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Happiness:It’s all about

living one’s lifepart 1

Prof.dr. H.M. BeckerCEO Humanitas Foundation Rotterdam

Freedom of Choice7– 8 September 2010 • Congress Paasitorni Festival Hall • Helsinki

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Stichting Humanitas• housing • care • well-being • social

services

Almost 10.000 clients

33 establishments

3.300 employees

(of which 36% of non Dutch origin)

More than 1.500 volunteers

Annual turnover: approx. € 130 million

Current building projects: approx. € 200

million

Stichting Humanitas• housing • care • well-being • social

services

Almost 10.000 clients

33 establishments

3.300 employees

(of which 36% of non Dutch origin)

More than 1.500 volunteers

Annual turnover: approx. € 130 million

Current building projects: approx. € 200

million

Freedom of Choice7– 8 September 2010 • Congress Paasitorni Festival Hall • Helsinki

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The beginning: ‘matchboxes on their sides’

in the outskirts

The beginning: ‘matchboxes on their sides’

in the outskirts

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En route to something more daring and more urbanEn route to something more daring and more urban

En route to ‘age-proof’ dwellingsEn route to ‘age-proof’ dwellings

‘Age-proof’ Apartments for Life‘Age-proof’ Apartments for Life

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Own apartments with technical

service

• Empathic design (not institutional)

• Sheltered ‘village square’ for the whole

neighbourhood with:

- restaurant / bar / fitness / beauty salon /

supermarket / remembrance museum /

• small art studio

• In this way avoiding frequently changing

location and new intakes

• Varied occupancy: mix of ill /not ill, young/old,

poor / rich, immigrant/local

Own apartments with technical

service

• Empathic design (not institutional)

• Sheltered ‘village square’ for the whole

neighbourhood with:

- restaurant / bar / fitness / beauty salon /

supermarket / remembrance museum /

• small art studio

• In this way avoiding frequently changing

location and new intakes

• Varied occupancy: mix of ill /not ill, young/old,

poor / rich, immigrant/local

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Top restaurantsTop restaurants

emembrance museumsemembrance museums Breeding ground for artBreeding ground for art

Temples of culture and activities in stead of

deathly ‘islands of misery’

Attended and partly ran by independent elderly

with and without disabilities

Temples of culture and activities in stead of

deathly ‘islands of misery’

Attended and partly ran by independent elderly

with and without disabilities

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The elderly want to• remain independent and active

• manage their own lives

• participate and interact in society

• be visited by children, grandchildren and

great-grandchildren

They want to avoid• the feeling of standing alone, being deserted

• to be forced moving house with new intakes

• living with only disabled people

The elderly want to• remain independent and active

• manage their own lives

• participate and interact in society

• be visited by children, grandchildren and

great-grandchildren

They want to avoid• the feeling of standing alone, being deserted

• to be forced moving house with new intakes

• living with only disabled people

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The Humanitas Philosophy

is based on four basic values:

• Autonomy; running one’s own life, also when it is

difficult (with five cats, liking to have a drink every

day, taking severe risks of falling)

• To be active: use it or lose it

• The extended family approach (when all stake

holders contribute, this can add to the client’s

happiness)

• The yes-culture (not everything is possible, but we

can always start with ‘yes’ and come to a solution in

dialogue)

The Humanitas Philosophy

is based on four basic values:

• Autonomy; running one’s own life, also when it is

difficult (with five cats, liking to have a drink every

day, taking severe risks of falling)

• To be active: use it or lose it

• The extended family approach (when all stake

holders contribute, this can add to the client’s

happiness)

• The yes-culture (not everything is possible, but we

can always start with ‘yes’ and come to a solution in

dialogue)

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The instruments

The yes-culture and and a

luxurious and busy

environment

The instruments

The yes-culture and and a

luxurious and busy

environment

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The instruments

Make it sociable

and cosy

The instruments

Make it sociable

and cosy

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The instrumentsEmpathic design and art

The instrumentsEmpathic design and art

(home made or bought)

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The instrumentsThe instrumentsCultureCulture

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The instrumentsFor the very old and very young:

Internet corners

The instrumentsFor the very old and very young:

Internet corners

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The instrumentsA marketplace for conversation pieces from the

past:

Remembrance museums

The instrumentsA marketplace for conversation pieces from the

past:

Remembrance museums

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A special kind of client:

Alzheimer clients

They need rhythm and activity, such as cleaning

the vegetables,

peeling the potatoes,

cooking, doing the dishes

and ironing

A special kind of client:

Alzheimer clients

They need rhythm and activity, such as cleaning

the vegetables,

peeling the potatoes,

cooking, doing the dishes

and ironing

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Alzheimer clientsAlzheimer Clients need a warm, familiar, so

‘outdated’, environment. Reminiscence museums

add something special

Alzheimer clientsAlzheimer Clients need a warm, familiar, so

‘outdated’, environment. Reminiscence museums

add something special