OSCE, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 27: Final Report - Special Representative on Elderly Issues of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly

OSCEs Parlamentariske Forsamling 2021-22
OSCE Alm.del Bilag 27
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OSCE PA Special Representative on Elderly Issues,

Paola Taverna

Annual Report August 2021-July 2022

29th OSCE PA Annual Session, Birmingham

2-6 July 2022

OSCE, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 27: Final Report - Special Representative on Elderly Issues of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly

Paola Taverna (Italy) was appointed OSCE PA Special Representative on

Elderly Issues in August 2021. As Special Representative, she works to

promote OSCE PA engagement on issues facing senior citizens in the OSCE

area and facilitate the exchange of best practices on elderly issues. The

Special Representative also strives to enhance welfare policies and

support for the elderly in the OSCE area and focus the Assembly's

attention on promoting measures to facilitate healthy aging.

First elected to parliament in the 2013 Italian general elections, Taverna

was elected Vice-President of the Senate in March 2018.

As Special Representative on Elderly Issues, she is mandated, inter alia,

to work co-operatively with relevant international organizations and

authorities of OSCE participating States.

Mandate:

•

Raise awareness in the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly regarding the issues faced by the rapidly

growing elderly population.

Stimulate the Assembly on measures to facilitate healthy and active aging to maximize the

opportunities that come from longevity.

Facilitate the exchange of best practices on elderly issues and consider ways to enhance welfare

policies and support for the elderly in the OSCE area.

Co-operate and interact with relevant international organizations and competent authorities of the

OSCE participating States.

•

OSCE, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 27: Final Report - Special Representative on Elderly Issues of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly

In the exercise of my mandate, in order to enhance my understanding on the rapidly growing elderly

population in the OSCE region and get acquainted with the best practices, issues, challenges and perspectives

regarding senior citizens, I held a series of meetings with parliamentarians, governmental officials,

representatives of political parties, experts and representatives of the civil society from diverse OSCE

participating States. I further conducted a visit on the ground in Germany in late June to view in person

housing modules for elderly citizens, co-operative housing facilities, barrier-free apartments and meet with

experts on the topic. My meetings have been both in-person

and online, making full use of today’s modern

technologies and opportunities.

I wish to reiterate my appreciation to President Margareta Cederfelt for having shown sensibility towards

the importance of this topic and for having appointed me Special Representative last August.

My work as Special Representative was facilitated by the assistance of the OSCE PA International Secretariat

and by the expertise of

Junior Professional Officer

Roberto Ferrari.

List of activities as Special Representative on Elderly Issues:

•

20 December 2021 - Web meeting with the UK All-Party Parliamentary Group for Longevity.

17 January 2022 - Web meeting with the Rapporteur of the 2nd Committee of the OSCE PA, Gudrun

Kugler.

3-4 November 2021 - Interim oral report on the occasion of the OSCE PA Online Autumn Meeting.

21 February 2022 - Web meeting with the German National Association of

Senior Citizens’

Organisations (BAGSO).

23 February 2022, Vienna - Meeting with the Commissioner for European Affairs of the Austrian

Seniors’ Association/ÖSB (Österreichischer Seniorenbund),

Heinz Kurt Becker.

24 February 2022, Vienna - Meeting with the Special Representative on Youth Engagement of the

OSCE PA, Farah Karimi.

24-25 February 2022, Vienna - Interim oral report on the occasion of the OSCE PA Winter Meeting

28 February 2022 - Web meeting with the Minister Delegate for Personal Independence of the French

Republic, Brigitte Bourguignon.

4 April 2022, Copenhagen - Interim oral report on the occasion of the OSCE PA Bureau Meeting

17 June 2022, Rome - United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Ministerial

Conference on Ageing 2022:

introductory remarks on the occasion of “the

coordination of ageing

policies in Italy”

side-event.

•

OSCE, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 27: Final Report - Special Representative on Elderly Issues of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly

•

22 June 2022 - Web meeting with the Minister of Social Policy of Ukraine, Maryna Lazebna.

27-28 June 2022 - Official visit to Germany (Hanover and Hamburg).

3 July 2022, Birmingham - Dedicated Panel on Elderly Ukrainian refugees on the occasion of the UK

Panel on Prevention of War Crimes Side Event during the 2-6 July 2022 OSCE PA Annual Session.

5 July 2022, Birmingham - Oral remarks on the Annual Report on Elderly Issues on the occasion of

the 2-6 July 2022 OSCE PA Annual Session.

•

According to the World Health Organization, by 2030, 1 in 6 people in the world will be aged 60 years or over.

At this time the share of the population aged 60 years and over will increase from 1 billion in 2020 to 1.4

billion. By 2050, the world’s population of people aged 60 years and older will double (2.1 billion). The

number of persons aged 80 years or older is expected to triple between 2020 and 2050 to reach 426 million

We are therefore faced with a challenging scenario which requires the implementation of measures in

diverse sectors to facilitate avenues of opportunity.

Throughout my meetings, I have personally experienced the added value of sharing different approaches and

ideas which may be replicated throughout our region to produce tangible results.

The idea of setting up informal working groups, which put together the experiences of civil society and the

political sphere may produce added value for our citizens. Such topic was discussed during my meeting in

December 2021 with the UK All Party Parliamentary Group for Longevity. In the same direction, the

importance of maintaining co-operation between the civil society and the political sphere was discussed

during my meeting in February 2022 with the

Commissioner for European Affairs of the Austrian Seniors’

Association, Heinz Kurt Becker, together with the opportunities represented by the establishment of

Associations of Elderly Citizens in the context of both social and political activities.

In a similar vein, in February 2022 my meeting with BAGSO Germany and representatives of its various

ramifications allowed me to explore the German approach with specific focus on its activities in the capacity

of a highly structured umbrella Association of 120 civil society organizations. My meeting subsequently paved

the way for a visit on the ground in late June 2022 to view concretely modern housing options for elderly

citizens, which, in addition to the living space, offer a virtuous ecosystem not only for the benefit of the

elderly, but also for younger generations in terms of intergenerational encounters and work opportunities.

The French approach, which I had the opportunity to discuss in February 2022 with its Minister Delegate for

Personal Independence, Brigitte Bourguignon, features a strong emphasis on the topic of personal

independence related to senior age, with provisions aimed at allowing senior citizens to postpone the phase

of dependency, while making full use of the opportunities in terms of experience which accompany longevity.

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ageing-and-health

OSCE, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 27: Final Report - Special Representative on Elderly Issues of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly

My meeting with my colleague Gudrun Kugler (Austria) in January 2022 allowed us to explore the many

interlinkages of the topic of longevity with the work put forward by the Second Committee. Elderly Issues in

fact present cross-dimensional characteristics and require a holistic approach.

With the Special Representative on Youth Engagement, Farah Karimi (The Netherlands) we had the

opportunity to discuss on the margins of our Winter Meeting the many common aspects of our respective

mandates and agreed on the relevance of keeping both topics closely connected to make the best use of the

energy of younger generations, together with the experience of senior citizens.

The June 2022 Rome UNECE Ministerial Conference on Ageing allowed me to address participants from

diverse countries in my hometown, combining my commitment to Elderly Issues in my national context as

Coordinator of the Italian

all-party parliamentary group:

“Longevity. Socio-economic perspectives” with my

engagement in the multilateral sphere in the context of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.

The tragic suffering of innocent civilians in Ukraine, which exposes women, children and the elderly

population to the direst consequences was at the centre of my web meeting with the Minister of Social Policy

of Ukraine, Maryna Lazebna. I expressed maximum solidarity with the Minister, who informed me about the

serious difficulties faced by the Ukrainian senior citizens in the context of the war, especially for their inability

to escape and adapt to emergencies. The Ministry of Social Policy managed to evacuate senior citizens from

several nursing homes in the bombed areas where they were living and began the relocation work, also

thanks to international solidarity.

During the Annual Session in Birmingham, from 2 to 6 July 2022, I had the opportunity to elaborate upon the

topic of elderly people in the Ukrainian conflict, inviting Ukrainian elderly citizens to share their personal

experiences as refugees since the start of the war during a Dedicated Panel on the occasion of the Panel on

Prevention of War Crimes organized by the Delegation of the UK to the OSCE PA, together with the Presidency

of the PA. interior of a side event on war crimes organized by the UK delegation and the Presidency of the

Assembly.

Elaborating upon longevity, therefore, does not only mean talking about problems and concerns for the

future, it also means thinking positively, aspiring to a quality existence, in which we can develop passion and

interests, enjoying time doing what makes us feel good, dedicating ourselves to the affections. This is

essentially the main lesson that I have gained in these two years of work on and for elderly people, both at

the level of the Italian intergroup on socio-economic perspectives of longevity and at the international level.

We must

project ourselves towards a “culture of longevity”

and realize, by uniting all the forces available in

politics and society, a real revolution that puts the person at the centre, starting with those who have often

been forgotten and who, instead, can unleash in society a potential not yet fully expressed.

OSCE, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 27: Final Report - Special Representative on Elderly Issues of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly

20 December 2021 - Web meeting with the UK All-Party Parliamentary Group for Longevity

Last December I held an online meeting with

the UK All Party Parliamentary Group for

Longevity.

In some OSCE participating States, including

the United Kingdom and Italy, parliamentarians

have established cross-party parliamentary

groups to share considerations and discuss

through a more sophisticated understanding

the issues faced by the elderly population. All-

party groups may also count on the

contribution of individuals and organisations

from outside Parliament in their administration and activities, creating avenues for raised awareness on the

topic in domestic and international settings.

I believe this format constitutes a best practice which may be exported and replicated in the whole OSCE

area because it strengthens the connection between civil society e parliament.

The virtual exchange with the UK All Party Parliamentary Group for Longevity allowed me to delve into the

government’s goal to increase healthy life expectancy by 5 years by 2035 (HLE+5), while also reducing the

gap in life expectancy between the wealthiest and poorest groups. A topic extensively covered by the UK

group in its February 2020 Health of the Nation report.

I was informed by the group that the Government’s HLE+5 plan was one of

the main drives for its

establishment, also to trigger increased awareness on the relevance of the topic in the domestic and

international context.

The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the process of digitalisation in the UK and OSCE area, which may

constitute a fundamental tool to achieving long-term goals such as, for example, the use of digital means to

make health treatments more effective and to correct unhealthy dietary habits which increase the likelihood

of requiring medical treatment. Further with regard to digital means, we highlighted the importance of

improving the exchange of information between hospitals and care facilities for the elderly in order to speed

up procedures and make assistance more effective.

The meeting gave the opportunity to debate on the fundamental role played by healthcare workers in elderly

care, whose staff unfortunately in the OSCE region is under-sized. Hence, we must strive to allocate additional

resources to these professions, also to make them more attractive.

In conclusion, we agreed that in addition to social, health and economic policies, we require a cultural

transition; with institutions engaging in a didactic phase, operating additional efforts starting from the

schools.

OSCE, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 27: Final Report - Special Representative on Elderly Issues of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly

17 January 2022 - Web meeting with the Rapporteur of the 2nd Committee of the OSCE PA, Gudrun

Kugler

The issues faced by the elderly population are a cross-dimensional topic with reverberations on ample areas

of our oversight and mandate. I had the pleasure of holding a web meeting with my PA colleague, Rapporteur

of the Second Committee (on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology & Environment), Gudrun Kugler (Austria)

and wish to praise her for the sensitivity she has shown with regard to the issues faced by senior citizens.

We shared the concern about the birth rate and the crisis in the labour market. These processes lead, among

other things, to the depopulation of rural areas, the closure of schools and the decline in the value of

properties. To counter these phenomena, further investments are required for digitization, infrastructures

and services. Measures are also needed to encourage intergenerational encounters, favoured for example

by co-housing.

My colleague Gudrun Kugler highlighted that the Second Committee could well

be called the “future”

Committee as the issues addressed in this setting are fundamental for the future of the OSCE region. Further,

I listened to a very interesting idea, given the high relevance of elderly issues, Gudrun outlined her proposal

of establishing a

Minister “for generations”

“for demographic development”

“for

intergenerational

cooperation” and / or an

ad hoc department on these topics.

Following the meeting Dr. Kugler also forwarded me a thought-provoking document with regard to Austrian

best practices concerning elderly issues. Most notably, I believe the provision of including students in

municipal retirement homes,

lowering their rent to 220€ in change of five

hours a week of work as volunteers

is a very intelligent proposal to facilitate intergenerational co-operation end encounters.

OSCE, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 27: Final Report - Special Representative on Elderly Issues of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly

21 February 2022 - Web meeting with the German National Association of Senior

Citizens’ Organisations

(BAGSO)

Andreas Kruse, Paola Taverna, Heidrun Mollenkopf, Ina Voelcker, Romy Reimer

My meeting with Board Member of BAGSO Dr. Heidrun Mollenkopf, Chair of the German Ageing Report

Commission Prof. Andreas Kruse, Project Manager at

“Forum”

Community Housing Federal Association Dr.

Romy Reimer and Project Manager at the BAGSO Secretariat for International Policy on Ageing Mrs. Ina

Voelcker allowed me to explore the German approach in addressing the challenges pertaining to the rapidly

growing elderly population.

During the discussion Mrs. Voelcker informed me that BAGSO in its capacity as National Association of Senior

Citizens’

Organisations serves as an umbrella Association of 120 civil society organizations that address the

issues faced by senior citizens, its headquarters are located in Bonn.

Prof. Kruse elaborated upon the two pillars of longevity: the potential (individual and cultural heritage

enshrined in senior age) and vulnerability (physical, cognitive and economic). He deems that these two pillars

are linked and that science, society and political representatives have the task and responsibility to drive

forward prevention measures, therapies and rehabilitation treatments to allow for the elderly to limit the

consequences of pathologies and preserve autonomy. He further highlighted that the political environment

is studying housing formulas and digital means to enable the elderly citizens to continue to be independent.

In this regard BAGSO, on the one hand, seeks strategies to integrate elderly citizens within the political debate

so that they can give their contribution to the shaping of contexts together with the new generations, most

notably at municipal and neighborhood level. On the other hand, displays strategies to motivate the elderly

in continuing to give their contribution when in their retirement phase, to the political world, for example in

the field of the inclusion of younger generations in the labour market.

OSCE, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 27: Final Report - Special Representative on Elderly Issues of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly

With specific regard to the German Ageing Report Commission, in each legislature, reports by the Federal

Government on the topic of seniority for the use of the entire Parliament address the issues faced by senior

citizens, with important reverberations at the political level (inter alia, senile dementia, housing issues,

digitalisation). The Commission includes reflections drawn from the world of science, civil society and politics

which can be translated into legislative tools to improve the lives of the elderly population. BAGSO integrates

reports by the German Ageing Report Commission by including contributions from civil society and

subsequently distributes them among its members to collect the most valid project ideas.

Dr. Reimer provided me with considerations on the activities undertaken

by “Forum”

Community Housing

Federal Association which was established thirty years ago and counts sixteen regional offices throughout

the German territory. Its main focus is co-housing and more broadly innovative means of housing in line with

worldwide demographic developments, which allow a broad spectrum of advantages for the elderly,

including the contrast to loneliness.

Such demographic developments, and most notably the aging population require to reinforce home-care

tools and ensure easy access to homes, contain the price of rentals and facilitate the inclusion of senior

citizens in a context that gives space for their autonomy. Inter alia, the layout of student residencies (which

feature large kitchens and meeting rooms) is replicated also for the elderly, in addition to the organization

of sporting and cultural activities.

Co-housing is further linked to various services and job opportunities (for example outpatient practices within

the apartment building, with a rehabilitative approach). Such projects are supported at federal, state and

local level (for example in Hamburg 10-15% of real estate units are made available to co-housing; in Weimar

there is an apartment building for disabled people inside former disused barracks).

Dr. Mollenkopf informed me that this year in Rome the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

(UNECE) Ministerial Conference on Ageing will present the occasion to take stock of the Madrid International

Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA) at the twentieth anniversary of its conception. The conference will feature

the participation of all UNECE participating States and will be an opportunity to discuss at multilateral level

issues connected to the aging population, as well as to gather ideas for the future. I had the honour to share

remarks during the Conference which was held on 15-17 June and was glad to meet Dr. Mollenkopf on the

occasion. Further, Dr. Mollenkopf informed me that BAGSO has consultative status in the United Nations

Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC UN). In the UN context, BAGSO is also very active with regard to the

United Nations Open-Ended Working Group on Ageing (OEWG): The German National Association of Senior

Citizens’

Organisations

participates in the discussion on how to better protect the rights of senior citizens

around the world and supports the adoption of a UN Convention on the rights of the Elderly (in parallel to

the approved UN Conventions on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and on the Rights of the Child).

OSCE, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 27: Final Report - Special Representative on Elderly Issues of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly

23 February 2022, Vienna - Meeting with the

Commissioner for European Affairs of the Austrian Seniors’

Association/ÖSB (Österreichischer Seniorenbund), Heinz Kurt Becker

My meeting with Mr. Becker

allowed me to explore and discuss

the Austrian approach to elderly

issues, with a specific focus on the

role played by Senior Associations

in the country.

From 1952 the two main Senior

Associations are the “Association

of Pensioners in Austria”

Social

Democratic origin and the

“Austrian Seniors’ Association”

Christian Democratic origin.

The members of both Associations pay a fee of € 25 per year

and are regulated at the level of the federal

regions,

an additional 1€ per

member is provided by the State. This fee by members and funding by the State

is used to finance the services and social activities provided by the Associations in its various activities, inter

alia: In the field of sport, theatre performances, excursions and travel. These Associations count a high

number of members: One million people. Given their political background, these Associations carry out social

activities at the local level, while at the federal level they carry out political activities.

The peculiarity of the Austrian apparatus lies precisely in the fact that one section of the Associations is

dedicated to services and the other to the political activity of the parties, with the provision of a state audit

with regard to the allocation of the funding received. Further, the political sections of the main Senior

Citizens’ Associations are members of the Austrian Senior Citizens’

Council, which is their umbrella

organization and is responsible for the statutory representation of the interests of over 2.3 million senior

citizens in Austria.

The importance of these Associations is striking in consideration that 40% of the voters of the two main

parties ÖVP

(Austrian People’s

Party) and SPÖ (Social Democratic Party of Austria) in the national and regional

elections are of the third age (although these people represent 25% of society, they, however, represent 40%

of the voters).

According to Mr. Becker, the results of such an important representation can also be taken into consideration

in terms of pensions: Austrian pensioners enjoy an average pension that is 20% higher than that of German

pensioners (An average of 1500

€ per month).

Mr. Becker further elaborated upon the measures undertaken by the

Austrian Seniors’ Association

to address

the Covid-19 pandemic. Most notably, the virus triggered increased awareness of the importance of

advancing digitalization efforts for the benefit of elderly citizens in a number of fields, including telemedicine,

artificial intelligence and as a means to tackle loneliness. Also mobile and internet operators have sensed the

opportunities represented by offering services to elderly citizens (silver economy), who are

OSCE, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 27: Final Report - Special Representative on Elderly Issues of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly

the largest group of consumers and may count on a higher purchasing capacity compared to younger

generations. At the moment, however, the pension system is challenged by the declining birth rate which, in

the long term, might undermine its sustainability.

OSCE, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 27: Final Report - Special Representative on Elderly Issues of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly

24 February 2022, Vienna - Meeting with the Special Representative on Youth Engagement of the OSCE

PA, Farah Karimi

Given the close connection between issues concerning senior citizens and those concerning youth

participation, I was glad to meet our Special Representative on Youth Engagement, Senator Farah Karimi (The

Netherlands) in Vienna on the sidelines of our Winter Meeting.

Senator Karimi remarked that, inter alia, in our region in Italy, Spain and Germany demographic aging is more

pronounced and that the elderly in those countries constitute an important percentage of the population.

On the other hand, in Central Asia (for example in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan), the population below 25 years

old constitutes more than 50% of the total population, hence, in these countries policies focus on offering

youth job opportunities.

Special Representative Karimi further noted that a

“youth-elderly” collaboration path could be built on

the

basis of “power sharing”. In fact, to date,

the most important decisions, and therefore also those with the

greatest impact on future generations, are generally taken by the population over 60.

Focussing on the domestic approach of the Netherlands, I was further informed that after examining the

increase in life expectancy, the Netherlands have raised the retirement age to 67 years old. With regard to

demographic balance, the Netherlands still features positive figures, hence the population trend is

consequently with the + sign as well.

OSCE, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 27: Final Report - Special Representative on Elderly Issues of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly

28 February 2022 - Web meeting with the Minister Delegate for Personal Independence of the French

Republic, Brigitte Bourguignon

My meeting with Minister Delegate Brigitte Bourguignon allowed me to explore the French viewpoint and

strategy to address elderly issues.

The principal objective of the Minister Delegate for Personal Independence is to change the approach to the

elderly and their issues, within her mandate, the Minister Delegate is committed to finding avenues of

autonomy to push further the phase of

“dependence”.

In this regard, the main focus of the French strategy

is to intervene at all levels to allow people, if they so wish, to stay in their homes for as long as possible.

This consideration originates from the statistics which undoubtedly show us that we are moving toward a

“longevity society” in Europe, hence, the French government is promoting

an active and autonomous

longevity based on aging at home.

To this end, Madam Bourguignon informed me that the French government is intervening in support of

outworkers and “longevity professionals” to allow for their adequate formation and remuneration.

Most

notably, with the last two financial laws, important resources have been invested for these professions to

ensure, inter alia, the provision of home services, apprenticeships for young people, integration contracts

and training of nursing staff. Further, the French Government has intervened on residences for senior citizens

to make them safer and more modern (for example the construction of

“intermediate

residences”, which are

alternative to the EHPADs: “Residential

establishments for dependent elderly people”;

co-housing

formulas;

intergenerational housing and the modernization of the EHPADs, which were conceptualized twenty years

ago) with a holistic approach, involving all actors, including family members of the elderly.

This attention translates in concrete terms into the recruitment of 40.000 professionals for the assistance to

the elderly during the first phase of the Covid-19 pandemic; in the provision of 8.000 civic service jobs within

the residences for the elderly borne by the State; in the provision of a specific diploma for elderly carers and

further specialization opportunities in this field; in the establishment of the V branch of Social Security which

aims to enable better coverage of benefits related to loss of autonomy and old age. Further, Minister

Delegate Bourguignon noted that to encourage intergenerational encounters and solidarity, the EHPADs

welcome nurseries and centres for the custody of children or nursery schools (the intergenerational

encounters here materialize in various activities, for example in homework assistance).

With regard to the depopulation of small towns and medical desertification, the use of telemedicine has been

enhanced, the operational range of midwives and physiotherapists has been extended, together with the

provision of “Multidisciplinary healthcare facilities” as an alternative to hospitalization. To sustain elderly

citizens in their daily activities, local public services

“Maisons France Services”

offer support to citizens in

their administrative procedures (for example in the areas of taxation, pensions and bureaucratic procedures),

especially in small towns.

In conclusion

the French approach may also count on the support provided by the “Gérontopôles”, which

represent the regional ecosystem supporting healthy, active and autonomous aging. Their contribution is

OSCE, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 27: Final Report - Special Representative on Elderly Issues of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly

embodied in their capacity to provide innovation in the field of longevity, at research level, as well as in the

field of technology.

OSCE, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 27: Final Report - Special Representative on Elderly Issues of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly

17 June 2022, Rome - United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Ministerial Conference

on Ageing 2022: introductory remarks on the occasion of “the

coordination of ageing policies in Italy”

side-event

The UNECE Ministerial Conference on Ageing was a precious

opportunity to complete the fourth review and appraisal cycle

(2018-2022) and mark the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the

Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing and its Regional

Implementation Strategy (MIPAA/RIS).

The event, which addressed the promotion of active and healthy

ageing throughout life, stressed the importance of ensuring access

to long-term care and support for carers and families and highlighted

the significance of mainstreaming ageing to advance a society for all

ages. It featured the high-level participation of governmental

officials, parliamentarians, representatives of political parties,

experts, representatives of the civil society and scientific research.

I had the honour to share remarks during the 17 June side-event

titled: “The

coordination of ageing policies in Italy” aimed at

discussing current issues concerning the development of a national

ageing strategy in Italy in the following years.

I took the opportunity to inform the participants of my engagement on these topics in my capacity as

coordinator of an

all-party parliamentary group

titled “Longevity. Socio-economic perspectives” (Longevità.

Prospettive socio-economiche) formed by senators, deputies and longevity experts in Italy as well as in my

capacity as OSCE PA Special Representative on Elderly Issues at the multilateral level.

In my National capacity, the all-party parliamentary group first met on 23 March 2021 and has since held 12

meetings. At the centre of the meetings we have discussed various topics, to name the most significant: the

development of a national program for the quality of life of the elderly; the promotion of active longevity;

Silver economy and social and health assistance; the repopulation of rural areas through investments for

digitization, infrastructure and services; co-housing to tackle the loneliness of senior citizens, encourage

intergenerational encounters and reduce expenses.

My mandate within the OSCE PA allowed me to promote discussion in the Assembly on the key topic of

longevity, confronting myself and stimulating my colleagues from other countries on these issues, trying to

identify the best strategies.

OSCE, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 27: Final Report - Special Representative on Elderly Issues of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly

22 June 2022 - Web meeting with the Minister of Social Policy of Ukraine, Maryna Lazebna

My meeting with Ukrainian Minister

of Social Policy, Maryna Lazebna

allowed me to share considerations

on the conditions of elderly citizens in

the context of the war in Ukraine.

Since the start of the war, I have

stressed that in such tragedies the

ones suffering the most are innocent

civilians, and amongst them, children,

women and the elderly pay the

highest price.

My exchange with Minister Lazebna

focussed on opportunities to sustain elderly citizens affected by the war, most notably senior citizens who

cannot escape easily and who are psychologically more vulnerable to emergency situations. Several

residences for the elderly were evacuated due to Russian bombing. Some patients have been relocated

thanks to the international aid network that was activated by the Minister of Social Policy.

Among the various damages caused to the structures, that to the IT network is particularly damaging because

it prevents the regular provision of social services to elderly people.

OSCE, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 27: Final Report - Special Representative on Elderly Issues of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly

27-28 June 2022 - Official visit to Germany (Hanover and Hamburg)

In Germany, I had the opportunity to enhance my understanding of strategies to address demographic aging

and view German best practices.

My previous web meeting in February 2022 with representatives of the German National Association of

Senior Citizens’ Organisations (BAGSO)

was an excellent opportunity to explore the German viewpoint on the

topic of Elderly Issues and, namely, the presentation by Dr. Romy Reimer on the activities undertaken by

“Forum” Community Housing Federal Association

provided the

initial grounds for the planning of my visit.

My two-day visit to Germany focussed on the activities

undertaken by the civil society in the country, characterized by a

strong public/private partnership.

My first meeting took place in Hanover on 27 June with

representatives of

“Forum” Community Housing Federal

Association (FORUM

Gemeinschaftliches Wohnen e.V.

Bundesvereinigung).

Romy Reimer, Andrea Beerli, Stefanie Röder,

Jana Ostermann and Chairman Josef Bura illustrated the role of

“Forum”

in relation to the implementation of projects promoted

by the Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women

and Youth, by Land of Lower Saxony or at local level.

“Forum”

provides consultancy

both

directly

and

through

public

initiatives, such as

conferences

and

through the production

information

material.

Hanover, 27 June 2022, Special Representative on

Elderly Issues Paola Taverna visiting the premises

of “FORUM”

Community Housing Federal

Association

At the federal level, Forum is connected with other 26 entities and

is part of the German National Association of Senior Citizens’

Organizations

(BAGSO)

(Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft

der

Seniorenorganisationen).

The main activity relates to model

projects, based on public incentives for the construction of

buildings intended for social purposes, and aimed at housing

formulas for the elderly: buildings in which senior citizens and

young people live together (intergenerational living), or only

elderly people live (singles or couples). These housing units feature

Hanover, 27 June 2022, Special Representative on

common areas in which the residents can socialize and may count

Elderly Issues Paola Taverna visiting the Housing

on personal services (some buildings also feature outpatient

Cooperative

“Self-Help Linden”

treatment spaces for an initial therapeutic orientation). There are

also buildings in which elderly people and families with children live together, creating new so-called

“elective

family communities”

OSCE, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 27: Final Report - Special Representative on Elderly Issues of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly

(“Wahlverwandtschaften”).

This made synergies possible, such as custody of minor children to elderly

tenants by working mothers. In an experimental form, telemedicine initiatives are supporting traditional

medical assistance.

Subsequently, I visited the housing co-operative Self-Help Linden (Wohnen

und Leben im Alter in Hannover-

Mitte Wohnungsgenossenschaft Selbsthilfe Linden e.G.)

in Hanover/Ohestraße, guided by Klaas Leideck.

These are several buildings acquired by two cooperatives, one made up of seven single people (or couples),

the other of 14 single people (or couples). The allocation of the buildings took place on the basis of a notice

from the Municipality for the recovery of public land with social projects (evaluated by a Commission). In the

building complex, there was also a large common room and a kitchen where people, if they wish, can meet

and carry out activities. Experience has shown that these communities are united by a strong feeling of

solidarity. It could happen, for example, that elderly people, already retired, would look after the young

children of a couple. Or, as had recently happened, a Ukrainian refugee who found hospitality with one of

the families and received free German language lessons from a retired teacher.

The residents paid a certain amount of money to the cooperative with which the buildings were built. In

return, they received substantial discounts on rent. The cost of the apartments was

around € 5,500 per

square metre, a slightly lower price than market prices. As for the cost of rent,

they range between € 3 and

€ 10 per square

metre per month. On the third floor the apartment of an elderly couple had been divided in

such a way as to allow it to be divided into

two distinct units in the event of the death

of one of the two spouses.

My visit to Hanover was completed by a

visit to Hanova Living Plus self-determined

living (WOHNEN

PLUS Pfarrlandstraße

Linden-Nord)

in Hanover/Pfarrlandstraße.

The project was carried out by the

company Hanova Srl, 90% owned by the

Municipality of Hanover. Leading the

presentation and the visit were Karsten

Tech, from Hanova, and Claudia Fischer

from Johanniter, a support organization.

Hanova, with 350 employees, is

responsible in the city of Hanover for

Hanover, 27 June 2022, Special Representative on Elderly Issues Paola Taverna

around 15,000 accommodations. The

visiting the Hanova “Living Plus” Self-Determined

living project

structure consists of mainly small-sized

apartments and studios for single people of about 45 square metres, built without architectural barriers.

The facility also features a large common

room and a kitchen (called “meeting coffee”).

In this area it is

possible to organize common musical and cultural initiatives open to all the residents of the neighborhood.

There was also an empty apartment which owners or tenants could rely on in case of need (for example in

OSCE, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 27: Final Report - Special Representative on Elderly Issues of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly

the event they had undergone surgery and needed a period of rehabilitation or had to host relatives or friends

for short periods).

Home services have been organized around the people who live in the building (which beneficiaries must pay

directly or through their health insurance).

The criterion of the applicant’s

income and age was followed for the allocation of housing.

A resident with 100% mobility impairments, Mr. Larry Golke, 55, a municipality employee, confirmed the

benefits of living in the visited building.

On 28 June, I had the opportunity to meet with representatives of the Hamburg Coordination Office for

Residential Care Communities

(“STATTBAU

HAMBURG Stadtentwicklungsgesellschaft mbH” Hamburger

Koordinationsstelle für Wohn-Pflege-Gemeinschaften),

including with Mascha Stubenvoll. I was informed that

since 2006 it has been carrying out consultancy activities for the City of Hamburg (and other requesting

parties, sometimes including private citizens) for the promotion of new forms of housing: the most frequent

formula being community housing and assistance. This approach envisages that senior citizens live together

in the same condominium, each with their own autonomy, but with a common space for socialization, and

facilitated access to care and assistance services.

Further, I visited adjacent projects in Hamburg/Alexanderstraße

realized by the Hartwig Hesse Foundation Residential Care

Community (Hartwig

Hesse Stiftung)

and by the Amalie Sieveking

Foundation Barrier-free

Senior Citizens’ Apartments

(Amalie

Sieveking-Stiftung)

where I met with Director of the Hartwig Hesse

Foundation Maik Greb and Director of the Amalie Sieveking

Foundation Annika Gürtler.

Both foundations have built apartments for self-sufficient or non-

self-sufficient elderly people or people of less advanced age but

with disabilities. The apartments are barrier-free. During the

meetings, I was informed that both foundations can also provide

temporary accommodation: this formula indicates the possibility

for users to temporarily use an apartment if, for example, they are

discharged from the hospital and need some recovery time before

returning to their home or if relatives are temporarily unable to

provide assistance.

In general terms, in the Land of Hamburg assistance insurance is

mandatory

(“Pflegeversicherung”).

If necessary, this insurance can

provide support for family caregivers. Nonetheless, the expense

for a non-self-sufficient person who is in an accommodation

facility for the elderly can

reach € 5,000.00 per month.

Another element to note is that in Germany the

phenomenon of caregivers is not unknown.

Hamburg, 28 June 2022, Special Representative on

Elderly Issues Paola Taverna visiting residential care

communities and barrier-free senior citizens'

apartments managed by the “Hartwig Hesse

Foundation” and the “Amalie Sieveking Foundation”

OSCE, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 27: Final Report - Special Representative on Elderly Issues of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly

Both structures have a large common room with a kitchen for social and cultural initiatives. Thanks to the

law of the Land of Hamburg (“Wohn-und

Betreuungsqualitätsgesetz”),

residents can receive support for the

payment of the rent (up to a maximum

of € 4.40 per square metre

per month for thirty years). Further, for

the construction, the two foundations were able to benefit from advantageous mortgages and non-repayable

grants from the Municipality. The two foundations owned the land on which the facilities were built,

therefore they did not need to buy land from

the Municipality, however, it’s worth noting that in Hamburg,

as well as in Hanover, the development of land owned by the municipality (which owns a large real estate,

between 135 and 150 thousand homes) in recent years has taken place on the basis of a tender that privileged

the social quality of the projects and not necessarily the maximization of the revenue.

Specifically, the project developed by the Hartwig Hesse Foundation hosts 180 people and consists of seven

condominiums. It features a large common room with a kitchen in which social and cultural initiatives are

organized (also with the support of the city). There is also a café open to the public.

The building complex of the foundation also features a 380 square metres apartment for people with senile

dementia with 24-hour assistance.

On the other side of the road, in Alexanderstraße as well, I visited the apartments manufactured by the

Amalie Sieveking Foundation. Around the original building, a complex consisting of several buildings has

arisen, extensively renovated in 2021 also with the aim of creating real estate units without architectural

barriers. At the time of my visit, the complex housed 120 people (destined to become 150 when the

construction will be completely finished). The average age of the guests was between 65 and 69 years. The

apartments, if intended for a single person, have a size of 50 square metres and if intended for a couple, 75

square metres. The cost of rents differs according to the size of the apartments. The Municipality financially

supports people in difficulty (up to a certain maximum,

linked to the applicant’s

income), by virtue of a

municipal institution called “Housing voucher” (“Wohnberechtigungsschein”),

which in case of particular

urgency becomes

“Urgency Voucher” (“Dringlichkeitsschein”).

In addition to the

rental contract, residents can enter into a “service

contract”

(“Servicevertrag”),

partially

subsidized by the Municipality, which allows them to obtain additional personal services.

Finally, I had the opportunity to visit the 424 square metre apartment intended for people with senile

dementia, 10 rooms, each of 20 square metres, with a common room of 85 square metres equipped with a

large kitchen, and three service people per shift during the day and one during the night. In front of the

apartment there is a green area for guests, located in the courtyard closed by the foundation’s buildings.

OSCE, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 27: Final Report - Special Representative on Elderly Issues of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly

3 July 2022, Birmingham - Dedicated Panel on Elderly Ukrainian refugees on the occasion of the UK Panel

on Prevention of War Crimes Side Event during the 2-6 July 2022 OSCE PA Annual Session.

During the OSCE PA Annual Session in

Birmingham, I organized a Side Event on the

situation of elderly people in Ukraine, which

took place in the afternoon after an important

Side Event on Prevention of War Crimes

promoted by the UK Delegation to OSCE PA:

the Side Event on elderly people in Ukraine was

scheduled as a dedicated Panel in which the

testimonies of elderly Ukrainians who had to

leave the country due to the Russian

aggression were heard.

With the great help of the City Council of

Birmingham (a sanctuary city for refugees from

all over the world), the Councillor for Social

Inclusion Mr. John Cotton and the

Birmingham, 3 July 2022, Special Representative on Elderly Issues Paola

Commissioning Manager for Refugees and

Taverna with Ukrainian elderly citizens

Migration Mrs. Marsela Hoxha, some elderly Ukrainian refugees hosted in Birmingham participated in the

side event. Liudmyla Dvortsova from Kremenchuk, and the couple Larysa Antropova and Oleksandr Antropov

took the floor to tell about their experience of war and

displacement.

Their concrete experience of war and of the effects of

bombing on their lives as elderly people in Ukraine strongly

impressed the OSCE Assembly parliamentarians. At the end

of the Side Event the Ukrainian guests had a meeting with the

President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Margareta

Cederfelt, and MP Yevheniia Kravchuk, member of the

Ukrainian delegation to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.

Birmingham, 3 July 2022, Special Representative on

Elderly Issues Paola Taverna speaking with President

Margareta Cederfelt