Recipes for Systemic Change - Helsinki Design Lab

to hedge risk with competitive growth. Finland must embrace a strategyfor capitalizing on the opportunities presented by its ageing population ina manner that is more social than institutional in nature; it must invest inthe renewal and redefinition of the social contract between generations.In order to create value potential, Finland must rethink how and why itdelivers welfare services to the elderly, as well as redefine a general understandingof the term “elderly.” This will necessitate innovation in the broadestunderstandings of the role of the elderly within society. It will requireevaluation and adaption of how the elderly population is integrated into allaspects of their surroundings such as, their position in the overall socialfabric, the character of their consumer presence, their location within thebuilt environment, and the means of their political participation.Finnish society must find a way to embrace the notion of a healthy,productive, independent, and connected old age for its citizens as a meansto change the very way that ageing is understood. Improvements to theelder care system must involve the full participation of all levels of societyso as to provide a more robust societal support network. The elderly mustbe reintegrated into the rest of society in such a way as to preserve theirdignity without adding additional strains on the welfare system.278