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Interest groups demand age-friendly urban development and intergenerational cooperation.
Darmstadt. 2026 local elections in mind, the advocacy group for senior citizens in Darmstadt formulated its key expectations for future city policy. The goal is to safeguard the quality of life for older citizens while simultaneously promoting intergenerational cooperation.
“Older people are an important part of our city's society. Their needs must be considered in all areas of policy,” emphasizes Gerhard Abendschein realistic concepts are needed that remain feasible even under financial constraints.
Furthermore, the advocacy group demands an initiative from the city of Darmstadt towards the state and federal government to end the structural underfunding of municipalities.
Key demands of the senior citizens' representatives
The advocacy group has presented a comprehensive position paper containing six key points:
I. Living and Remaining in the Neighborhood:
Older people should be able to live in their familiar surroundings for as long as possible. To this end, the advocacy group calls for accessible, affordable housing , local support services, public restrooms, community lunches, and meeting spaces . A key concern is the expansion of community-based care services to all parts of the city .
II. Mobility:
Mobility means social participation. Demands include barrier-free sidewalks and bus stops , more seating, timetables suitable for seniors, and well-trained drivers. Public transport must remain reliable, accessible, and affordable.
III. Digitalization:
The ongoing digitalization must not exclude older people. The advocacy group demands a "right to an analog life ," analog access to services, and local advisory services.
IV. Safety:
A strong sense of security contributes to quality of life. Well-lit paths and squares , quick access to emergency services , and video surveillance in high-risk areas and on public transport .
V. Climate and heat protection:
Rising temperatures are particularly hard on older people. Calls are made for drinking water fountains, cool common rooms without obligation to consume beverages , and more green spaces to improve the urban climate.
VI. Participation:
“Old age is an active phase of life,” Abendschein emphasizes. The senior citizens' representatives are calling for more opportunities to have a say , for example in the development of the city's senior citizens' program or through the right to speak in the city council .
Age-friendly city as a shared goal
Abendschein summarizes:
"Only through sustainable, affordable and socially just measures can Darmstadt remain an age-friendly city. Launching initiatives to achieve this will be one of the main tasks of the advocacy group in the coming years."
Further information on the work of the advocacy group for older people in Darmstadt can be found on the website of the City of Darmstadt .
(DARMSTADT – RED/PM)
