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Seminar at the Menendez Pelayo University of “The Spanish social tasks. Better physical and psychological
Santander and the International Congress on conditions for those who reach this age have
“Disability and Ageing” in Oviedo. The II Gerontological Plan also had an influence on this change in
State Conference on the Elderly was held in mentality, giving them an outlet for all their
2001. Important conclusions were drawn is a good tool when it hopes, zest for life and experience at the
from this Conference that are being service of the most needy sectors of society.
translated into concrete improvements in comes to tackling
which the elderly themselves are involved. Educational and cultural programmes,
necessities such as supported from this Ministry, are one of the
From every perspective that the State has, activities that have grown most among the
this Forum has its full support and care for addicts elderly. There are many people who have been
involvement. HRH Princess Doña Cristina is incorporated into the offer for people over 60
the United Nations Goodwill Ambassador. or the health services” made by 47 universities all over the country.
Under the slogan “Building a Society for all
Ages”, the Assembly aims, above all, to come close to levels of other European Other programmes that target the elderly
construct a society with greater solidarity, in countries here and the generational changes such as the Holidays programme for the
which nobody is excluded for reasons of age in our country do not show significant elderly that is carried out by Imserso, have
or any other cause. differences in relation to the rest of the contributed to this change experienced by
European nations. Factors such as universal Spanish elderly people to a great extent. This
Civil society will have an active health care and a pensions system that is Programme has made it possible for elderly
participatory role at the Assembly through put on a sound footing and capable of people to be able to take holidays and means
the NGO Global Forum on Ageing that will be insuring the future, a gradual retirement that everything positive in terms of travel is
held in a parallel fashion. The Forum will system that places Spain at the vanguard of available for people who mostly would not
represent ageing NGOs from all over the the countries around us, have contributed to have been able to do it before, because they
world and will offer its message of placing the Spanish elderly at this level. lived in much more difficult times. This
commitment and hope for all citizens of the programme, together with the Social Thermal
world. The Assembly will have a broad One of the priorities of the Spanish Care one, performs a double function. On the
Programme of Parallel Activities such as the government in social terms is care for the one hand, they benefit the elderly, and on the
1st International Elderly Fair and an elderly. Certain measures aimed at this other they create employment.
International Forum in Valencia dealing with group have been set underway. These
scientific topics concerning the elderly. As include the updating and improvement of Kofi Annan has very properly summarised
well as a cycle of debates at the pensions on a permanent basis, ratified the objectives of this Assembly. On the one
international level entitled “Dialogues 2020: thanks to the “Agreement on improvement hand, we need a reorientation of attitudes,
The Future of Ageing.” and development of the social protection ideas and policies towards the elderly. It is
system”, signed by the Government, not possible today to accept negative and
Spain will continue ageing during the business organisations and the Comisiones rejecting attitudes of “age” and “ageing”. On
course of this century, even after Obreras [Worker’s Commissions] trade union. the other hand, the elderly should play a full
experiencing one of the fastest population Other measures, aimed at supporting the part in the decisions that affect them and we
ageing processes in the world. The Spanish family such as “The Family Support Plan” should analyse how they are to influence
population doubled during the XX century also serve the elderly. trends such as globalisation and HIV/AIDS.
and the number of elderly people has grown
almost seven-fold. According to the study Spain has a Gerontological Plan that The Spanish elderly will be the
headed by the Ministry of Employment and determines the strategic lines as regards spokespeople and representatives at this
Social Affairs, “Report 2000. The elderly in social services and elderly care. This Plan is a event of those all over the world who are going
Spain”, octogenarians constitute the group good reference point for everything concerning to follow this Assembly closely. I am sure that
that is growing in the most accelerated the elderly in our country and a good tool when they will participate in and follow the
manner all over the world. In our country, they it comes to tackling new necessities, such as Assembly with enthusiasm and I hope that,
will number 2 million in the year 2020. care for addicts, the strengthening of the with everybody’s efforts, the Action Plan that
socio-health services, etc. comes out of it will be an effective tool of our
Circumstances for the elderly in Spain time and be adapted to the different
have improved considerably in recent The Spanish elderly are very active not only circumstances and countries in which it
decades. Growth in the quality of life has in the family environment but also in the social should be applied.
one as well. Relations with the family hold a
preferential place in their lives. Nevertheless,
they have also been included in voluntary
Sesenta y más 15
Santander and the International Congress on conditions for those who reach this age have
“Disability and Ageing” in Oviedo. The II Gerontological Plan also had an influence on this change in
State Conference on the Elderly was held in mentality, giving them an outlet for all their
2001. Important conclusions were drawn is a good tool when it hopes, zest for life and experience at the
from this Conference that are being service of the most needy sectors of society.
translated into concrete improvements in comes to tackling
which the elderly themselves are involved. Educational and cultural programmes,
necessities such as supported from this Ministry, are one of the
From every perspective that the State has, activities that have grown most among the
this Forum has its full support and care for addicts elderly. There are many people who have been
involvement. HRH Princess Doña Cristina is incorporated into the offer for people over 60
the United Nations Goodwill Ambassador. or the health services” made by 47 universities all over the country.
Under the slogan “Building a Society for all
Ages”, the Assembly aims, above all, to come close to levels of other European Other programmes that target the elderly
construct a society with greater solidarity, in countries here and the generational changes such as the Holidays programme for the
which nobody is excluded for reasons of age in our country do not show significant elderly that is carried out by Imserso, have
or any other cause. differences in relation to the rest of the contributed to this change experienced by
European nations. Factors such as universal Spanish elderly people to a great extent. This
Civil society will have an active health care and a pensions system that is Programme has made it possible for elderly
participatory role at the Assembly through put on a sound footing and capable of people to be able to take holidays and means
the NGO Global Forum on Ageing that will be insuring the future, a gradual retirement that everything positive in terms of travel is
held in a parallel fashion. The Forum will system that places Spain at the vanguard of available for people who mostly would not
represent ageing NGOs from all over the the countries around us, have contributed to have been able to do it before, because they
world and will offer its message of placing the Spanish elderly at this level. lived in much more difficult times. This
commitment and hope for all citizens of the programme, together with the Social Thermal
world. The Assembly will have a broad One of the priorities of the Spanish Care one, performs a double function. On the
Programme of Parallel Activities such as the government in social terms is care for the one hand, they benefit the elderly, and on the
1st International Elderly Fair and an elderly. Certain measures aimed at this other they create employment.
International Forum in Valencia dealing with group have been set underway. These
scientific topics concerning the elderly. As include the updating and improvement of Kofi Annan has very properly summarised
well as a cycle of debates at the pensions on a permanent basis, ratified the objectives of this Assembly. On the one
international level entitled “Dialogues 2020: thanks to the “Agreement on improvement hand, we need a reorientation of attitudes,
The Future of Ageing.” and development of the social protection ideas and policies towards the elderly. It is
system”, signed by the Government, not possible today to accept negative and
Spain will continue ageing during the business organisations and the Comisiones rejecting attitudes of “age” and “ageing”. On
course of this century, even after Obreras [Worker’s Commissions] trade union. the other hand, the elderly should play a full
experiencing one of the fastest population Other measures, aimed at supporting the part in the decisions that affect them and we
ageing processes in the world. The Spanish family such as “The Family Support Plan” should analyse how they are to influence
population doubled during the XX century also serve the elderly. trends such as globalisation and HIV/AIDS.
and the number of elderly people has grown
almost seven-fold. According to the study Spain has a Gerontological Plan that The Spanish elderly will be the
headed by the Ministry of Employment and determines the strategic lines as regards spokespeople and representatives at this
Social Affairs, “Report 2000. The elderly in social services and elderly care. This Plan is a event of those all over the world who are going
Spain”, octogenarians constitute the group good reference point for everything concerning to follow this Assembly closely. I am sure that
that is growing in the most accelerated the elderly in our country and a good tool when they will participate in and follow the
manner all over the world. In our country, they it comes to tackling new necessities, such as Assembly with enthusiasm and I hope that,
will number 2 million in the year 2020. care for addicts, the strengthening of the with everybody’s efforts, the Action Plan that
socio-health services, etc. comes out of it will be an effective tool of our
Circumstances for the elderly in Spain time and be adapted to the different
have improved considerably in recent The Spanish elderly are very active not only circumstances and countries in which it
decades. Growth in the quality of life has in the family environment but also in the social should be applied.
one as well. Relations with the family hold a
preferential place in their lives. Nevertheless,
they have also been included in voluntary
Sesenta y más 15
