Never before have we had so many people over 75 in the Netherlands as now. The elderly are often seen as having less added value, but nothing could be further from the truth. It is precisely those over 65 who can make a valuable contribution to today’s society. We have a number of points to confirm this position. They come.
1. Older people have more energy
You would think that as you get older, you have less energy. That is also true, on a physical level. Mentally, they actually get an energy boost: they feel less pressure in life and have the time to do what they want. They are also less concerned about things that we still consider important, such as the opinions of others or broken objects.
2. Older people are more resilient
Older people are often labeled as vulnerable, helpless and incompetent, but that is not the case at all. Many elderly people know best how to be resilient and do not become demotivated by setbacks such as illness or loss. They know best that life goes on even when things are negative, and they can respond better to this because of all the life experience they have built up.
3. Elderly people are full of wisdom, knowledge and experience
Wisdom comes with experience, something we all benefit from. Older people have already lived many years in which they have learned a lot and have built up wisdom, knowledge and experience. We ‘young people’ can learn a lot from this wisdom, knowledge and experiences!
4. The elderly contribute a lot to healthcare
The fact that the elderly can sometimes be more vulnerable does not mean that they do not contribute anything. Many elderly people do volunteer work, work in healthcare and education, look after their (grand)children, and provide a lot of support to others. We often pay attention to what people can no longer do, so often that we forget what they can do: take care of each other.
5. Elderly people can handle stress better
Older people have more overview and are more resistant to stress: they are already familiar with many scenarios, so they know how to respond to them. You can rely on them, especially in moments of tension: when things get difficult, you can always seek help from the elderly.
