Community Social Infrastructure
The older population in Germany is highly independent and engaged. Volunteerism is growing, thanks in part to government-sponsored programs that help connect older people with volunteer opportunities that take advantage of their unique experience and skills. Both government and non-government organizations (NGOs) have also used cross-generational interaction as a way to provide community support to older adults. Innovative programs include shared living between older and younger people, and the pairing of nursing homes with elementary schools.
In 2014, more than 45 percent of people ages 50 through 64 engaged in volunteer work, and 34 percent of seniors age 65 and older did the same – equivalent to an 11 percent increase from 1999, greater than all other age groups apart from those ages 14 through 29.
Senior Citizen Offices (“Seniorenbüros” or SCOs)
The Senior Citizen Offices in Germany have been crucial to supporting older adults who want to get involved, by connecting them to volunteer opportunities. First established in the 1990s, it was a product of a social and political effort to change the negative image of aging that dominated German society in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The SCOs provide a wide range of volunteer opportunities relating to culture, the environment, politics, health, and social affairs for those interested in staying active after retiring. During the first five-year model phase of the program, there were only 44 SCOs in place, but the number has since grown to about 380. Over 28,000 people volunteer with the help of SCOs across Germany, and together they contribute about 2.5 million hours each year.
“The Senior Citizens’ Offices have provided many volunteers, and especially during times when Germany has had a lot of refugees. They are part of a greater initiative which encourages different generations within society to look out for each other.”
– Lena Dorin, Health and Long-Term Care Senior Policy Officer, BAGSO
Until recently, Germany has lacked national regulation to ensure accessibility in buildings and transportation, which have significant barriers to safe mobility and access. New legislation in 2013 set the goal of barrier-free public transportation by 2022. The government is also working to adapt the country’s housing stock to aging, with an Age-Appropriate Rebuilding program. Demand was so high that the EUR 49 million (approximately USD 55 million) in funding for 2016 was exhausted only halfway through the year.