“Affordable housing for older people is necessary” 

…claim the European Green Seniors in a webinar with the Green MEPs Maria Ohisalo and Tilly Metz .

Text: Kris Fierens

In old age, the radius of movement becomes smaller and mobility is often restricted. To enable seniors to remain living at home, they need an environment that is as barrier-free as possible. Currently this is often not the case. We make it clear in our position paper (download here).

In our webinar on Monday 28 of April we, European Green Seniors, discussed our position paper about housing with Maria Ohisalo from Finland and Tilly Metz from Luxemburg, both MEP’s, European Parliament for the Green Party. It was a verry rich and meaningful exchange. Maria Ohisalo (left), member of the Housing Committee in the European Parliament, was able to tell us that they have a mandate to formulate recommendations for the European Commission. Our position paper fits in well with that, especially because it focuses on barrier-free and affordable housing for the elderly. All too often a missing accent in the elaboration of the recommendations. She advises us to follow the work of the committee.

Tilly Metz (right), member of the Committee on Human Rights and Health, told us that also an important input from the green seniors can be given when the discussion about affordable Care Homes is open. Moreover, the European Pillar of Social Rights, proclaimed by the European Parliament, the Council, and the Commission in 2017, includes an Action Plan. Senior citizens’ associations can exert pressure here.  Our position paper could be valuable and discussed.

One of our goals as European Green seniors is to engage in a dialogue with our green MEPS and exchange positions with our position papers. We have done that again with this webinar. That is why we would like to see new green seniors organizing themselves and associate with us.