International Day of Older Persons: Intergenerational housing gaining momentum in Belgium

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00:00This is the first improvised recital for this young student at the Brussels Conservatory.

00:07Today, his spectators are also his flatmates.

00:11Since the start of the school year, Augustin has been staying at this assisted living facility,

00:16and he's sharing his passion for classical music with these elderly people.

00:24Bach is not my strong point.

00:25It's music for mathematicians.

00:28No, it's music about passion.

00:30What composers do you like?

00:33I really like Schubert, Beethoven.

00:38This type of exchange between generations is very precious to Augustin, and it also

00:43brings a young spirit that is much appreciated by these residents.

00:47I really like that.

00:50I am really delighted with this new development, that we now have a young housemate here.

01:01Between us, who are all old farts, having the pleasure of having a young person who

01:05brings something dynamic and new like that, it's wonderful.

01:12In exchange for this time spent with the residents, Augustin benefits from a very advantageous

01:18only 300 euros per month for this spacious apartment in a wealthy district of Brussels.

01:24It's thanks to an association specializing in intergenerational housing that this young

01:29man was able to find accommodation so easily.

01:33We're all going to get old.

01:34It will happen to us too at some point.

01:37And what would we like, as elderly people, to age well and enjoy our last moments?

01:41It's to be surrounded.

01:45I don't particularly want to live alone.

01:47Of course, I had considered student housing, but when I saw this ad, I thought it was a

01:51really great idea.

01:53And besides, when you think about it, it's a pretty obvious idea to try to bring people

01:57together.

01:59We know that today, elderly people suffer enormously from loneliness.

02:05It's a concept that's gaining momentum.

02:07So far, about 20 students have taken accommodation at a retirement home in Belgium through this

02:12association.

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