Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2009-10-21-Speech-3-273"
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"Mrs Harkin raises an issue that is very relevant today with an increasing proportion of our population getting progressively older. Measures in this area fall primarily within national competence and the Community can only support and complement the work done by the Member States.
However, the Swedish Presidency would like to give this matter some attention and we will do everything we can to increase the quality of care for the elderly and combat the problems relating to the abuse of elderly people. In this regard, I would like to remind you of a conference that was held in Stockholm a month ago on the subject of Healthy and Dignified Ageing. The conference brought together 160 people from 27 countries. There was a high level of participation. The Commission was there, as were the Member States, officials from ministries of health and social affairs and many voluntary organisations.
The aim was to highlight precisely the problems brought up by the honourable Member: how can we deal with the need for increased cooperation between the health and care sectors to meet the needs of our elderly citizens? It is the intention of the Presidency that the Council should adopt conclusions on this matter on 30 November at the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council. In the draft conclusions, we are seeking deeper and closer cooperation within the area of healthy and dignified ageing, including through the exchange of information between the Member States. The Commission is also urged to draw up an action plan for the dignity, health and quality of life of elderly people.
I would also like to point out that the Council adopted conclusions in June of this year entitled ‘Equal opportunities for women and men: active and dignified ageing’ precisely to facilitate the provision of quality care services in connection with home care for elderly people, taking into account the particular needs of older men and women.
With regard to the issue of the abuse of elderly people in particular, Council Directive 2000/78/EC already prohibits discrimination in the workplace on account of age. The Commission proposed that the protection provided by this directive should be extended to a number of other areas such as social security, health care, social benefits, education, access to goods and services, housing and so on.
This proposal contains many elements that are relevant to the abuse of elderly people. It includes care in the home, institutional care and health care services. It prohibits harassment, which is a form of discrimination, defined as unwanted conduct with the effect of ‘violating the dignity of a person and of creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment’.
This proposal is currently being debated in the Council, and the European Parliament has already issued an opinion. Unanimity in the Council is required for the proposal to be approved. Of course, we cannot pre-empt the result of the debate in the Council, but I would nevertheless like to say that we are doing all we can to introduce legislation that will help to eliminate all forms of abuse and maltreatment of elderly people, which is fully in line with the opinion issued by the European Parliament.
It is, of course, our firm view that no one should have to suffer harassment or abuse, least of all elderly people, who are so dependent on care."@en1
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