Did you know that...

Did you know that…

• the Erlangen Senior Citizens’ Advisory Council was the first of its kind in Bavaria?
• since its founding in 1974, it has had six chairs, with Alexandra Wunderlich being the sixth? Her predecessors in the role were Ursula Rechtenbacher, Jutta Helm, Helga Steeger, Anette Christian, and Dinah Radtke.
• the decision to establish the council was driven by an insufficient number of long-term care beds in Erlangen?
• the key areas of focus for all six chairs remained largely the same and continued to center on day care, the expansion of nursing homes (as long as the city of Erlangen operated municipal facilities), senior-friendly housing—including the call for more barrier-free living spaces—and traffic safety?
• that later, the focus shifted to demographic change, loneliness, neighborhood outreach, communal rental housing, and dementia?
• that in 1986, the senior citizens’ magazine “Herbstzeitlose” was founded as a municipal publication? For a long time, it served as the voice of the Senior Citizens’ Advisory Council, soon reached a circulation of 8,000 copies, and was distributed free of charge. The Erlangen Senior Citizens’ Newspaper is now published under private sponsorship.
• Did you know that the Senior Citizens’ Advisory Council is often associated only with “benches and restrooms”—which, incidentally, are of great importance to all generations, especially people with disabilities? In fact, that was just one of the important projects. It took until 2017 for the accessible restroom at Hugenottenplatz to be completed.
• Did you know that Helga Steeger skillfully nipped the recurring debate over opening the pedestrian zone to bicycle traffic all day in the bud by calling on seniors to protest?
• that GERT exists? The aging simulation suit is frequently used by schools for educational purposes. Thanks to GERT, everyone can experience firsthand how difficult it can be to move around in old age.
• that the requirement for municipal events to be held only in barrier-free venues is thanks to the Senior Citizens’ Advisory Board?
• that the Advisory Board organizes—or has organized—many events for people aged 60 and older, either on its own or with partners, to draw public attention to a wide variety of issues? Living with Dementia, Annual Reception, Family Caregivers’ Day, Seniors Speak Out, Ukraine Senior Café, AWO Büchenbach-Nord Neighborhood Café, Poetry Festival in Nursing Homes, Themed Breakfasts, “Joy of Life Instead of Frustration in Old Age,” Movie Afternoons…