Everyone wants to live a comfortable life, including older people. Yet we still hardly ever think or talk about this stage of life. We prefer to put off thinking about how to prepare for our own old age. It is high time we changed that. That is why we are also starting a conversation about the future here in Apeldoorn.
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Talk about tomorrow today

  • 10 July 2024

The Netherlands is ageing and healthcare is changing. That is why it is vital that we discuss what life will look like in the near future. This calls for us to consider the question: how, as a society, are we going to organise care for older people? That is why we are encouraging residents to engage in discussions about old age. We are doing this through a municipal network comprising the municipality of Apeldoorn and various Apeldoorn-based organisations, each with their own areas of expertise. These include healthcare, support services, advocacy, housing and informal care. On this page, you will find information about the ’Talk about tomorrow today’ campaign.

Conversation benches and conversation cards have been created for the campaign. The benches travel to the network partners’ locations and remain there for a few weeks at a time. The conversation cards help to facilitate the conversation. They feature questions, dilemmas and statements to get the conversation started. The conversations are intended to provide answers to questions such as: How would you like to grow old yourself? What can you do for older people in your local area? What do you expect from your loved ones, your neighbourhood or the government? And are those expectations realistic? What can you already arrange for yourself? What can you do now for your parents to ensure they can grow old comfortably? During this period, the network partners can also provide information, organise meetings and demonstrate the support services available to residents.

Frequently asked questions

It may seem a long way off. But to ensure we can continue to enjoy life to the full in the future, it’s a good idea to talk about tomorrow today.

Read the frequently asked questions

Een kleurrijk praatbankje reist door Apeldoorn.
A colourful chat bench is making its way around Apeldoorn.
De gesprekswaaiers met per thema 32 vragen, stellingen en dilemma’s. Deze helpen bij het voeren van een gesprek over later.
The conversation guides, each containing 32 questions, statements and dilemmas organised by theme. These help to facilitate a conversation about the future.

Making decisions in good time

By having a conversation about ageing, it becomes easier to make choices in good time. This helps people to live independently for longer, retain control over their own lives, and build and maintain a social network. Having this conversation has even more benefits. The local authority and its network partners gain valuable information. They can use this information to adapt their services or clarify the information they provide.

Two colourful benches will be travelling around Apeldoorn over the coming months. These are special benches, as they invite all residents who sit on them to have a conversation about ‘old age’, featuring questions, statements and dilemmas. After all, how do you want to grow old? And what can you do for yourself and others? The benches are part of a campaign by Apeldoorn City Council and 17 organisations to encourage discussion about growing old.

How does the Netherlands want to age?

In 2023, ActiZ, the trade association for healthcare professionals, conducted a survey amongst the Dutch population to find out how they would like to grow old, and to what extent people are already thinking about their later years. It turns out that more than half of all Dutch people never talk to others about their later years. The number of people who procrastinate increases with age. For example, those aged 50 and over are more likely to put off making preparations, even though they recognise the importance of doing so. Only a quarter of all Dutch people think about it regularly. A key conclusion is that many people are not yet ready for old age, and the conversation about tomorrow must take place today. Further results of this study are set out in a clear Factsheet: The Netherlands is not yet ready for old age (pdf, 570 kB).

Members of the network

The following organisations in Apeldoorn are taking part in ‘Talk about tomorrow today’:

Organisations in Apeldoorn can still join the network. Visit the network page For further information and to register.

More information

Do you have any questions? Or would you like more information?
Get in touch.

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