"You get older on your own, you don't have to worry about that". But is that true? Hasn’t growing old these days changed a lot compared to the past? Franz Müntefering, former vice-chancellor and SPD party leader, now chairman of the German National Association of Senior Citizens' Organisations (BAGSO) explained in his talk as part of the public lecture series "Science & Society", how we all can contribute to growing old with a good quality of life. Not only state and society are challenged, but each one of us can make his own contribution to it. "There's nothing good unless you do it", said Müntefering.
Motto of life
In his lecture "Growing old in these days", on September 13, 2018 at the Abbe Center Beutenberg, Franz Müntefering underlined the importance of the family as heart of the society and he complained, "how poorly one actually prepares for aging", in the private but also in the social sphere. Besides aspects like esteem and commitment, he explained his very own motto of life: One can grow old in health, if one remains active (walking), keeps his humor (laughing) and constantly learns new things and passes on his knowledge to others (learning & teaching).
The lecture series "Science & Society"
The public lecture series "Science & Society" at the Beutenberg Campus extends the biomedical basic research on aging conducted in Jena by social and societal aspects. It is organized twice a year by the Leibniz Institute on Aging (FLI) and the Leibniz Research alliance Healthy Ageing in cooperation with Beutenberg Campus Jena e.V. The next lecture will take place on February 28, 2019. Prof. Dr. h.c. Jutta Allmendinger, President of the WZB Berlin Social Science Center, will then talk about "The Country we want to live in - How Germans imagine their future" (Start: 4 pm).
