Citizen participation in Oberhausen: Where is the voice of the seniors?

Citizen participation in Oberhausen: Where is the voice of the seniors?

Oberhausen, Deutschland - in 2024 Oberhausen will come up with a new "senior portal"! The city plans to advance digitization, which has been required since 2017. But what is really behind it? Under the supervision of the city and with the support of an old people's assistant, an editorial team of at least 15 hours a week is to be formed. But where is the voluntary commitment? Instead, a remuneration rate is discussed that raises the question: Are the 40,000 euros only used for digitization?

In a 60-page document, the senior: Interior support plan Oberhausen 2024, citizen participation is described as necessary, but also avoidable. It is emphasized that municipalities should include older citizens in decision -making processes in order to better consider local needs. But strangely, no word about the 90 % of those in need of care are lost in their own four walls of relatives. The numbers are alarming: 2,094 home places are occupied in Oberhausen, while 17,900 people in need of care are cared for by their relatives, 3,507 of whom are supported by outpatient services.

questions about the future of the seniors

The citizens are called to ask themselves: Do you see the situation as well? Is the city's organization actually optimal, or are there deficits that should be addressed in the committees of the Council? The discussion about Oberhausen's senior citizens' policy is imminent, and the social committee will be discussed on November 5, 2024 on the printed matter A/17/1347-01. Time is pushing and the questions are urgent: How will the city really take into account the needs of its older citizens?