Access For All

Hungary does not pay enough attention to the possibilities offered by active ageing tools and by an inclusive Information Society for the elderly in relation to socio-economic competitiveness, employment, education and skills development. These indeed hold considerable potential in terms of market opportunities, productivity and growing domestic consumption.

Hungary has entered an era of accelerating loss of the demographic balance: while the Hungarian population will lessen by 10-20 percent in the next decades, society will age faster than the European average. It is foreseen, as a result, that in 2050, the legacy costs of one inactive old persons will be supported by only 2 active employees, instead of 5 today.

In a recent research, the Foundation for the Research on the Information Society has examined the process of ageing in terms of labour market activity, social contact networks, intellectual and physical activity as well as an independent and full life. It furthermore assessed the effects and drawbacks of the more or less open attitudes concerning technological innovations.

The research results have drawn a clear causal mechanism among the above aspects. Should state intervention intend to reach the strongest possible multiplier effect among the elderly, that is, in case its final objective is to increase employment and life quality, it must take account of the following lines:

1. Economic activity is most influenced by intellectual state;
2. Intellectual state is most influenced by the use of ICT tools.

Improving the accessibility and usage of ICT tools in the elderly group is therefore of substantial importance. The report calls on the government to pay special attention to this since digital tools play a provable influence on the improvement of the quality of life and intellectual activity of the aging and older people.

Unfortunately, some kind of a Matthew effect can also be demonstrated: the use of the ICT tools is basically influenced by intellectual activity, while it is one’s intellectual state and activity that can be most improved by the use of ICT tools, so those possessing a lot of cultural capital are able to accumulate even more by using these tools. This also means that those being in the highest need of the life quality improvement possibilities offered by the ICT tools show the most negative attitudes. The research thus concludes that the elderly in the Information Society represent a strongly segmented category.
Source: Official press release – Foundation for the Research on Information Society (in Hungarian)

The workshop (16 December 2009, Brussels, European Commission, Av. de Beaulieu, BU25, Room 0/S1) aims at taking stock of achievements of European level research activities in the field of ICT & Ageing and identifying themes that warrant further attention in forthcoming work programmes. The full spectrum of research is to be considered in that context including basic research, applied RTD and socio-economic research, whereby a particular focus will be on issues that need to be addressed in a more long term perspective. In conceptual regard, an interactive approach is taken and participants are expected to actively contribute to the debate during the event. With a view to facilitating a productive discussion, experts interested in participating are requested to submit a brief statement according to a pre-specified format together with their registration (see the Participant Statement form attached to this document). The feed back will be synthesised prior to the workshop and fed back into individual sessions.
Interested experts can register until 6th December 2009 via the project web site (www.ict-ageing.eu).

On 7th October during the European Open Days, the Committee of the Regions (CoR) and AGE launched a joint brochure to help local and regional actors make better use of the European tools and instruments to promote ageing well in Europe. The brochure was introduced by Cllr. Constance Hannify, President of the ECOS Commission of the CoR, Mr Lambert Van Nistelroiij, MEP, and Mrs Anne-Sophie Parent, AGE’s director.
The report of the launch event is available by clicking here.
The brochure is available in English, French and German on AGE’s website.

Senior (Social Ethical and Privacy Needs in ICT for Older People: a Dialogue Roadmap) project is organising its final conference on 27 November in Brussels, Belgium. This support action developed a systematic assessment of the social, ethical and privacy issues involved in ICT and ageing. This will help to understand what lessons should be learned from current technological trends and how to plan strategies for governing future developments, ensuring that new ICT meet the needs of senior citizens without compromising privacy and ethics. The main outcome is a roadmap which will be presented then as well.

Where?: Borschette Centre, Brussels, Belgium

Due to limited seating, please note that they reserve the right to limit the number of people attending the final conference. There is no fee for attendance, but all who would like to attend needs to contact Valeria Balestrieri (valeria.balestrieri@cssc.eu) at least two weeks in advance.

More information at the project website.

What is needed to reinvigorate the European Ageing agenda? What are the visions of ICT industry and businesses in the coming decades? How do older people, care organisations and policymakers react to business visions? We live in a world of technology communications, products and services, a world where our work, quality of life, health, and environment are all being transformed by technology. With progressive ageing of the European and worldwide population a new strategic thinking is required in business and beyond. Tackling the needs of an older population means new ways of thinking, social innovation and taking a holistic approach to ageing: at work, at home and in the community. The aim of the workshop is to identify how ICT Industry and businesses are or will be creating a new ageing vision within their own companies, with their products and services.
It takes place on 6 October 2009 at the European Parliament, Brussels, Belgium. More info at AGE-platform website.

The Commission adopted on 29 April its 2009 Communication on Ageing. The Communication identifies as one of the key policy priorities the promotion of new services and products to serve ageing populations and encourages the introduction of technology in long-term care.
The Commission Communication takes an in-depth look at the economic and budgetary impact of an ageing population over the long-term until 2060.
More information (including the accompanying Ageing Report) can be found here.
Source: e-Inclusion Newsletter – 30/04/2009