The ageing population is causing one of the most profound social and economic transformations in developed countries today and will soon become an issue in developing countries as well. Some Italian regions, Emilia-Romagna among them, have been particularly affected by the changes that have developed because of this phenomenon.
The ageing population is invariably presented as a "problem"; we suggest that rather than thinking of it in these terms, we should remember that it represents an important conquest that undoubtedly presents us with problems but that offers opportunities and a challenge the European communities must be the first to accept and confront.

Well aware of the strategic importance for the entire regional community, the Region of Emilia-Romagna, one of the oldest regions in the world, began thinking about how the phenomenon of an ageing population, deeply affecting and changing communities throughout Europe, could be dealt with at the regional community level envisioning solutions for the future evolution of Europe.
Based on the observations and proposals of the United Nations´ 2nd Conference on ageing populations, Madrid April 2002 and of the European Union, the Region of Emilia-Romagna approved a Plan of action for the 21st century that would embrace the challenges presented by an ageing population in a new light, as an opportunity for development and a widening of people´s freedom of choice and the right to self-determination, and of respect for citizens´ rights throughout their entire lifetime.
The Region has taken on the role of promoter of a profound renewal and catalyst of a wide-reaching, free and creative process based on a clear choice of methods and contents: focussing attention on the needs of the senior citizens of today and of tomorrow.
Living at home, being physically active, having fun, playing sports, maintaining good health, taking care of oneself, being culturally active, travelling, living in safety, using new technologies: the proposed Plan of action is an attempt at responding to these basic human rights.

The strategic objectives are:

1. To acknowledge the active role of seniors and to promote active policies for the elderly and to encourage and foster a positive attitude towards ageing;
2. Make freedom of choice a real possibility for the elderly;
3. To encourage and support independent living ;
4. To favor a continuous re-organization of "life" over the course of a lifetime at the individual and collective levels, gaining movement and flexibility among the areas education, work, and pleasure in all of life´s phases, overcoming a rigid order of succession;
5. To support people who choose to be caregivers for their family members or friends;
6. To respond specifically to the needs of female seniors through the development of gender-specific policies and assessment of their impact on both seniors and on personnel delivering services;
7. To expand the application/use of new technologies to allow people of all ages more freedom and greater autonomy;
8. To promote well-being and health for seniors by following a preventive approach in the field of health and social services guaranteeing universality and equality of access to services and by encouraging and supporting active ageing.

The overall objective of the Plan of action is that of contributing to the realization of a society for all ages, one that acknowledges the diverse needs and capacities of its members, no longer designed on the basis of the capacities of an adult male in good health, but taking the needs of children, adolescents, and the elderly into account. This is the way to overcome age discrimination: letting seniors be heard, letting their needs and experience of life become part of the definition of social policies and allowing them to take an active and organized part in policy making and in the interventions that will affect the quality of life.

The Plan´s Table of Contents can give a better idea of the themes involved.
The Plan of action addresses all local governments - Regional, Provincial, and City - economic, cultural, social, and political organizations and union, the third sector, and associations.

Following a long period of confrontation and discussion with institutions and social authorities, the Plan of action was passed by the regional council, resolution nr. 2299, 22 November 2004.
Implementation of the Plan will be coordinated and monitored through specifically provided for instruments by the Region and local governments.
The Region has already allocated funds to projects aimed at fulfilling a first series of the Plan´s objectives.