The driving force of EIT Health is to engender a paradigm shift in healthcare by explicitly aiming for a citizen-centred approach. An essential first step in such a shift is to not just involve the citizen, but actually producing a form of healthcare that is based on the needs and circumstances of the older individual. Exploring current research on older citizens, we soon discovered that very little is known about these older individuals and their needs, attitudes, and wishes.
For this reason, a study was conducted in four EU-countries – The Netherlands, France, Poland, and Portugal – as a first exploration of the European citizen of 55 years and older. The report summarizing the findings of this study, entitled Ambitions of 55+ Europeans in selected countries, sheds light on several topics that align with the core challenges that EIT Health wishes to address: work, finances, living situation, social contacts, and health.
This study was conducted by Leyden Academy on Vitality and Ageing, in close collaboration with the Leiden University Medical Center, in the context of the EIT Health Executive & Professional Education Programme (annex 2.2.1: Towards citizen-centred active ageing and well-being). The survey was developed by Leyden Academy, translated together with several partners in the respective countries, and executed by Trendbox and their partners.