At its plenary session of 9 October 2024, the European Committee of the Regions adopted its opinion on the communication from the European Commission of 11 October 2023 entitled "Demographic change in Europe: A toolbox for action". The draft opinion was prepared and edited by Ádám János Karácsony, Vice-President of Pest County Municipality, with the active support of the Kopp Mária Institute for Demography and Families (KINCS).Dr. Árpád József Mészáros, Strategic Vice President, assisted the rapporteur as an expert in the preparation of the document.
In Hungary, people greatly value older people, who play a fundamental role in our everyday life. In order to preserve their physical and mental health, improve their quality of life, and increase their healthy life expectancy, the Government pays special attention to the treatment of diseases affecting the elderly, including dementia, which is increasingly becoming a widespread disease. According to the latest representative survey by KINCS, 91 percent of Hungarians are aware of the concept of dementia, and 26 percent of them have a relative or acquaintance who has been diagnosed with this disease and in whose care families play a key role.
There is a wealth of research showing that excessive mobile phone use is addictive, negatively affects students' learning performance, and has a negative impact on young people's social life and health. As in many European countries, a uniform regulation will therefore restrict the use of smart devices during school hours in Hungary from 1 September, a decision that the majority of Hungarians agree with, according to a KINCS survey.
On the occasion of the World Mental Health Day, we held a workshop entitled "Family as spiritual medicine" at the Mária Kopp Institute, where we presented the latest research of the Institute and explored the role of mental health with our experts.
From this autumn, new subsidies will provide significant help to Hungarian families. Based on the previous announcements of the Ministry of Culture and Innovation, the nursery fee subsidy can be applied for from 2 September, which can be used by parents in all institutions and services providing nursery care regardless of the maintaining organisation. In addition, from 1 October, it will be easier for specially taxed self-employed to use certain state-supported loan schemes (CSOK Plus, Village CSOK loan, baby expecting subsidy). Measures adapted to the new needs will further help tens of thousands of families.
Demography and Mental Competitiveness in the European Union" was the title of a roundtable discussion held at the MCC Fest in Esztergom, where our experts highlighted the links between the European demographic situation, mental health and competitiveness. The participants agreed that the mental health and childbearing behaviour of Europeans is a crucial, even fateful issue for the future and competitiveness of the European Union.
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