The Knowledge Centre on Ageing
The Knowledge Centre on Ageing intends to bridge the gap between research and practice. The aim of the Knowledge Centre is to collect, adapt and transfer knowledge on elderly persons and ageing and to apply it to policy and practice.
The Knowledge Centre works for policy makers and for professionals in long term care and welfare for older people.
The Knowlegde Centre is a part of Vilans, Centre of expertise for long-term care.

The activities of the Knowledge Centre are focused on the following themes:

• self-management and care management
  The Knowledge Centre on Ageing has set up a national platform to share experiences concerning preventive health care centres for older people.
• elderly care
  Over the years the demand for palliative care will increase. This calls for a better collaboration between professionals and informal carers in the palliative terminal phase. 
  While the number of elderly people is growing, fewer people are close at hand to care for them. In a factsheet problems and solutions concerning ageing and informal care (pdf-file, 20 pag. 690 kB) are described.
  The provision of appropriate care to older people with long-term, complex, multiple neeeds is a challenge for the next decades. One of the answers to this challenge is provided by integrated care. The Knowledge Centre has contributed to a European resource book on integrated care: Integrating services for older people: a resource book for managers. The book convers practical advice, mechanisms and instruments that managers can use in developing integrated care for older people as well as an European research agenda on integrated care for the elderly.
• quality of life
  Loneliness is affecting one third of the elderly, thus posing a serious problem. The Knowledge Centre has directed this issue by compiling a web dossier on loneliness and a database covering local initiatives on strategies to adress loneliness and social isolation.
• ageing issues
  Like many countries in Europe, the Netherlands has an ageing population. The Knowledge Centre provides information on growing old in the Netherlands.
  While the number of elderly people is growing, fewer people are close at hand to care for them. 
  The Factsheet Senior citizens in the Netherlands (pdf-file, 12 pag., 961 kB) contains information on the elderly in the Netherlands.
  EURAG Charter for the Elderly, a declaration of the rights and responsibilities of older persons
• abuse
  It is estimated that abuse of older people  is affecting 20% of people over 55 years of age. The Knowledge Centre is contributing to the combat against abuse of older people is several ways. More...