A Holistic Approach to Wellbeing Through the Life Course: Topics for Learning by the Pandemic Context Post-2020

In a nutshell, the promotion of healthier lifestyles throughout the lifespan makes demands for an integrated and holistic approach to the physical and mental development of children, adults, and older adults. Seamless cooperation between the different layers of public authorities, as well as the different society stakeholders is essential, aiming to involve all and leave no one behind. Human ecosystems need local, regional, national, and European support to be able to grow, mainly by providing training and coaching for a more suitable development, as well as financial support to enable the involvement of fragile people with lower opportunities. The role of the European Commission is essential in supporting different elements of such ecosystems and relevant initiatives. One key aspect is to support the participation of grassroot organisations and help them link with international networks, essential in making the voice of citizens heard as a whole, as they are often fragmented and struggle to have their work valued. This paper is based on joint work developed by COST Action NET4Age-Friendly members, in response to the European Commission’s Green Paper on Ageing, which was under open consultation in 2021. Contributions are spread over different topics, selected from the Green Paper areas, and they provide a comprehensive summary of a few relevant ideas, from health to ICT and, of course, built environments. Social aspects are at the core of this paper, mainly within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, whose effects involve both permanent and temporary changes that deeply affected society in both old-real and new-digital lives. NET4Age-Friendly recommends and supports, through its network, the creation and maintenance of local, regional, and national interconnected ecosystems in which all citizens, researchers, businesses, NGOs, health, and social care professionals and authorities are enabled to cooperate in a safe, educative, inclusive, and mixed social environment. Training opportunities, joint learning of skills regarding healthy lifestyles for all ages, friendly ICT usage, adequate housing and independent living, well-maintained and safe indoor and outdoor places and spaces, as well as safe circulation pathways for daily needs have become key areas for action, along with financial security, online connectivity, accessibility, and inclusiveness for all.