Strategy of active aging (ESTRENA). Principality of Asturias (2018-2021)

The Principality of Asturias´s Active Aging Strategy (ESTRENA) will guide policy development  to improve healthy aging in our region over the next 3 years. For its development  a participatory innovative investigation process has been launched. In this process both the elder population and the professionals who work side by side with this group have participated. Therefore, the Strategy gathers the inputs of all Asturian Society.

The outputs of the process are to liaise with different regional Government´s Counsels, representatives of labor unions and business organizations, which are involved as well on the Social Agreement Committee; local administration; partners of the Reference Site Asturias; professionals in the field of active aging; to the organizations and the Advisory Council for the Elderly of the Principality of Asturias.

As a result of this, the four axes that articulate the strategy have been identified:

• Governance,  a transversal model to the other axes which, presents in an implicit way  the actions that each one contains. Its intention is  to answer to senior´s different interests, expectations and new profiles improving their participation, collaboration and co-responsibility in the design and the development of the policies that have to be driven.
• To age well, living a quality and safe life in familiar surroundings , by improving their  capacities and personal autonomy.
• Accessible, inclusive and friendly society, for everybody, that fosters good treatment and social relationships between the different ages and a positive awareness towards old age.
• Towards a development model linked to old people. The longevity of success allows a new vision for the aging process. Promoting research, development and innovation in the field of active and healthy aging can stimulate economic promotion and entrepreneurship.

The development of the Strategy has taken the main recommendations and directives established by international organisms into account. This is supported by the demographic analysis carried out by the Asturian Observatory of Social Services (ObservASS).

The strategy aims to answer to a society that has an increasing longer life expectancy, in which senior´s social profile is changing with respect to previous decades. The strategy aims to keep the integral and innovative approach that European Union has recognized through the Asturias Reference Site in Active Aging distinction.

The measures in the strategy are intended to cater for people older than 55 years; the elderly dependent to a slight degree, in order to favor their autonomy; the elderly at risk of cognitive deterioration, physical deterioration, isolation, loneliness or demotivation; and, in general, to the citizens who wish to participate.

The strategy has been awarded with SENDA prize public initiative for the active aging, this national prize rewards actions to prevent dependency in favor of active and healthy aging. The award was obtained after the public ceremony held in April at the presentation of the strategy to Asturian Society.

Recently the Strategy of Active Aging has been added to "Commitment Tracker of EIP on AHA" in group D4 Age Friendly Environments.