Celebration as Respect for Senior Citizens Grows
In North Rhine-Westphalia, there is a growing recognition that more needs to be done to support older people and ensure they can continue to contribute to society. SPD state parliamentarian Sonja Bongers has been a vocal advocate for this cause, emphasising the importance of mutual support and the value that older individuals bring to the community.
Bongers, the Chair of the SPD city council fraction and a member of the North Rhine-Westphalia state parliament, has highlighted the need for digital skills among the elderly, as well as the importance of integrating them into daily life. However, there is currently no specific information available about the state government's efforts to support the digital participation of older people.
Despite this, it is known that North Rhine-Westphalia has initiated efforts to integrate a gender-differentiated perspective into health policy and healthcare, which may indicate a broader commitment to social inclusion and digital accessibility.
If such initiatives are in place, they might include digital literacy programs, accessible digital services, and the implementation of digital health tools and applications that support older adults in managing their health. To find out more precise information, it would be necessary to consult official government sources or statements from Sonja Bongers directly.
Bongers has also stressed the importance of creating the right conditions for older people to work and contribute, as well as the need for more support for senior centres. She believes that society can only function if mutual support is the focus, and that older individuals deserve more respect for their contributions to society.
In many cities, there are older individuals who volunteer as reading buddies in kindergartens or provide support to families lacking or far from grandparents, creating a family-like network. Many grandparents are also actively involved in caring for their grandchildren, cooking, or helping with household chores to support their own children in their careers.
Bongers has also called for more coordination of offers for older people, better promotion of projects in neighbourhoods for older people, and additional training for older people in cooperation with local carriers, associations, and initiatives.
Overall, Bongers' message is clear: older individuals are essential to society, and the goal should be for people of all ages to shape their own lives and contribute their skills and abilities to society. By supporting older people in their continued participation in society, we can create a more inclusive and functional society for all.
- Bongers, in her role as Chair of the SPD city council fraction and a member of the North Rhine-Westphalia state parliament, has advocated for digital skills among the elderly, suggesting that digital literacy programs, accessible digital services, and digital health tools might be integral parts of the state's initiative to support the digital participation of older people.
- Recognizing the value of older individuals in education-and-self-development, Bongers has emphasized the need for more support for senior centres, proposing better promotion of projects, additional training for seniors, and a family-like network of older volunteers in home-and-garden settings like kindergartens, fostering mutual support and societal inclusion.
