Browse Ageing Policies

The National Carers' Strategy (2012) sets out Government policy for those who care for older persons, children and adults with an illness or a disability. Its aim is to support people to live in dignity and independence in their own homes and communities for as long as possible. The Strategy aims to recognise, support, and empower carers to manage their physical, mental, and emotional health and wellbeing and contains actions to implement the following national goals: (1) to recognise the value and contribution of carers and promote their inclusion in decisions relating to the person they are caring for; (2) to support carers to manage their physical, mental, and emotional health and wellbeing; (3) to support carers to care with confidence through the provision of adequate information, training, services and supports; and (4) to empower carers to participate as fully as possible in economic and social life.

The Government of Canada recognizes that elder abuse is a serious issue affecting many older persons in Canada. The Criminal Code contains a comprehensive set of offenses and sentencing provisions to address the abuse and neglect of seniors. Recent sentencing amendments to the Criminal Code specifically address factors, which increase the vulnerability of older victims. The first amendment requires courts to consider it an aggravating factor, when sentencing an individual for the offense of fraud, that the offense “had a significant impact on the victims given their personal circumstances including their age, health and financial situation”. The second amendment codified the common law and requires the court to consider it an aggravating factor where evidence shows that an offense had a significant impact on the victim, having regard to age, and other personal circumstances such as health and financial situation (for all Criminal Code offenses not just specifically to fraud cases).

The Updated National Demographic Strategy of the Republic of Bulgaria (2012–2030) aims to address the country's demographic challenges. The strategy's primary goal is to slow down the population decrease rate and achieve long-term stabilization. It focuses on enhancing human capital quality, including health, education, abilities, and skills. The strategy involves all Bulgarian citizens and is implemented by government bodies, with active participation from citizens and businesses. The policy covers the entire population of Bulgaria, aiming for balanced demographic development and improved human capital quality. It considers all life phases: youth, active working age, and retirement. Key interventions include encouraging having children, improving reproductive health, raising demographic awareness, reducing mortality rates, and managing migration. It emphasizes lawfulness, prevention, continuity, equality, efficiency, efficacy, coherency, public-private partnership, transparency, sustainability, and public and political consensus. The strategy will be implemented through a set of measures across various sectors, including health, education, social services, and employment, to create favorable conditions for demographic development. The strategy will be operating between 2012 and 2030.

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.