amount : between 60 and 75 % Early retirement

Pension bonus Who can use it ? 2 conditions :  To be 62 years old  OR to have 44 years of career A fixed amount

Belgium case Assistance needed 45 years old The end of your life  How to keep busy  Troubles of the elderly  Solutions for elderly  Intergenerational solidarity

What are seniors doing to keep themselves busy ? Volunteering « Clubs » Training: University of seniors

Troubles of the elderly

Solutions for elderly Home Care  H ome delivery services  Home meal delivery services  Physiotherapy

Place :  Rest home  Day and overnight reception centre  Communing housing Common spaces Private spaces Advantages :  Cheap  Win-win relationship: 2 or 3 generations help each other  The olders live in better health

Solutions?... What about Intergenerational Solidarity? Intergenerational Solidarity: the principles.  Think Different… about Ageing : different generations so everyone is an essential actor in the society.  The olders teach and share their experiences with the youngers.  The youngers teach and take care of olders.  That means : different generations  One population united.

Advantages of Intergenerational Solidarity  To preserve social links.  To create a way to stabilish the economy.  To maintain the activity of the older part of the population with the fast evolution of the society.  To preserve the health of the population.

The solidarity concept

Definition of Solidarity A commitment Mutual Responsibility A feeling in each of us

Consequences: Solidarity = A Moral Duty Solidarity = A process to aim ethics and justice values.

Three essential criteria: What about a Human commitment? Is the solution in favor of the weakest people? Of the persons exclude? Could the solution allow a better « live together » between different generations in society? If the solution fills the three criteria so the Solidarity Concept is guaranteed.