lausanneregion.ch
By 2050, more than a quarter of the Swiss population will be aged 65 or over. Faced with this demographic reality, Vaud’s local authorities are feeling their way forward. To support them, Lausanne Région is publishing a groundbreaking roadmap — a practical guide co-authored by Dario Spini, a social psychologist and member and former director of the LIVES Centre at the University of Lausanne. This provides an opportunity to hear a researcher advocate for closer dialogue between science and politics.
The figure is staggering: within twenty-five years, the proportion of adults aged 65 and over will rise from 19 per cent to 26 per cent in Switzerland. In some municipalities in the Canton of Vaud, such as Jouxtens-Mézery, Lutry, Paudex, Pully and Savigny, the 20 per cent threshold has already been reached. Yet very few have put in place a sustainable policy for their older residents. It is to fill this gap that Lausanne Région commissioned Dario Spini, a social psychologist, member and former director of the LIVES Centre at the University of Lausanne. His work involved devising a practical guide offering local authorities a methodological framework to transform isolated initiatives into a genuine, coordinated regional strategy. This ensures that older people remain active citizens within an environment tailored to the diversity of their needs.
A handbook for elected representatives
For decades, population ageing remained on the periphery of local policy. For Dario Spini, this delay is no coincidence. “The economy and employment have always been the main focus. It took quite a long time for people to realise that older people are becoming a significant section of the population with specific needs,” notes the researcher.
The guide draws on the ‘Age-Friendly City’ methodology developed by the World Health Organisation (WHO), whilst adapting it to the local authority landscape of the Canton of Vaud, which comprises towns and villages of very different sizes and with widely varying resources. The aim is not to produce theory, but to put oneself ‘in the shoes of a local councillor’. The starting point is simple: older people do not form a homogeneous group. Between the 65-year-old retiree in excellent health and the 95-year-old who is losing their independence, needs in terms of housing, mobility and social participation are diametrically opposed. The guide proposes a six-phase approach, from identifying needs to the final assessment. “It’s not really that complicated,” says Dario Spini. “We’re trying to explain that there are different stages involved if we want to achieve a systematic approach. The idea is to enable every local authority, whatever its size, to take stock of what it is already doing — sometimes without realising it — and to identify the gaps.” A local councillor in the region has, in fact, already tested the tool by converting it into a simple Excel spreadsheet, thereby identifying existing measures and unmet needs with such efficiency that it has reinforced the scientist’s confidence in the approach adopted.
Science in the service of society
Beyond the practical aspects, this role raises the question of the scientist’s place in society. For Dario Spini, this work is a form of ‘public science’. He believes that informing political decisions and debate with academic knowledge is highly rewarding. However, collaboration between researchers and elected representatives is not always smooth. The scientist regrets that political authorities do not make greater use of the available knowledge to guide health or social policies. “We see that political decisions are being taken in Switzerland which are not always in line with what we know,” he observes, in contrast to countries such as Canada or the United Kingdom, where scientific reports strongly influence public policy.
The researcher does not hold back when criticising his own peers. He regrets that academic culture still places too little value on practical impact, leading some colleagues to confine themselves to ‘basic research’ for fear of losing their scientific competitiveness. ‘In the world of research, “competitiveness” is measured by the number of publications in prestigious journals and by securing research funding. Since writing guides – to take just this one example – does not fall within these official evaluation criteria, a researcher who devotes themselves to this may feel they are losing ground to their peers who remain focused on pure research,” explains Dario Spini. For him, transforming knowledge into practical tools is not a waste of time, but an essential way of legitimising the social sciences.
From roadmap to reality
Whilst the guide is now in the hands of the authorities, the ball is in the politicians’ court. Dario Spini is clear-eyed about the limits of his role. When asked whether he fears his work might end up gathering dust in a drawer, he replies bluntly: “Our job is to organise ideas and provide the tools. Implementation is not our responsibility.” He adds: “If it doesn’t happen, you need to ask those who aren’t doing it.”
In the canton of Vaud, which aims – through its ‘Ageing 2030’ strategy – to make older people full participants in the community, this guide could well be the catalyst needed. For the challenge goes beyond mere administrative management: it is about building inclusive and resilient communities, capable of integrating with dignity those who have built today’s society.
By Kalina Anguelova