The challenges are manageable, and practical possibilities exist to develop appropriate living environments for seniors, including the necessary housing and support structures. Traditional forms of support – that were provided by family members or institutions that serve only the elderly or infirm – are no longer enough. A diverse society needs a variety of settings that reflect the evolving lifestyles of older people.

SONG: Network for Social Change was initiated by six partners from Germany’s social economy: Bremer Heimstiftung; Caritas-Betriebsführungs- und Trägergesellschaft mbH; Evangelisches Johanneswerk e.V.; Stiftung Liebenau; Bank für Sozialwirtschaft AG; and the Bertelsmann Stiftung. The network was launched following an in-depth discussion among the partners about how society can better respond to the fact that the population is progressively aging as a result of demographic change.

The network partners have developed evidence-based proposals to address this situation by designing and testing innovative models and analyzing the circumstantial conditions and the social and economic added value that new practices have to offer. The partners have also called on all participants – federal, state and local governments, social welfare providers, service providers, investors, funders and the public – to rethink how their approach to this topic. Change is necessary.

The project “Neues Altern in der Stadt” (Modern Aging in the City) helps local participants to develop demographically responsible policies. The goal is to help communities respond to challenges they will face in the future and increase the quality of life for residents over the long term.

A future-oriented senior policy at the local level must be integrated and interdisciplinary and it must encompass all the relevant policy areas. It must also initiate, organize, facilitate and coordinate the necessary planning and management processes while including the relevant players at the local level (policymakers, public administrators, service providers, contributors, the business community, community groups and interested members of the public).

In many places, the discussion is dominated by negative, one-sided perception of senior citizens and old age, and the focus is all too often put on the limitations and the burdens that people assume will result as society ages. In contrast, the opportunities and the resources that many older people have at their disposal are often ignored. Paying attention to these positive aspects is critical for maintaining and increasing social cohesion. Many seniors would like to play an active, productive role in their community. After all, the local level is where communities can demonstrate they are strategically realigning their senior policies and ensuring quality of life for the elderly.

 Goals include:

 ·       Making demographic developments more transparent and increasing public awareness

·       Implementing demographically responsible policies

·       Increasing community-level planning expertise

·       Improving community-level policies for seniors

·       Developing and disseminating an overarching concept and mission statement

·       Getting the relevant players involved

·       Increasing citizen participation and civic engagement

·       Promoting self-help and assistance for families and neighbors

·       Promoting intergenerational support

·       Promoting wellness programs, prevention and rehabilitation

·       Wide-scale knowledge transfer

·       Network building

http://www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de/de/unsere-projekte/kommunen-gestalten-den-demographischen-wandel/projektthemen/stadt-der-zukunft/