One of COFACE's big concerns is that public policy may see intergenerational solidarity as purely a family matter to the exclusion of public solidarity, especially where caring for dependent elderly people is concerned. Leaving family carers to provide all the care for dependent elderly people undermines the social inclusion (poverty risk), health (physical and/or mental exhaustion) and gender equality (most family carers are still women) of these families.

But these challenges can also be seen as real opportunities. Increasing life expectancy in particular is a big opportunity for those who wish to keep working longer, and to engage in other fulfilling or rewarding activities for others (volunteering, family life with grandchildren and even great grandchildren, continuing learning, etc.) which also make a real contribution to society (e.g., grandparent-provided childcare, volunteer-staffed homework clubs, etc.).

Furthermore, the social and health services sector is already a major and still expanding employment growth area, something that is not lightly to be dismissed in a recession.

Building an inclusive society for the elderly also means tapping all manner of innovative ventures and technologies, which offers real potential for creating jobs and developing research and new technologies.

See also: http://europa.eu/ey2012/

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Members’ activities:

1. Grandparents and Seniors Action, Gezinsbond, Belgium

Gezinsbond offers various services for families. Through the Grandparents and the Senior Action (GOSA) programme it provides continuous help, guidance and information for grandparents. Particularly, GOSA pays special attention to families where children are often left home, and to families expecting a grandchild. At local level GOSA offers several services for ageing people such as arranging meeting possibilities, holiday opportunities, sport activities, relaxation, specific trainings…

It also publishes the newly developed "Letter to Young Grandparents” which communication tool represents the key mission of Gezinsbond; provide support and information to families in different phases of their life. Furthermore, GOSA offers the following services to its members: managing crisis situations as a grandparent, providing information on health insurance premiums, helping grandchild and grandparent relationships.

Additionally, Gezinsbond publishes a quarterly newspaper „ACTIVE” which publication provides up-to-date information to grandmothers and grandfathers on today’s society. This magazine also introduces all the themes and activities of GOSA.

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2. Granny/Grandpa Service, KFÖ, Austria

In Austria, the Granny – Service helps young families to find babysitting for those whose grandparents are either deceased or not available for quick babysitting. Young couples often search for a reliable person to care for their children, in line with many older people who would like to take care of children, however in their own environment there is no way to do so. To merge both interests, the Association of Catholic Organisations of Austria offers special care service by carefully selecting, training and mediating substitute "Grannies”.

The Granny Service programme endeavours families and grandmas (and sometimes grandfathers) to get together, thus older people can bring their experience, love and patience as a valuable contribution to family life and in turn get to know the problems of the younger generation. It is a short-term care service in the area of Graz for an average rate of six to eight Euros per hour. At this moment KFÖ’s programme activates more than 100 Grannies with growing success and reputation in Austria.

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3. "The Age, the problem” project, Familles de France

"The Age, the problem” project aims to organise and facilitate discussion between different generations: children, adolescents, seniors and families, on how to live together and learn from each other. Between March and July 2012, the organisers of this project will visit targeted audiences in Metz, France to collect and hear evidences or proposals which stories will be later transformed into an exhibition.   The presentation of the project results will include three aspects: a wall of photographs, an exhibition panel and movie screening. After the first experimental exhibition, Familles de France is planning to prepare more materials to be used for meetings or conferences to reflect on the theme of intergenerational living. The following stakeholders are targeted with the initiative: wider public, several decision makers and politicians, civil society organisations, service providers, companies etc.

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4. Family and Childcare Centre-KMOP, Greece

Since the late 1970s, the Athens-based KMOP has been engaged in several activities aiming to improve the quality of life of elderly and to promote their independent living conditions. In 1979, KMOP was assigned by the Greek Ministry of Health & Social Welfare to design and set up the first Open Care Community centres (KAPI) in various areas of the Attiki region, Greater Athens. KMOP successfully operated these Centres up to 1983, when they were handed over to local authorities. KMOP still maintains an advisory role with these Centres, with strengthened focus in 2012 when the European Year revolves around the questions of ageing and intergenerational solidarity.

In the years that followed, KMOP’s social services consistently provided advisory services to elderly people, focused on the development of innovative actions and the exchange of elderly- centred "know how”. KMOP is also very active in European projects such as: HOPE, a platform which enables elderly people with Alzheimer’s disease to use innovative technologies for a more independent life, or AGNES which aims to enhance the quality life of older people. Additionally, KMOP participated in the ‘European Reference Framework Online for the Prevention of Elder Abuse and Neglect’(EuROPEAN) project which was funded by the European Commission and aimed to establish, over a two year period, a reference framework of good policy measures and practices for the prevention of elder abuse.

In 2012, KMOP continues to provide integrated services to senior citizens through the implementation of the aforementioned projects, as well as the development of new activities aiming to assist elderly in their everyday life and promote their rights in Greece and abroad.

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5. Integrational Loans, Fonds du Logement Wallon, Belgium

Fonds du Logement Wallon (FLW), (Walloon Housing Fund) is a cooperative corporation active on advising, monitoring, and coordinating organisations working in the field of housing, finance or social service policies. FLW’s Integrational Loans project provides support for retirement aged persons as well as seniors who often prefer to continue to live in their homes, houses and everyday neighbourhood, close to their family in contact with their relatives. Individuals who wish to not to integrate and obtain nursing home care services may apply for FLW counselling and advice.

In this context, FLW has adapted its mechanism of support for families by allowing them to benefit from reduced-rate mortgages therefore able to host one or more parents who are at least 60 years. After the official agreement, the elderly parents resides either in the home of a relative or in a specific neighbourhood located close to the base property of the family member. The project also aims to contribute to the changing needs of an ageing population which Europe is experiencing, boost intergenerational relationships between grandparents and grandchildren as well as help the improvement of the safety circumstances of senior’s people.

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