Isolation among the elderly

Subject: Isolation among the elderly

Europe is facing a significant societal challenge in the form of a rapidly ageing population. It is imperative that older citizens be able to live fulfilling and active lives.

Adults over the age of 65 suffer more from social isolation than any other age group, with a particularly concerning level of loneliness among elderly people in eastern European countries.

Can the Commission outline what actions it has taken, if any, to tackle social isolation and loneliness among elderly people?

Answer given by Ms Thyssen on behalf of the European Commission

(4 July 2019)

Social isolation and loneliness relate to a wide range of factors. A policy brief prepared by the Commission's Joint Research Centr e (1) highlights that those phenomena affect all age groups and that the main socioeconomic factors are poor health, unfavourable economic circumstances or living alone. The competence for the relevant policies lies primarily with the national, regional and local level, in line with the principle of subsidiarity.

The EU can support Member States through mutual learning, analysis and policy guidance. The Commission and the Economic Policy Committee help Member States assess pensions and long-term care sustainability (2), in the Ageing Report. The Commission and the Social Protection Committee help Member States assess pension adequacy in the Pension Adequacy Report (3). The Commission monitors economic and social developments in the Member States under the European Semester and makes proposals for Country Specific Recommendations to address challenges, including as regards active ageing (4), adequate pensions and access to healthcare and long term care. Moreover, EU finances relevant projects through the European Structural and Investment Funds, notably the European Social Fund and the European Regional Development Fund, and the Employment and Social Innovation programme.

The European Pillar of Social Rights is a framework to upwards convergence in Europe and will contribute to achieving inclusive societies. A number of the Pillar’s principles directly tackle factors contributing to social isolation among older people (such as principle 15 on old-age income and pensions, 16 on healthcare, 17 on inclusion of people with disabilities, 18 on long term care or 20 on access to essential services) (5).

⋅1∙ https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/sites/jrcsh/files/fairness_pb2018_loneliness_jrc_i1.pdf

⋅2∙ http://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/publications/european_economy/2015/ee3_en.htm

⋅3∙ http://ec.europa.eu/social/keyDocuments.jsp?policyArea=&type=0&country=0&year=0&advSearchKey=pensionadequacy&mode=advancedSubmit&langId=en

⋅4∙ https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?langId=en&catId=1062

⋅5∙ https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=1226&langId=en#navItem-relatedDocuments