INTERNATIONAL LONGEVITY CENTRE - UK, A think-tank impacting policy on longevity, ageing and population change

Mission

Care for later is care for now!
ILC-the Netherlands (ILC-NL) is an independent movement of people who have the aim to put aging high on the social and political agenda. The goal is to activate people in thinking about active and healthy aging in an early stage by organizing debates, media attention, and sharing experiences and expertise, both nationally and internationally. ILC-NL is committed to the independence state of being of the elderly, requiring tailored conditions, skills and a good living environment. The vitality of the elderly should be promoted while vulnerability and dependency are deferred as long as possible. Also it is important to remain active as an employee, volunteer or entrepreneur without being discriminated because of age.

Partnership

ILC-NL has initiated partnerships with the Leyden Academy on Ageing and Vitality: a pioneer organization who educates master students and managers to improve the quality of life of older people; Vereniging Het Zonnehuis: an organization who tries to increase the knowledge for better institutional care; and Rode Kruisvereniging West-Brabant: a regional association for care close to home. Furthermore, cooperation also took place with Vereniging AEGON, Communication Concert, Fund RCOAK, Fund Sluyterman van Loo, Geron, Stichting Instituut Gak, Van Bylandt Fund, Vilans and ZonMw.

Recent major activities / programs

The three Special Interest Groups (SIGs) Awareness, information and communication; Housing, care and welfare, and Labour, income and participation are very active. They discuss relevant developments concerning their theme and examine how ILC-NL can translate this into specific activities with and without its partners. Below you will find a listing of current activities linked to a SIG. ESF Age Network (SIG awareness, information and communication). The goal is to use the ESF investments to improve the functioning of the labour market and to align these with demographic changes. The Ministry of Social Affairs is leading this project in the Netherlands and has asked ILC-NL to coordinate and monitor the internal and external communication. More information about this project can be found on the website www.esfage.eu. Duration: February 2010-February 2013.

Wage indicator 45-plus (SIG awareness, information and communication)
Do older workers still feel welcome at their workplace? Are they more expensive or even cheaper than young people? Are they offered more or less training than younger people? It is assumed that the answers to the questions are influenced by the characteristics of the respondents (such as education, age, gender, company size, labour hours, wages, and health), and that the economic crisis has affected the answers. Given the relevance of this problem in Dutch society, information about the perception of older workers and (loss of) their work is useful for policy and politics. The analysis is made possible by Stichting Instituut Gak. Duration: November 2009-November 2012.

Innovations in housing and care schemes (SIG housing, care and welfare)
StadsdorpZuid is a citizen’s initiative in Southern Amsterdam. This initiative is inspired by Village movement in the USA. It aims that older people can live as long as possible, active, healthy and safe in their own home and own neighbourhood. A focus is given to decrease loneliness and to create activities where people meet: this social aspect is of great importance. Also there is a list of addresses of trustworthy and reasonable priced services, handymen and restaurants and shops that deliver healthy and delicious food with a discount. There is a contract with a home care organization for providing good personal home assistance. This pilot project is made possible by Van Bylandt Fund, Fund Sluyterman van Loo and Fund RCOAK. Duration phase 2: October 2011-December 2012.

Continue working after 60 (SIG awareness, information and communication)
What are the practical experiences and opinions of people who stand or have stood for the question whether or not to retire or to accept early retirement? We hope to uncover this in a bottom-up qualitative study, by interviewing over 40 low and high educated men and women. A pilot study is done and was made possible by the Jan Brouwer Fund. For the continuation of the project we are still searching for further grants. Duration: December 2011-January 2013.

The second half of your life (SIG labour, income and participation)
The European Commission has declared 2012 the European year of active aging, in order to raise more awareness and to stimulate discussion. This could lead to better services for older people, increasing the involvement in the community and reduce barriers between generations. With this in mind Concert Communications and ILC-NL are exploring possibilities for a public campaign concerning people’s plans for the second half of their life in order to prepare people for their future.

Future activities

• Strengthen our position as a network organisation.
• Strengthen the movement of people who wish to influence their own future and to improve intergenerational cooperation.
• Increase our communication about our goals and (project) outcomes.

Key staff

General board

• A.H.M. Wouters, president
• Prof. dr. M.G. Boekholdt, secretary
• Ir. M.C. van Veen, treasurer
• Prof. dr. J.T. Allegro
• Prof. dr. W.A. Arts
• Drs. A.C.M. Breij
• Drs. H. Bakkerode
• Drs. T. van den Klinkenberg
• H. Muller
• W. Sandberg
• H.J. van Tilborg
• Prof. dr. R.G.J. Westendorp

Special Interest Groups (SIG)

• Awareness, information and communication: Drs. H. Bakkerode, W. Sandberg
• Housing, care and welfare: Prof. dr. J.T. Allegro, Prof. dr. M.G. Boekholdt, Drs. T. van den Klinkenberg
• Labour, income and participation: Prof. dr. W.A. Arts, Drs. A.C.M. Breij, Ir. M.C. van Veen, H. Muller

Management team

• Ir. M.A.E. van der Waal, director
• Y.J. Koemans, office assistant
• F.H. Fiechter, project coordinator (untill 1-5-2012)
• J.M.M. de Gruijter, communications officer

Contact

ILC the Netherlands
Rijnsburgerweg 10
2333 AA Leiden
The Netherlands
Phone: +31 71 5240960
Email: info@ilczorgvoorlater.nl
Website: www.ilczorgvoorlater.nl