Browse Ageing Policies

In 2020 a concept of an "early warning system" was developed based on the observation of existing data sources at the Public Health Institute Gesundheit Österreich GmbH on behalf of the Austrian Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection. The system draws on various sources including data from psychosocial hotlines, data regarding restraining orders, inpatient data, data regarding involuntary placements, and suicide data. The included data sets are continuously processed and validated and jointly analysed and interpreted. Selected results are published quarterly as factsheets and presented at various national and regional advisory boards and research conferences. The joint analysis of various indicators has made it possible to depict developments in the psychosocial health of the Austrian population, including among older persons, in a timely manner and to identify population groups that are especially affected.

The Austrian Dementia Strategy aims to establish a system that promotes participation, autonomy, and high-quality care for individuals affected by dementia and their families. It seeks to provide timely information, ensure accessibility to support services, and involve individuals in care decisions. The strategy also focuses on enhancing the education and training of professionals in the field. The strategy was developed by the Austrian National Public Health Institute (Gesundheit Österreich GmbH, GÖG), with input from various experts and stakeholders, including persons with dementia and political decision-makers. It is coordinated by GÖG on behalf of the Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection. The strategy targets people with dementia, their families and friends, healthcare and social services personnel, researchers, educators, funding bodies, ethics commissions, government authorities, media, and the general public. It covers a wide range of stakeholders to ensure comprehensive support for individuals affected by dementia. The strategy outlines seven objectives and 21 recommendations, including promoting participation and self-determination, extending information provision, enhancing knowledge and competence, creating coordinated care frameworks, adapting care structures, expanding low-threshold contact points, and ensuring quality improvement through research. Key actions include developing information concepts, public relations campaigns, training for medical and non-medical staff, and establishing a Dementia Strategy Platform. From 2016 to 2023, around 130 actions were implemented, contributing to health promotion, dementia prevention, and care improvements. A federal working group of people with dementia was established to help design services and reduce stigmatization. Conferences and newsletters have engaged over 750 stakeholders and around 250 recipients, respectively, fostering ongoing collaboration and development of evidence-based measures.

In Austria, the Competence Center Future Health Promotion (Kompetenzzentrum Zukunft Gesundheitsförderung) has developed a proposed model for municipal health promotion for healthy ageing in caring communities to address social challenges posed by demographic change. It comprises six main fields of integrated action: health promotion services and strengthening health literacy, health-promoting living spaces and facilities and businesses, neighbourhood assistance and volunteering, participation and development processes, promotion of civic engagement and care networks, a hub for networking and mediation of services for health promotion; and assessment, data and evaluation for planning and management. These were derived based on an analysis of 21 quality assured projects (for healthy ageing) and a participatory stakeholder consultation to discuss ways to institutionalize the proposed model across Austria to sustainably strengthen coordinated, feasible and evidence-based community health promotion for healthy ageing.

The main objective of the Austrian Austrian Dementia Quality Register (DQR) is to collect socially and health-related data on people with dementia in Austria and their care using scientifically defined indicators and, based on this, to bring about an improvement in the care landscape. The project aims to improve the quality of care and the quality of life for people with dementia and their relatives. It will contribute to provide important new information on the current care of dementia patients and at the same time map developments in care and nursing. The lead entity is the Austrian National Public Health Institute Gesundheit Österreich GmbH (GÖG) on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection (BMSGPK). The steering group consists of the BMSGPK, GÖG and representatives of the Austrian Alzheimer Society (ÖAG). Reporting stakeholders who are relevant to the care provided in the context of dementia diagnosis (e.g. general practitioners, memory clinics, mobile care services, etc.) play an active role in data collection. The register thus pursues the overarching goal of optimizing the diagnosis, treatment and care of people with cognitive disorders and their caregivers. An initial pilot will take place in selected areas in summer 2024 to test the variables and determine a final data set.

The Parliament of Austria created the media awards “Senior Citizen Rose” and “Senior Citizen Nettle” in 2019 which are created to promote a society for all ages. The goal is to give importance to age discrimination which does not receive the attention that discrimination based on gender or origin, for example. In conferring the “Senior Citizen Rose” and “Senior Citizen Nettle” (Senioren-Rose and Senioren-Nessel) media awards, the Austrian Senior Citizens Council has attracted attention from the public and promoted social participation and positive images of age and ageing. The annual event for assigning the awards is organized by the Austrian Senior Citizens' Council and the Austrian Journalists' Club (ÖJC). A jury of senior citizens and journalist representatives awarded prizes to contributions to journalism and advertising as well as accurate images of older persons. The "Senior Citizens' Rose" is awarded to media makers for realistic depictions of the lives of senior citizens, while the "Senior Nettle" is awarded to those who still spread unrealistic clichés about older persons.

The Digital Fit training program aims to prepare trainers for the unique challenges of teaching older persons. This advanced training course offers a specialized upgrade for trainers in the niche of education a rapidly growing target group of older persons who is very heterogeneous in terms of their prior knowledge and educational needs. These include challenges, such as the need to combine the didactic tools of geragogy (“pedagogy of old age”) and the subject-specific didactic aspects of IT training. The course started in 2017. The course is supported by Ministry of Social Affairs. The target group is adult educators and program developers specializing in computer training for senior citizens. The course has 60 teaching units including an introductory and information event, three days of attendance, six webinars, in between, online phases on Moodle and practical project in self-organization. It has a cost of 100 euros with special price subsidized by the Ministry of Social Affairs, excluding meals.

A Federal Senior Citizens Advisory Board (Bundesseniorenbeirat) was set up in 2017 at the Federal Ministry for Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection (BMSGPK) and has representations of all Ministries. The aim of the Federal Senior Citizens Advisory Board is to provide a platform for institutionalized and effective dialogue between policymakers and senior citizen organizations' representatives on age-related issues of general significance for Austria, the integration of older persons as well as intergenerational relations. The Federal Senior Citizens Advisory Board represents several senior citizens' organizations, consisting of about three thousand local groups throughout Austria. The Board has two annual meeting with all relevant stakeholders and follow up different tasks. The Federal Senior Citizens Advisory have been established not only at federal level, but also in all of Austria's Laender and in many municipalities. While the central state is responsible for framework legislation, Austria's federal system largely leaves the enactment of regulations and delivery of public services to each of the nine Federal States, hence some states can be more active than others.

The Federal Plan for Senior Citizens “Ageing and the Future” of 2012 is a comprehensive policy that aims to enhance the participation of older persons in society. The plan is built on the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing and the UNECE Regional Implementation Strategy. It outlines objectives and recommendations in 14 areas including participation, social security, health, education, nursing, care, discrimination, violence, housing, intergenerational relations, and infrastructure. The Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection (BMSGPK) is the lead entity that supports the implementation of the plan's objectives through empirical research, project funding, continued training, communication, networking with stakeholders, quality assurance, raising awareness, and public relations. The plan targets older persons and is national in scope. During the review period, measures were taken in areas such as social participation, autonomy, self-determination in old age, empowerment of socially disadvantaged older persons, discrimination, ageism, lifelong learning, education, training for older persons, active and healthy ageing, volunteering, and digital literacy among older persons.

The means-tested care allowance (Bedarfsorientiertes Pflegegeld) was introduced in 1993 as a scheme under which individuals are entitled to a needs-based, long-term care allowance independent of age, income and assets and of the causes necessitating care in the particular case. The goal is to compensate the additional care-related expenses by a lump-sum cash benefit. It is based on national law. It is intended to ensure the necessary care and to enable a life that is as self-determined and needs-oriented as possible. To be entitled, the following conditions must be met: permanent need of care due to disability to last at least for six months, constant need of care of more than 65 hours per month, habitual residence in Austria. From 2020, the care allowance is increased by the pension adjustment factor and is valorized annually. The amount ranges from 192 to 2061 euros. In the case of persons suffering from dementia, a disability surcharge of 45 hours is credited as a lump sum. There is an assessment to be granted the allowance (Classification Ordinance to the Federal Care Allowance Act). Currently, about 468,000 people are entitled to a long-term care allowance, i.e., over 5% of the population.