Municipal programmes that encourage active aging are announced in WHO’s symposium
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Regarding the II Symposium of World Health Organization (WHO), that took place in Porto, under the theme “The Future of Health Systems in a Digital Era in the European Region”, the issues and favourable technological solutions to the elderly, were debated this Tuesday, counting with the presence of the councillor for Social Cohesion.
Fernando Paulo began by recalling that the Municipality of Porto joined the Age-friendly Cities and Communities in 2010, becoming part of a list of the 1400 cities that comprise the organism, which aims to tackle the rapid aging of populations and encouraging every city in the world to develop environments that promote active and positive ageing for everyone.
“The current Executive, being conscious of this reality, develops two programmes on a technological basis – “Estamos Juntos” and “Contas à Vida”, the councillor revealed, while considering that “the subject of well-being and quality of life for senior people residents in Porto reflects clearly in the Plano de Ação Porto Cidade Amiga das Pessoas Idosas 2023-2025, that is now in the final stage of its preparation”.
This document gathers “the answers the city arranges to holistically face this phenomenon of demographic ageing, namely by inserting new technological solutions and digital literacy for this elder population, that is, in that sense, able to live a more inclusive life in a city that aims to be inclusive for people of every age”, Fernando Paulo concluded.
The Estamos Juntos Programme constitutes a response of teleassistance, directed to senior population, to combat unwanted loneliness and isolation and promote the well-being of these citizens, being that it ensures the feelings of safety, social inclusion, and affective relationships, thus extending the accommodation of elderly people in their homes and avoiding unvoluntary institutionalisation.
More than 200 municipalities benefit from this technological solution, that also counts with a human component, which presents itself as efficient in its response to social isolation and, for its emotional support, constitutes a protective factor to the feeling of unwanted loneliness.
Já o "Contas à Vida" tem como principal objetivo a promoção da literacia financeira, através de oficinas, permitindo uma maior confiança na tomada de decisões financeiras. Este programa pretende responder à necessidade de promover os níveis de literacia financeira da população mais velha, através de estratégias pedagógicas que desenvolvam a inclusão financeira e digital, capacitando-os para o acesso às tecnologias digitais.
In turn “Contas à Vida" mainly aims to promote financial literacy, through workshops, allowing for more confidence in financial decision making. This programme intends to respond to the necessity of promoting the levels of the elder population financial literacy, through pedagogical strategies that develop financial and digital inclusion, empowering them to access digital technologies.