Recipes for Systemic Change - Helsinki Design Lab

Challenge Excerpt75AgeingStudioWith Europe’s most rapidly ageing population,Finland faces a daunting challengein light of the imminent retirement of theBaby Boomer generation. The onset of suddenstrains and intense pressures will drawincreased attention to shortcomings of theexisting welfare system. To make good on thesocial contract between generations, Finlandmust rethink how and why it delivers welfareservices to the elderly, as well as redefine thegeneral understanding of all life stages.As the average age of many societies inthe developed world steadily rises, the basicassumptions of daily life are being rewritten.This change affects not only the membersof this ageing population, who are facingincreasing competition within a constantlygrowing peer group, but also those individuals and communitieswho provide care and support for the elderly. As theBaby Boomers retire, every level of society will be affected—from the individual to the institutional—with particularattention focused on the interfaces between these differentgroups.To make good on the social contractbetween generations, Finlandmust redefine the understandingof all life stages.As the Baby Boomers retire, everylevel of society will be affected—from the individual to the institutional—withparticular attentionfocused on the interfaces betweenthese different groups.