Birgit Backlund-Palander from the Finnish Green Seniors intervened during the congress of the Finnish Green Party with the following speech:
“A longer lifespan is the result of generations of collective societal efforts; it did not suddenly appear out of the blue. Life expectancy has increased thanks to general development, human wisdom, and science.
But politicians have looked away from the phenomenon for far too long.
Our grandparents were more vulnerable at our age than people of the same age today. Yet, as a child, I learned from them that you can be happy with little and that you can also share from your little if someone needs it. And there are still people who need that. Let us show compassion for all vulnerable groups in society.
It is important to be able to trust that help is available when you need it, and who can say that they will never find themselves in such a situation?
It is high time that we all start thinking differently about aging. And the way we talk about aging in public can change a great deal about this. Take a closer look, and you will see the enormous positive potential for society.
We must give the public debate a positive turn! Can the Greens make that happen by dealing consciously and decisively with increasing life expectancy? This is an opportunity for us as the Green Party!”
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