The growing role of seniors councils in health policy-making for older people in Poland

Seniors Councils are advisory and consultative bodies that support local political decision-making to assure that the views of older people are taken into account in the decision-making process. Senior Councils are particularly relevant with regard to social policies and health policies. Seniors councils have appeared since the 1970s in Europe and since the early 2000s in Poland. The number of Seniors Councils in Poland has grown in recent years thanks to favorable legislative changes in 2013 and 2015. Since 2015, the local executive administration is obliged to establish a Seniors Council if there is local demand for such a council. The influence of senior councils is likely to grow over the coming years, given the ageing of the population and the related increasing importance of older citizens in the electorate, especially for local political leaders. Seniors Councils can support better informed local decision-making by helping to identify local needs and contributing to a better allocation of scarce resources. They may also help to draw more resources to health promotion and primary prevention for older people in an environment of financial constraints and a health care system that traditionally prioritizes curative care.