Demographic changes reflected in rapid ageing of the population in the European countries represent a significant risk to the long term stability of economic development and sustainability of social security systems.<\/p>\n
The objective of this project is to improve the understanding of the relationship between material conditions and wellbeing in old age within different contexts. Depending on the national and regional context, individuals may face significant material difficulties in old age, which represents a major risk factor for declines in wellbeing (i.e. physical and mental health, life satisfaction).<\/p>\n
Through comparative interdisciplinary research, we take advantage of the similarities and differences between Germany’s and Poland’s welfare and social security systems. We analyse different insurance mechanisms on the individual and contextual level, and their implications for individual wellbeing. For the purpose of the project, we develop a unique linked dataset combining individual level longitudinal information from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) with detailed regional data on health infrastructure and socio-economic indicators.<\/p>\n