In the second week of September 2019, the canton of Basel-Stadt published its "Basel 55+" guidelines. What does is meant by such a paper?

Why "Basel 55+" 

Let's start at the beginning: In the canton of Basel-Stadt, the Department of Health (GD) implemented the proposal in 2013 for senior citizens' organizations to work with working groups to find solutions to problems affecting the elderly population. 

The key topics were care and nursing, securing livelihoods, health promotion and prevention, information, integration and migration as well as intergenerational relationships, potential and skills, safety and mobility, networking and new technologies, security of supply and housing. 

Considering the diversity of the older population group 

In September 2019, it was explained that modern ageing policy encompasses different generations, but also the diversity of the older population group with its different needs. The current guidelines cover individual topics such as autonomy, subsidiarity and cooperation. Each individual keyword first states what the canton promotes or advocates. For each keyword, the canton also explains the topic and provides relevant background information. 

Guideline no. 11, for example, is entitled "Potential and skills". It states that the canton supports "local self-help and neighborhood assistance". And: "It develops measures to recognize post-professional and post-family voluntary work." Among other things, the explanatory text addresses the post-retirement phase of life. The latter frees up new time resources. 

So far so good. 

Ambitious goals 

When examined somewhat critically, these guidelines are first and foremost commitments to the various issues - no more and no less. I believe that each individual point has certainly been analyzed in depth. However, the goals are ambitious and there are many ideas in the room. One way or another, it will become clear in a few years' time whether the canton of Basel-Stadt has achieved its newly defined goals or whether it has been overrun or overtaken by history. And let's hope that the ideas don't become paper tigers. 

Have I whetted your appetite to study the guidelines? To www.aelterbasel.ch you will find a lot of information as well as the new compilation of the above-mentioned keywords in the brochure "Basel55+".

Just a little serious:

Recently, or more precisely: the day before yesterday, I turned old. Good, almost everyone gets old at some point and it's been a long time coming. So "suddenly old" would be an exaggeration. But I realize how long ago I had said before: I'm not sixty yet. So now I am. That is very strange. Until now, it was always others.

I notice various things: In the last year I was asked twice whether I was still working or already retired. It is undeniable that I look old enough to be a pensioner.

I'm not complaining about it. I don't want to be be young again. Maybe a little bit younger sometimes. But it's okay the way it is.

Besides less pleasant things like more health health issues and the fact that I push my bike uphill more often than I ride it. up the hill more often than I cycle, there are also positive things:

I have developed a super power: Young people can't see me. They almost walk right through me. I can listen to them listen to them, they don't realize I'm there. Would it be possible to use the ability to make yourself invisible? Only in the fight for good, of course, like all superheroes.

Another thing is that young women approach me on the street on the street when they are looking for an address. I obviously look look harmless. Nobody changes sides of the street because of me. Perhaps a white-haired aura of wisdom surrounding me?

I don't have to do as much as I used to. I no longer no longer have to prove anything to anyone. I have friends who have stuck by me for so long that they won't cut me off because of the slightest mistake. I can allow myself to say the occasional weird thing.

On the train, I can ask strong young men to lift my lift my suitcase, which is far too heavy as usual, into the luggage rack. They are happy to do it, is my experience. No one has ever refused to help me refused to help me.

When I walk through the city or use public transport I realize that there are more and more of us. Or I finally see them the other senior citizens. Maybe I was blind to them too? Or not yet recognized their super power to make themselves invisible? Sometimes I give a friendly, knowing nod when our paths cross. We know things that many still don't know.

My advice to all senior citizens: don't tell the youngsters what they should do. Ask them what concerns them, what is important to them in life. life. Show genuine interest. Only tell your old stories if you are asked. Never say: "I know exactly what that's like", even if it's true. That's one of the strange things, that within a split second I can feel again what I felt 20, 30 or 40 years ago. For example that it annoyed me when an "old man" told me: I know exactly what you are missing.

And sometimes I know, at a party for example or an invitation: now is the time to go. The young people still need some time among themselves. I don't need to know everything. If they want to, then they will come with their questions and concerns. I will listen and only give give advice sparingly. And only if that's what they want.

A little more serious:

I still have 5 years of paid work ahead of me. Still I'm still needed for various tasks. That's a gift. And then? I see how urgently volunteers are needed in the church. Especially older people who have retained a young and open heart. They can give so much in the way of attention and a serene view of life. The storms that young adults have to go through today in a world that is spinning ever faster. faster and faster: we seniors know that people do not change at this pace. change at this pace. They need to go for walks, stroll around without a plan, they need time for culture, it needs good neighbors and friends. It needs generations that can benefit incredibly from each other.

What is true for the church is also true for our society. Seniors@Work is a platform with huge potential. If it didn't exist it didn't exist, someone would have to invent it. Fortunately, that has already happened!

Rev. Martin Dürr, Reformed Co-Head of the Parish Office for Industry and Business BS BL

Have you ever typed the word "seniors" in Google? In 41 seconds this Internet provider returns around 82 million (82,000,000!) results.

I had to smile that at the top of the list was a "single seniors" dating site. A dating site. This is followed, of course, by the usual keywords such as "Senior - Wikipedia" or "SeniorBasel" or "Älter Basel: Home" through to "SeniorenUNI".

If you click through, then you will eventually come to interesting pages such as "Senioren Greifensee" or "Senior citizens Würenlingen". Frutigen has its own page for Frutigen has its own page for senior citizens, the Central Switzerland Football Association calls the even offers "free senior jobs". Büsingen, Geuensee, Kreuzlingen and all the other towns are listed with the word "Seniors" on the net. Even travel providers can be found: Special offers for older people are apparently in demand. An automobile association offers driving courses for seniors, golf can also be learned as a senior and Ice skating in the Rhine Valley is great for seniors! The Tarifverbund Nordwestschweiz offers courses on "Being & staying mobile" and last but not least, the political parties in Switzerland are also currently courting older people.

And I definitely had to laugh, when I found several entries under the label "Seniors 30+"! I'm going to this to my children!

Beatrice

We recently sat down at a birthday party. Half of the guests had already been retired for a few years. The group was cheerful; we toasted and wished the birthday boy or girl good luck and, above all, good health.

But I smiled again. The guests knew each other, they had always met at the birthday boy's house. The questions "How are you?" or "Bisch zwäg?" were logical. Then it started: they talked about knee, back and shoulder pain, cataract operations and physiotherapy. Good advice flew back and forth, eager nods to everything - you were "there", you knew the situations and knew about that doctor, that hospital and the great osteopath.

At some point, one of the "boys" clicked in, providing a pleasant interruption to the health talk and diverting our thoughts to other interesting topics.

I know that Gerhard Uhlenbruck, the German immunobiologist and aphorist, once said "Even iron health will one day belong to the old iron". Health is almost the most important thing about getting older. And yet I think that active senior citizens who engage with their surroundings, who take part in seniors@work, for example, have no time for self-pity or aches and pains, or are better able to tolerate certain limitations thanks to their activity.

How do you feel about this? Can you understand my train of thought?

Beatrice

Around 660 people work for the Red Cross Basel as volunteers. They provide over 17,000 hours of service each year. Almost 100 of our volunteers have already reached the age of 60. They are involved in a wide variety of projects: as godparents in "Eins zu Eins", as visitors in the visiting and escort service, as drivers in the transport service or as sales clerks in the Red Cross store in Gundeli. Without our senior citizens, we would not be able to offer our services.

We particularly value their life experience, their wide range of skills and their extensive network of contacts. They approach their work calmly but with commitment. Precisely because the Red Cross Basel has a wide range of services for older people, I am delighted that senior women are also involved with us - it's a case of "give and take!

A platform like seniors@work is worth its weight in gold for us because it makes it easy for us to find helpers who want to get involved with us. Thank you very much!

 

Did you know, dear reader, that the word "senior" was already used in the 14th century to refer to an elder or old master? It's kind of funny that a competitive athlete who has outgrown his youth is also referred to as a senior.

But let's stay with the "real" senior citizens. And let's compare the 65-year-olds:

• In 1950, there were 38,489 people celebrating their 65th birthday.
• In 2017, the number of 65-year-olds rose to 90,396.
• And for the year 2025, the Federal Statistical Office - which is where I got these figures from - predicts that the group of 65-year-olds will grow to 112,356 people.

Life expectancy in 2015 is estimated at 88.8 years for men and 91.8 years for women.

So we senior citizens are a force to be reckoned with, we are in good company! And let's be happy: we are increasingly being referred to as "best agers"!

Kind regards

Beatrice

Mr. Hummel, you will retire in August 2019 after 49 years of training and working as an architect. Are you looking forward to it?

It's good now. I took early retirement at 60, but then realized that I really missed the contact with people. That's why I started again with a reduced workload.

Have you now prepared for your retirement?

No, I haven't made any special preparations. I now know what to expect because I've been able to deal with it over the last five years. I enjoy an intense but solitary hobby. Now my wife and I have also started joining a walking group. I think it's healthy, fun and can be expanded.

Would it be an option for you to take part in seniors@work? What would be important key data for you?

I don't think it would be entirely fair to compete with my former colleagues. Let's stay in the field of architecture: younger employees or architectural firms are sometimes dependent on orders. I wouldn't want to "take" these orders away from them.

However, I could imagine taking part if I could offer some form of support on a voluntary basis. For example, buying or selling a house: not acting as an estate agent myself, but giving the seller support in the sense of a second opinion.

What would you like to say to the organizers of seniors@work?

I worry about the question of liability. Whatever I offer as a senior citizen, be it building a barn, helping with the cherry harvest or herding dogs... What if I make a mistake or something happens? Who is liable? I would like to have this clarified for myself. As a service provider, I need to be able to protect myself.

Thank you very much, Mr. Hummel, for these interesting thoughts and - not to forget - happy birthday and toitoitoitoi for your retirement!

 

Vacations for seniors?

I was on vacation, even though I am already retired and - as is often said - "always have a vacation". Prompted by a comment from Alexis Weil, the founder of Seniors@Work, I started to think about this. Do senior citizens even need a vacation?

There are pensioners who stay at home. They appreciate remaining in their everyday lives, always knowing exactly what to expect and feeling safe in their familiar surroundings. At best, they have seen a lot of the world and now enjoy the familiar, being at home.

There are pensioners who go on vacation to the same place every year, the same hotel, the same campsite, the same hikes and excursions. You meet there, you know each other, you are recognized in the stores and restaurants and greeted with joy. A mini-challenge with definite value.

And there are pensioners who have to face new challenges, travel to new countries and find their feet in a completely different environment. The language is different, perhaps even new, the food is different, the culture is foreign. This is exhausting, but also stimulating.

Dear reader, I know it's almost a bit exaggerated. But if you're reading this: what type of vacation are you?

I'm one of those senior citizens who like to travel. I like to get to know something new from time to time. It doesn't have to be America, the South Seas or India; no, Switzerland and Europe with its many beautiful destinations are enough for me. I am in the fortunate position of being able to afford this now. When the children were small, the budget was also minimal. So we concentrated on inexpensive vacations in vacation apartments, with picnics and hikes - and we were no less happy. But now - I admit it - I enjoy the vastness that comes with traveling. New places, new countries, different languages, getting my bearings, trying out new things, soaking up culture, but also getting to know nature: all of this is very appealing to me. Admittedly, it is often a challenge. But it not only strengthens my flexibility, broadens my perspective, but also reinforces my sense of home, because I always enjoy going home, back to my everyday life.

Kind regards

Beatrice

 

When a person has spent a lifetime passionately pursuing a job that was not just a profession but also a vocation, retirement is certainly not easy. I can well understand the need to continue to contribute the knowledge you have acquired to society. Of course, there are various opportunities for voluntary work in different professional groups. But it also takes luck and the right network of contacts.

Seniors@Work is a platform that anyone and everyone can access. This is a fundamentally appealing approach. The idea: private individuals, companies and associations advertise work that is carried out by senior citizens. On the other hand, this is also a balancing act. As useful as the employment and appreciation of "seniors" willing to work is, it would be critical to compete with the regular labor market with free or cheap labor without complying with the legal requirements that apply to other providers. Specifically - if the offer would jeopardize the jobs of people with small jobs or older employees in the "normal" economy.

Seniors@Work is obviously aware of this danger. Founder Alexis Weil emphasizes that only jobs that would never come about in the normal job market should be carried out. We hope that Seniors@Work succeeds in this balancing act as well as possible. One indicator of this could certainly be the regularity and nature of the work.

If the separation from the regular labor market is successful, then Seniors@Work can become a success story - we wish the start-up all the best.