Senior Self Determination

When defining our era, the present that we are all experiencing, the term transition is frequently used at all levels. This term literally means transformation, change, and alteration fundamental elements in our project History Is Us!

Seniors in the European Union

The European Union's (EU) policies on active aging aim to improve the quality of life for seniors, encouraging them to remain active and engaged in society. Here, the concept of change becomes tangible. To learn how to put it into practice, keep reading this article.

Now. To navigate this era, of multiple changes effectively, it is best to proceed in an orderly manner.

First, we should consider that according to our Gregorian calendar, adopted worldwide, we are already in the second month of the year, February. You may not know that this month's name originates from the Etruscan deity Februus, who represents purification. This concept is so deeply embedded in our ancestral culture that it appears first in the Latin term Febris, associated with regeneration; later, in Christian tradition with Saint Febronia, initially venerated on February 14th to symbolize passion; and even in the term fever evoking the beneficial process of transformation, the only natural healing force against all ailments, including the relentless passage of time.

From this cultural background, Cicero drew inspiration for his De Senectute. Born in Ciociaria, in the province of Frosinone, near Arpino at Ponte Olmo, where the Fibreno river flows, Cicero loved to refresh himself there since he was a young man. As he approached the age of wisdom, he became aware of the changes affecting him and reflected on himself and the value of old age as a phase of authentic inner regeneration, crucial for the future of his contemporary society. This concept highlights that advanced age, whatever it may be, is not synonymous with inactivity but rather with wisdom, contributing to the wellbeing and prosperity of the community. In other words, he was already speaking, thousands of years ago, in terms of Life Long Learning (LLL). Incredible but true, our memory has such dignity that it transcends the past and lives in the present, enriching the future.

It is important to note that the term Senior derives from the Latin senectus, indicating old age without a negative connotation. Instead, it represents a stage of life where experience and reflection become central values.

EU Policies for Seniors

Recognizing the significance of this traditional perspective, the EU's primary objectives for active aging policies can be summarized in key concepts essential for the wellbeing of Seniors today.

• Encouraging Social Participation

... Great achievements are not accomplished through strength, speed, or agility of the body but through counsel, authority, and wisdom ...

Cicero thus underlines the importance of the commitment and advice that Seniors can offer. Following this principle, the EU fosters spaces where seniors can share their experiences in an intergenerational context, ensuring dignity for memory.

• Supporting Life Long Learning (LLL). The EU acknowledges the importance of continuous learning opportunities for Seniors keeping them engaged in society and sharpening their memory.

Cicero states, from Formia, towards the approach of the zero year of our history that:

.. Just as a good disposition is necessary in youth, so is a clear mind indispensable in old age ... 

• Preventing Cognitive and Physical Declin. Policies should promote mental and physical wellbeing through prevention and health lifestyle choices, where relationships and learning stimulation play a crucial role.
• Strengthening Intergenerational Solidarity.

... There is nothing in old age that is not akin to youth ...

Ciceo observes, highlighting the importance of generational connections.

• Promoting Digital Inclusion. Technology is crucial in maintaining connections with the world and reducing social isolation.

• Improving Access to Essential Service. Seniors should have equal access to adequate housing, transportation, and healthcare services.

• Encouraging Innovation and the Use of Technology. New technologies allow seniors to live more independently and securely.

• Supporting Economic Participation. Keeping seniors active in the labor market, primarily as expert consultants, fostering continuous training in an intergenerational knowledge sharing perspective. As Cicero says. 

... But see, do not ask me what the limit of old age is, or its end: if I can, I will explain it; i not, perhaps you, still in the prime of life, will understand it better ...

Senior Self Determination

Just as February marks a transition toward spring renewal, active aging can be seen as an opportunity to regenerate social harmony, starting with ourselves, despite the passage of time. The EU's policies are not only aimed at preserving seniors' quality of life but also at fostering a true social rebirth, where accumulated experience becomes a driver of innovation and progress.

Starting from the Theory of Self-Determination, proposed in the ocean scientific field, after the middle of the last century, as the ability to make one's own decisions and control one's life, in which intrinsic motivation is supported by the satisfaction of three fundamental psychological needs, i.e. autonomy, skills and relationships, the EU, through its policies, promotes each of these aspects which, as far as we are concerned, means:

• Autonomy: Allow Seniors to choose the topics of their digital stories and decide together the best format with which to tell them. This fosters a sense of quality and self determination.

• Skill: Structuring video testimony activities into simple, manageable steps, providing clear support and opportunities for practice. The objective is to be able to put into practice what has been learned and understood, during training meetings, while respecting one's history.

• Relationships: Creating an inclusive learning environment where seniors can freely express themselves and connect naturaly with others, including trainers, tutors, and consultants, like Cicero teaching.

... All things that occur according to nature must be considered good ...

Tradition and Innovation

Technology supports active aging through a variety of tools, for example, with telemedicine, therefore for health monitoring, through dedicated digital platforms and with remote home care solutions. Going into detail this means that:

• Telemedicine and home care. New technologies, such as telemedicine and digital platforms, offer concrete tools to improve the autonomy and inclusion of Seniors, allowing them to access quality healthcare services even from the comfort of their home.

• Health monitoring. Senior alert systems and wearable devices help manage the safety of Seniors at home, facilitating their independence through security alarms, alarm mats, camera surveillance and GPS alarms.

• Digital platforms for learning and socialization. Technology offers training and refresher opportunities for Seniors, allowing them to remain active both socially and professionally.

• Personalized coaching. Projects, such as Nestore, use technologies to offer personalized coaching, integrating different aspects of well being such as physical activity, nutrition and cognitive aspects.

• Accessibility and digital inclusion. It is essential to promote digital training programs to ensure that all Seniors have access to technological tools. 

• Home automation and support environments. Smart home technologies can improve the quality of life of Seniors, making environments safer and more accessible.

The EU, recognizing the invaluable value of Seniors today, continues to invest in policies and tools that improve their quality of life, promoting their active participation in society. The demonstration is the History Is Us! project which includes the regenerative value of the activities carried out, which is also in line with the spirit of February and its symbolism, to be practiced. Inspired by Cicero who, with his lucidity and wisdom, reminds us that old age is not a decline, but rather a unique phase of our life, in which it is possible to truly regenerate, also in contributing to the well being and prosperity of our territories, thanks to the significant ways of living of our tradition, grafted today onto a multiple transition in progress, of which we can be self determined protagonists.

If you really feel like it too, visit the website of our project History Is Us! now and write to us at info@historyisus.eu