Response of Estonia to the questionnaire on best practices in the implementation of existing law related to the promotion and protection of the rights of older persons

1.	Name of the practice
ACTIVE AGEING DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2013-2020 
(to be incorporated into Welfare Development Plan 2016-2023 at the beginning of 2016)

2.	Area concerned
•	Discrimination 
•	Adequate standard of living/participation
•	Independence and autonomy (accessibility)
•	Social Protection
•	Care (home, family or institutional care, long-term care, palliative care, geriatric services, quality of care and availability of services, care workers etc)

3.	Type of practice:
•	Policy/Programme/Strategy/Action Plan of Ageing

4.	Level of implementation:
•	National

5.	Please describe the practice, including a) its purpose; b) when and how it was adopted; c) how long it has been used/implemented; and d) its geographic scope.
In 2013 the Active Ageing Development Plan 2013-2020 was approved by the Minister of Social Affairs. The Development Plan, targeting people over 50 years of age, sets out the Estonian elderly policy priorities: to create an age-friendly society and ensure quality of life and equal opportunities for older persons covering social, labour, education and health policy. 

The Development Plan, based on the principles of Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA), aims to increase older people’s participation in society, participation in the labour market and lifelong learning, increase satisfaction with working life and promote their health and everyday coping. 

The aims in four policy areas are supported by overarching principles on creating age-friendly life environment and attitudes, values and practices supporting active ageing; increasing people’s awareness and knowledge of the matters related to active ageing (including the needs, resources and opportunities of older persons); and supporting cooperation and coordinated activity for the provision of innovative and successful solutions and for the achievement of established goals.

The Active Ageing Development Plan was the first comprehensive strategic document that gave clear vision for elderly policy in Estonia. Since 2016 the Active Ageing Development Plan will be merged into more comprehensive Welfare Development Plan 2016-2023 that will set clear strategic objectives for labour, social security, social welfare, gender equality and equal opportunities policies.

6.	Which actors are involved in the development and implementation of such practice?
The preparations of Active Ageing development Plan 2013-2020 and Welfare Development Plan 2016-2023 have involved a large variety of actors. 

At the initial phase, a joint seminar took place with the participation of the representatives of social partners and stakeholders where the main problems and shortcomings in the everyday life of older persons were defined, as well as areas that require more attention in Estonia due to the ageing population. 

Preparation of an analytical overview describing the situation, problems and needs of older persons was carried out, relying on national and departmental statistics and results of various social surveys and political analyses. Experts, scientists and opinion-leaders from different fields of life were interviewed on the subject of problems and opportunities associated with the ageing of population.

Working groups consisting of officials, local government representatives, experts and representatives of social partners and stakeholders were established. Members of working groups began working on problems submitted by the Elderly Policy Committee formulated at the opening seminar, and on finding potential policy solutions to raised problems. 

7.	Which rights of older persons does the practice promote and protect?
The Active Ageing Development Plan promotes and protects the right for independent coping and living, adequate living standard and social protection, access to social welfare and health care, possibilities for lifelong learning and employment. The new Welfare Development Plan widens the scope to equal opportunities policy.

8.	How does the practice promote or protect such rights?
The Active Ageing Development Plan sets clear vision and targets for policy makers, service providers, partners and wider public about state elderly policy. 

9.	What groups of older persons, if any, particularly benefit from the practice?
The Active Ageing Development Plan contributes to the protection of rights, independent coping and wellbeing of all older persons and also foresees preventive measures for younger population groups.

10.	How has the practice been assessed and monitored? Please provide specific information on the impact of the practice, with data, indicators, among others, if any.
The active ageing policy is monitored by a number of indicators, in social welfare for example:
•	Employment rate of older (55-64) persons
•	Absolute poverty rate for age groups 0-17, 18-64 and 65+
•	Proportion among the care of older persons of recipients of open care services (non-institutional care) supporting independent coping at home and recipients of 24-hour institutional care service
•	In addition, the Ministry of Social Affairs conducts regular survey on elderly coping in every five years. All major indicators by Statistics Estonia are available by different age groups.

11.	What lessons do you believe could be learnt from this practice? How could it be improved?
Lessons learnt during the elaboration of Active Ageing Development plan include:
•	In the context of decreasing and ageing population there is a need for strong focus on policy for elderly 
•	Deep discussions with target groups and wider public consultations lead to concentrated and focused policy document. 
•	Clear vision, goals and targets of elderly policy help to incorporate lower level development plan (the Active Ageing Development Plan was approved by the Minister of Social Affairs) into Government level development plan (the Welfare Development Plan will be approved by the Government) and thus give more power to this policy field.
•	There is room for improvement in cooperation with public sector organisations. The new regulation for drafting development plans will certainly support that.

12.	How could this practice be a model for other countries?
•	Wider consultations and inclusion of different actors and stakeholders to the elaboration and monitoring of the Development Plan help to reach common understanding of general policy goals. 
•	Agreed and approved goals give the target groups and wider public a clear vision about government’s goals in a specific policy area.
•	Concrete vision about elderly policy helps different actors, especially NGOs apply for funding as they have better understanding what projects and activities will be supported from different funds.

1.	Name of the practice
ELDERLY POLICY COMMITTEE
Integration of the elderly into the process of political decision-making

2.	Area concerned
•	Full integration and participation of older persons in society

3.	Type of practice
•	Social inclusion/Political participation

4.	Level of implementation
National

5.	Please describe the practice, including a) its purpose; b) when and how it was adopted; c) how long it has been used/implemented; and d) its geographic scope.
The Elderly Policy Committee is a working group at the Ministry of Social Affairs of Estonia, which was launched on 1998. The committee is designed to stand for the interests of the older persons in the development of national social policies. The working group consists of the representatives of various fields and organizations, e.g. Estonian Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics (EGGA), Estonian Association of Social Workers (ESTA), Estonian Chamber of Disabled People (EPIK), Estonian Association of Pensioners’ Societies (EPÜL), University of Tallinn, and Social Affairs Committee of Estonian Parliament. There are also representatives of NGO’s: Nõmme Old Men’s Club, Elderly Self-Help and Advisory Union, Seniors’ Club, and  Informal Care Union of Estonia. Therefore all the main target groups are included in the committee. The Committee carries out a very important role to promote social and political participation in society.

The Committee’s duties are the following: 
Advises the Ministry of Social Affairs on issues concerning the elderly, participates in the development of national documents concerning the elderly, gives opinions and proposals to the government on elderly issues, functions as the link between state and organizations representing the interests of the elderly, issues the elderly newspaper “Elukaar” (”Life Curve”), conducts seminars and conferences. 

6.	Which actors are involved in the development and implementation of such practice?
Ministry of Social Affairs of Estonia, NGO-s, foundations, parliament, pensioners’ organizations etc.

7.	Which rights of older persons does the practice promote and protect?
Political integration, social inclusion and the right to be involved into the process of political decision-making.

8.	How does the practice promote or protect such rights?
The committee represents older persons groups interest by being involved in legislative and political decision-making process, e.g. establishing and implementing national strategies.

9.	What groups of older persons, if any, particularly benefit from the practice?
All older persons in general.

10.	How has the practice been assessed and monitored? Please provide specific information on the impact of the practice, with data, indicators, among others, if any.
It is assessed by committee’s activity. No specific data is collected. The committee has been active since 1998. Every year the committee establishes an action plan for the following year. At the end of the year the committee presents a report of their activity to the Ministry.

11.	What lessons do you believe could be learnt from this practice? How could it be improved?
It is a good example how to include older groups into the political-making process. 

12.	How could this practice be a model for other countries?
This can be good example in governmental level.

1.	Name of the practice
Supporting employment of the elderly

2.	Area concerned
•	Adequate standard of living / participation

3.	Type of practice
•	Policy/Programme/Strategy/Action Plan of Ageing

4.	Level of implementation
National

5.	Please describe the practice, including a) its purpose; b) when and how it was adopted; c) how long it has been used/implemented; and d) its geographic scope.

Achieving a high level of employment, i.e. 76% of the working age population (15 – 64 year-olds) is one of the goals of the competitiveness plan “Estonia 2020”. Compared to the EU average in Estonia the labour market activity among the older people is high. According to the Eurostat data in 2013 in Estonia the employment rate of the people aged 55-64 years of age was 62.6% whereas the European average was 50.1%. Also in a recently published European Commission and the United Nations active ageing index out of the 28th member states Estonia was on 10th position, whereas among the 65-69 year-olds employment rate Estonia was the highest amongst EU member states.

Despite of this, statistics shows that the labour market activity in Estonia decreases significantly with increasing of the age: when reaching the retirement age i.e. 60 – 64 year olds, 36% of pension aged persons work, and out of people already in retirement, i.e. 65 – 74 year-olds, only 17% work. In the situation of population ageing and declining birth rate, older people’s healthy aging while employed, i.e. preserving the work capacity, is of utmost importance, thus Estonia has turned more attention than before on active ageing and older people as a potential work force. Participation in the labour market helps the older people’s high self-esteem, social inclusion and self-realization.

The aim of the policy for the employment of older workers is to support them in remaining in the labour market and to expand the labour market services to the people in their retirement age. Investments to the support services (including welfare services) and living environment of the disabled and elderly enable to improve their and their families’ access to labour market services and labour market itself. Special attention is paid to the people who due to long-term illness, incapacity to work, disability or care-burden related problems, have been left on the side from the labour market and to improve independent coping. One the main measures for promoting elderly persons’ active aging in the upcoming years is the work ability reform.

Starting from 1 July 2016 the Government will launch a comprehensive reform which entails a paradigm shift in the approach to people with reduced work capacity and employment. It is aimed at enabling those persons to participate in the labour market and prevent work incapacity through awareness raising and early intervention. Through the reform, the Government will abolish the establishment of percentages of permanent incapacity for work, start assessing work ability and increase the provision of labour market and supportive social services, thus admitting persons with health damage in the labour market. The criteria for allocation of the benefit will be an individual’s capacity to work. Persons with partial or no work ability are paid a work ability allowance, but its payment to persons with partial work ability depends on the person’s fulfilment of activeness requirements. In case of employment, the amount and payment of allowance depends on the amount of wages. Thus, the reform balances the rights and obligations of persons with health damage, as they get more rights to receive help and support, but also an obligation to be active on the labour market.

Active labour market services that help people with reduced working ability back into the labour market are an important cornerstone of the reform. According to the Labour Market Services and Benefits Act, all people from the age 55 until pensionable age are entitled to all labour market services. People who are entitled to old age pension can only be registered at the Unemployment Insurance Fund as jobseekers. They cannot be registered as unemployed and they are not entitled to labour market benefits.

However from 2015 the European Social Funds are used to improve the access of older people to the labour market and to prevent them from “exiting” from it. For that the scope of recipients of the labour market services has been widened - since 2015 old age pensioners, who are registered as jobseekers at the Unemployment Insurance Fund are entitled to provision of information on the situation on the labour market, and of the labour market services and benefits, job mediation, labour market training, career counselling, work practice, business start-up subsidy, adaptation of premises and equipment and free use of special aid and equipment. Additionally, new measures are designed to respond to the need of people with reduced work ability: temporary sheltered employment, transportation support, work-related rehabilitation, mobile counselling and experience based counselling. In addition, the Employment Programme 2014-2015 establishes old age pensioners’ possibility to be supported in obtaining the qualification.

Even though elderly employment rate is quite high in Estonia compared to the other EU member states, in the situation of aging population and the declining birth rate keeping older people healthy and in employment is important. The development plans and activities are oriented towards keeping elderly in employment and stay in employment, changing the attitude towards elderly, elderly health behaviour and the advancement of their knowledge and skills. Only integrally implemented measures to increase the older people’s entering and remaining in employment.

The activities and goals the Ministry of Social Affairs of Estonia is based on the premise that older persons are considered as valuable members to the community, whose contribution to the society and the labour market is equal to all the others. In case the elderly person needs assistance in coping, the Estonian government offers various types of social protection. For example, in June 2015 the Government approved the concept paper on the implementation of the support scheme for old-age pensioners who live alone. The scheme will enter into force since 2017.

6.	Which actors are involved in the development and implementation of such practice?
Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund, local municipalities, etc.

7.	Which rights of older persons does the practice promote and protect?
Right to work, social inclusion and the right to dignified coping.

8.	How does the practice promote or protect such rights?
Assists older persons re-establishing economic self-sufficiency, including income generation by supporting working beyond retirement age. Removes disincentives to working beyond retirement age, as the acquired pension rights, disability benefit rights and health benefits are protected, despite delayed retirement age. Creates enabling conditions and incentives for social participation.

9.	What groups of older persons, if any, particularly benefit from the practice?
In general all older persons, especially older persons with reduced work capacity.

10.	How has the practice been assessed and monitored? Please provide specific information on the impact of the practice, with data, indicators, among others, if any.
In order to assess the implementation of the work ability reform from 1 January 2016 the impact of the results will be measured by indicators, which will be regularly monitored.

11.	What lessons do you believe could be learnt from this practice? How could it be improved?
As the work ability reform will launch on the 1 January 2016 it is too early to tell what could be specifically learned from our practice and what could be improved, however countries undergoing similar reforms in the future could learn from our experience and good practices.

12.	How could this practice be a model for other countries?
The work ability reform is not new in Europe as for example a similar system is in place in the UK, where instead of a pension for incapacity for work, the United Kingdom pays benefits with an activity requirement. Thus as Estonia got to learn from the United Kingdom’s experience preparing for the reform, other countries could learn from ours.

1.	Name of the practice
SUPPORTING LIFELONG LEARNING OF THE ELDERLY

2.	Area concerned
•	Life-long learning / participation of social life

3.	Type of practice
•	Programme

4.	 Level of implementation
National

5.	Please describe the practice, including a) its purpose; b) when and how it was adopted; c) how long it has been used/implemented; and d) its geographic scope.
Estonia is a unique country as Estonia guarantees a right of lifelong learning through our adult training law. Estonia has also established national Lifelong Learning Strategy 2020, where one of the goals is to provide equal opportunities of lifelong learning. 

One of the good examples is introduced by the University of Tartu. In 2009 Lifelong Learning Centre of University of Tartu started a seniors university programme where people over 50 years of age can participate (for free) in different courses during the academic year (September till May). Active students, who have participated at least 75% of the courses, will receive a diploma at the end of semester. The content of the courses include usually health, healthy lifestyle, nature, environment, politics, relationships, entrepreneurship, legislation, psychology etc. Learning helps older people to find employment or new social roles where they could contribute. Older people are able to meet other people and make new friends through these courses. These kind of  relationships are important in helping them buffer the losses experienced in old age. Continuous learning keeps their minds alert and active. 

The pilot project was launched in two cities of Estonia: Tartu and Pärnu. By 2015 the program activities have expanded to other cities: Tallinn, Kuressaare, Narva, Türi ja Valga. Therefore all regions of Estonia are covered with the opportunity for lifelong learning. 

Year by year the number of students has grown. For example in the year 2009/2010 297 students graduated, in 2015 1541 students graduated. Over the years approximately 70% of the students who started the courses have graduated and received diploma. In 2013 a 99 year old man graduated the program, which shows a great example of the life-long learning. This project supports older people’s rights to education and social inclusion.

The aim of the seniors university programme is not to achieve better employability; instead of that it is a good example of right for education, social inclusion and participation.

6.	Which actors are involved in the development and implementation of such practice?
University of Tartu (Lifelong Learning Centre), local municipalities, etc.

7.	Which rights of older persons does the practice promote and protect?
Right for education, social inclusion and the right to dignified coping.

8.	How does the practice promote or protect such rights?
Primarily, lifelong learning encourages the acquisition of skills that will allow each individual to exercise their role in society, and to actively participate at various times in the various contexts of their personal growth and social development.

9.	What groups of older persons, if any, particularly benefit from the practice?
In general all persons starting from 50 years will benefit from the programme.

10.	How has the practice been assessed and monitored? Please provide specific information on the impact of the practice, with data, indicators, among others, if any.
In order to assess the implementation of the programme the results is measured at the end every academic year (participation of the courses, graduation per cent, satisfaction with the content of the courses etc.). 

Over the years approximately 70% of the students who started the courses have graduated and received diploma. The following figure shows how many people have graduated the university programme. 

Figure. The number of graduates 2009-2015

11.	What lessons do you believe could be learnt from this practice? How could it be improved?
Lifelong learning has been identified as an important precondition for longer working life. It also influences the social integration of senior citizens in their societies. Today still only a few countries have established systems that offer variable training courses considering the needs and capabilities of older persons. University programme focused to older age group may be a small step but it is still a good example of social inclusion and lifelong learning.

12.	How could this practice be a model for other countries?
This overview could be a good example for the countries which follow decentralized approach giving the main responsibility of implementation of the elderly policy to the municipalities.