Browse Ageing Policies

The Recovery and Resilience National Plan aims to mitigate the economic and social impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in Slovenia, and to support the green and digital transition of the country. The policy also aims to contribute to the goals of the European plan REPowerEU, which seeks to reduce the dependence on Russian fossil fuels and accelerate the green transition. The policy is implemented by the Government of Slovenia, through the Office for Recovery and Resilience, in coordination with other ministries and public institutions. The policy covers five areas and targets various sectors and groups of the Slovenian society and economy, such as industry, tourism, education, research, health, public administration, and civil protection. The policy has a national scope, but also considers regional and local specificities and needs. The policy consists of 34 reforms and 48 investments, which are grouped into 17 components. The policy includes measures such as renovating buildings, improving the environment and water management, enhancing digital skills and infrastructure, supporting innovation and competitiveness, strengthening the labour market and social inclusion, developing sustainable tourism and cultural heritage, improving health care and long-term care, and increasing housing affordability. The policy will be implemented between 2021 and 2026.

The Long-Term Care Act aims to regulate the system of long-term care (LTC) in Slovenia, to define the rights and obligations of providers and beneficiaries of LTC, to determine the tasks of the state and local communities, and to establish the sources and methods of financing LTC. The main institutions involved in the policy are Ministries of Health and Social Affairs, the Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia, and the National Institute of Public Health. The policy applies to the entire population of Slovenia, regardless of their income, health or social status. The policy includes the following key features and strategies: A set of measures, services and activities aimed at strengthening and maintaining the independence of the beneficiaries, reducing the need for assistance or preventing the deterioration of their condition, and providing assistance with basic and supportive daily activities and health care related to them. A procedure and methods of exercising the rights to LTC, which involves applying for, assessing, deciding, appealing, and implementing the rights, as well as the duties of the beneficiary and the provider. The law entered into force on 1 July 2021.

The main objective of the zaposli.me programme is to promote the employment of unemployed persons who are older than 50 years or are long-term unemployed or have low education levels. The policy aims to reduce their social exclusion and poverty and improve their employment opportunities. The policy is implemented by the Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities of the Republic of Slovenia. The policy covers both cohesion regions of Slovenia: Eastern Slovenia and Western Slovenia. The policy targets unemployed persons who are older than 50 years or are 30 or more years old and are long-term unemployed or have education below ISCED 3. The policy is expected to benefit around 4,800 persons. The policy provides subsidies to employers who hire eligible unemployed persons for full-time work for 12 months. The subsidies vary depending on the characteristics of the unemployed persons: 5,000, 6,000, or 7,000 euros. The policy also provides counselling and guidance to the unemployed persons and the employers to support their integration into the labour market. The policy started in January 2020 and ended in December 2022.

The main objective of the programme Promoting employment of older persons – Active until retirement – is to encourage employers to hire older unemployed people from the target group for an indefinite period or at least until they meet the conditions for early or old-age retirement. The programme is managed by the Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy, the managing authority for the European Structural and Cohesion Funds. The programme is implemented by the Employment Service of Slovenia. The programme covers the whole territory of Slovenia and targets older unemployed people who are registered with the Employment Service of Slovenia and meet the following criteria: they are aged 58 or more; they have been unemployed for at least 6 months; they have at least 5 years of pensionable service; and they have not received any wage subsidy in the past 24 months. The programme also offers a subsidy of 11,000 euros for each full-time employment of an older unemployed person from the target group. The subsidy is fully eligible if the person remains employed with the same employer for at least 24 months. The programme started in 2018 and lasted until 2023.

The Active Ageing Strategy, led by Slovenia's Ministry of Labour, Family Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, addresses demographic change and ageing. It's a cross-sectorial strategy focusing on older age groups, based on four pillars: - Labour market and education: This pillar aims to increase the employment rate and the quality of work of older workers, enhance their skills and competencies, and foster lifelong learning and intergenerational cooperation. - Independent, healthy and safe living for all generations: This pillar aims to improve the health and well-being of the older population, to prevent and reduce the risk of poverty and social exclusion, to ensure adequate and sustainable pensions and long-term care, and to enable independent and dignified living in a suitable and accessible environment. - Participation in society: This pillar aims to encourage the civic, cultural, and social engagement of the older population, to recognize and value their contributions and potentials, and to strengthen their role in decision-making processes. - Creation of an environment conducive to activity throughout the life course: This pillar aims, for example, to raise awareness and change attitudes towards ageing and older persons. The strategy will be implemented until 2030.

The main goal of the 22nd Festival for the Third Age is to promote active ageing, improve the quality of life of older persons, and foster solidarity between generations. The festival is organized by the Slovenian Federation of Pensioners' Organizations, in cooperation with the Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Culture, the City of Ljubljana, and other partners from the public and private sectors. Key features of the festival include The Golden Thread, a series of insightful lectures and discussions on critical ageing-related topics like health, social security, intergenerational cooperation, lifelong learning, and active citizenship. The Golden Market offers a marketplace for organizations and companies to present products and services tailored for the older demographic, encompassing health care, tourism, leisure, education, and technology. The Golden Stage is a showcase for the artistic and creative talents of older individuals, featuring performances in singing, dancing, playing instruments, reciting poetry, and theatre. Lastly, The Golden Network provides a networking space for older adults to connect with peers and representatives from supportive institutions and organizations. The festival is held annually in late September since 2002.