ILC-NL board member leads the formation of European Consortiums for Healthy Ageing


The Netherlands is the best country to grow old in – this was the conclusion of a survey by the American 50plus organisation AARP in 2004. The AARP conducted this survey in 16 industrialised countries and focussed on key quality-of-life issues such as health care, work, education, taxes and social programs. According to a recent European study, this small country with 16 million inhabitants is also the best country to be young and grow up in. Maybe we can be proud of these achievements, and naturally we are.

But.... there is always a but, and the AARP report stated at the time `but no place is perfect'. A disturbing phenomenon is that life expectancy in the Netherlands from the age of 65 upwards has dropped from a top ranking position last century in the seventies to below average in the 25 EU-member states. This is why ILC Netherlands is calling for a new commitment from the government, social partners and the relevant institutions to `healthy ageing'. Substantial investments in research and health care arrangements for ageing citizens are required. We need a comprehensive strategy for a life course perspective based on anticipation and prevention.

Last week, an 85 million Euro national research program was proposed to the government in a joint campaign by several research institutions. ILC's board member, the distinguished professor Rudi Westendorp, took the lead in the formation of a Consortium for Healthy Ageing, in which a number of public and private institutions provide an effective infrastructure within which researchers can cooperate in the program. The time seems to be right for such type of joint ventures and cooperation in the field of challenging ageing issues. It is now widely recognized that demographic changes in the coming decades require a quick and effective response. This holds true especially for the labour market which does not easily assimilate positive attitudes towards older workers, even though legislation to counter discrimination has been in force since 2004 and notwithstanding a 21 million Euro government investment program which has run for three years to initiate high quality `age management' in Dutch enterprises.

Both the public service and the private sector face severe staff shortages in the coming years, but employers still do not develop strategies to retain their older employees. There are some developments, however. Staff shortages forced the building industry to spend 50 million Euros on a career support program for older workers which is based on the successful age management strategies developed by Prof. Dr. Ilmarinen from the Finnish Institute for Occupational Health. In addition, Antony Burgmans (until recently President of Unilever) said at the annual ILC NL Jan Brouwer Conference in January that the research department of this successful food multinational had been inspired by ILC USA's chairman Robert Butler to adapt research efforts to the ageing consumer and build on new knowledge. So some change is taking place and we are learning to use international networks to adopt and implement innovations from other countries.

`At the centre of it all, ILC Netherlands emerges as a new player in the field, connecting international and national knowledge to a growing network of change agents who are reaching out to citizens, who must deal in one way or another with their long term future in the `Silver Age', according to ILC Netherlands' president Jacques Schraven. `A generative mood should encourage generations to take care of each other and see the positive side of developing a Silver Economy in which older citizens and consumers are valued for their contribution and potential.' At the Silver Economy Conference of the Province of Limburg, held in Kerkrade in November 2006, 550 representatives from large and medium-sized businesses and researchers discussed future developments with European and American experts. `Turn Silver Into Gold' was the message given by the founder of the American Seniornet, Mary Furlong. It still resounds throughout commercial and non-commercial networks.

At home, ILC Netherlands operates under the name ILC Zorg voor Later which is similar to the wonderful ILC UK slogan `Planning Tomorrow Today'. In partnership with institutions such as the AEGON Trust Fund, companies and government agencies, a age citzens can fully participate. We need Centres of Excellence in many areas and we also require the best talented young people to speed up scientific development, to study the impact of population ageing and to enrich us with new strategy is being developed to prepare the ageing Dutch economy and society for a brighter future. `It all comes down to building bridges between high quality networks and citizens,' says Jacques Schraven, `and to improving the level of `health literacy' in our population. Information Technology will play a big role in this and the Netherlands is happy to lead the way in designing IT support systems for local area networks in which third ideas, concepts and opportunities. In so doing they will create their own golden and sustainable age.'

President of ILC Netherlands, Jacques Schraven