The Union of Working Consumers of Greece and the Institute of Research for Innovation and Development – IMKKA presented the Health Rights of the Elderly at an event , in the framework of EU-Health project of the BUILD program – Building a robust and democratic civic space.

Αim of the “EU-Health” project is to enable elderly people to learn about their rights within the EU framework in terms of access and use, so that they can use health services more effectively, through the provision of information with the ultimate aim of improving their physical and mental health. The aim is also to raise awareness among older people, relatives and students of health professions, especially regarding equal treatment issues.

The BUILD program – Building a robust and democratic civic space (Build), was presented by Veatriki Giannoglou, Program Manager of the Bodossaki Foundation, who referred to the program’s objective of protecting, promoting and widely recognizing the fundamental rights and values of the EU, through supporting Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Greece and Cyprus and strengthening their capacities and sustainability.

The purpose, objectives and results of the actions of the EU-Health project were presented by Anastasia Chatzipavlou, Director of the Union of Working Consumers of Greece.  

Konstantinos Grigoriadis, Policy Analyst at IMKKA, referred to the rights of the elderly in the health sector within the EU framework, focusing on the challenges faced by the elderly people in Greece and on the research, findings conducted in the project framework.

The President of the Veria Workers’ Center, Elena Atsalou, referred to the role of Workers’ Centers in the social integration of the elderly. In addition to the actions of the Veria Workers’ Center for the elderly, she highlighted the positive impact of the implementation of the actions of the EU-Health project in non-urban and remote areas of the Imathia Prefecture.

The problems faced by the elderly in the field of care and health in relation to the Public Health System, diagnostic tests and pharmaceutical costs were presented by the President of the Supreme General Confederation of Pensioners of Greece (AGSSE), Koutsibogeorgos Giorgos.

The Head of Department of the 2nd Open Protection of the Elderly (K.A.P.I.), of the Directorate of Social Protection, Equality and the Elderly, of the 1st and 2nd K.A.P.I. of the Municipality of Nikaia – Aghios Ioannis Rentis, Paspala Despina MSc Cultural Management, presented the programs of the Municipality of Nikaia – Aghios Ioannis Rentis, which, by treating the human being as a whole and through culture, aim to maintain the physical, spiritual, mental and social health of the elderly.

Grammatiki Karagianni, Physiotherapist, MSc in Advanced Physiotherapy, Academic Fellow of the University of Thessaly, referred to the preventive role of the science of Physiotherapy in the elderly, which increases the quality of life and delays the degeneration of the musculoskeletal system. She noted the importance of elderly people not feeling marginalized, but being able to serve themselves by knowing and utilizing all the resources available to them.

Professor of the Agricultural University of Athens, Director of the Laboratory of Organizational Innovation and Management Systems, Panagiotis Trivellas, referred to the climate crisis and food security, the characteristics and applications of Living Labs, through the example of the “Thriving Agroecology Living Lab “, answering how the third age is part of the co-formation of sustainable solutions.

Associate Professor of the Agricultural University of Athens, Director of the Dietetics and Quality of Life Laboratory, Emilia Papakonstantinou, presented the nutritional needs of the population, which are adjusted according to increasing age, while focusing on the particularities, needs and nutritional challenges of the elderly.

Dr. Anna Anastasopoulou, Social-Organizational Psychologist, Researcher at the Laboratory of Organizational Innovation and Management Systems, spoke about the importance of social resilience in third age, focusing on the different factors that influence the well-being of the elderly, from individual resilience and self-care strategies, to organizational infrastructure and collective social support.

The event was welcomed by the Vice President of the Union of Working Consumers of Greece, Yiannis Bouleros, while the Deputy Mayor for Social Services and Solidarity and Gender Equality Eleftheria Vakouli, the President of the Pensioners’ Association OASA and subsidiary companies Theoharis Tatarakis, as well as members of pensioner associations, honored the event with their presence.

More information about the project and its results can be found here: 

Photos from the event here.

The project “Cognitive Enrichment of European health rights for the Elderly (E-geia)” is implemented in the framework of BUILD program, by the Union of Working Consumers of Greece in partnership with the Institute of Innovation and Development Studies.

The project “Building a robust and democratic civic space” (BUILD) aims to protect, promote and widely recognize the EU fundamental rights and values, through the support of Civil Society Organization in Greece and the Republic of Cyprus and the strengthening of their capacities and sustainability.

BUILD Program cofunding is provided by the European Education and Culture Executive Agency, within the framework of the program “Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values” ( CERN ) the Bodosaki foundation in Greece and the NGO Support Center in the Republic of Cyprus with a funding amount of 2,9 million Euros. The coordinator of BUILD is Bodosaki Foundation (Greece) in partnership with the NGO Support Center in the Republic of Cyprus.  

Photos from the event