Community

Background

Humans are social creatures. The frequency of our contact with others and the quality of our personal relationships are thus crucial determinants of our well-being. Studies show that time spent with friends is associated with a higher average level of positive feelings and a lower average level of negative feelings than time spent in other ways.

Helping others can also make you happier. People who volunteer tend to be more satisfied with their lives than those who do not. Time spent volunteering also contributes to a healthy civil society . On average, people across selected OECD countries, spend 4 minutes per day in volunteer activities. People in New-Zealand, Ireland and the United States spend more than twice that time volunteering. In several countries, however, people spend hardly any time volunteering. This is the case in Hungary, Korea, Poland, Slovenia, France, Estonia, Spain and Mexico.

Would you help a stranger? Nearly 47% of people across OECD countries say they have helped a stranger in the last month. OECD countries with a large share of respondents reporting to have helped a stranger also tend to have high levels of volunteering, Around 65% of people in the United States, Australia and Canada reported helping a stranger in the last month ,

Social Support Network

A strong social network, or community, can provide emotional support during both good and bad times as well as access to jobs, services and other material opportunities. Across the OECD, 91% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in time of need. There is little difference between men and women, as 92% of women believe they have this kind of social support, compared with 90% for men.

While gender has little impact on social network support, there is a clear relationship between the availability of social support on the one hand, and people’s education and income, on the other . Around 87% of the bottom 20% report having someone to count on for help in times of need, compared to over 93% for the top 20%.

A weak social network can result in limited economic opportunities, a lack of contact with others, and eventually, feelings of isolation. Social isolation may follow family breakdown, the loss of a job, illness or financial difficulties. Once socially isolated, individuals may face greater difficulties not only reintegrating society as a contributing member, but also fulfilling personal aspirations with respect to work, family and friends. Across the OECD, close to 7% of people reported ‘rarely’ or ‘never’ spending time with friends, colleagues or others in social settings.

Note: data for the indicator “Quality of Support Network” is provided by the Gallup World Poll.

Top Ranking

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Indicators

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Community in Detail by Country

Australia

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Humans are social creatures. The frequency of our contact with others and the quality of our personal relationships are thus crucial determinants of our well-being. Helping others can also make you happier. People who volunteer tend to be more satisfied with their lives than those who do not. Time spent volunteering also contributes to a healthy civil society. On average, people in Australia spend 6 minutes per day in volunteering activities, higher than the OECD average of 4 minutes per day . Nearly 65% reported having helped a stranger in the last month, much more than the OECD average of 47% . These high scores suggest there is a strong sense of community in Australia.

A strong social network, or community, can provide emotional support during both good and bad times as well as provide access to jobs, services and other material opportunities. In Australia, 97% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in time of need, higher than the OECD average of 91%. There is a 2% difference between men and women, as 96% of men believe they have this kind of social support, compared with 98% of women. While gender has little impact on social network support, there is a relationship between the availability of social support on the one hand, and people’s education and income, on the other . In Australia, around 95% of the bottom 20% report having someone to count on for help in times of need, compared to over 99% for the top 20%.

A weak social network can result in limited economic opportunities, a lack of contact with others, and eventually, feelings of isolation. Socially isolated individuals face difficulties integrating into society as a contributing member and fulfilling personal aspirations. Social exclusion in Australia is an issue for several groups: those with low incomes, the unemployed, those with poor health and people not proficient in English. Most of these groups also have particular difficulty in “having a say” in their community or influencing decision makers.

Indicators

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Austria

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Key Findings

Humans are social creatures. The frequency of our contact with others and the quality of our personal relationships are thus crucial determinants of our well-being. Helping others can also make you happier. People who volunteer tend to be more satisfied with their lives than those who do not. Time spent volunteering also contributes to a healthy civil society. On average, people in Austria spend 4 minutes per day in volunteer activities, in line with the OECD average . Nearly 59% reported having helped a stranger in the last month, more than the OECD average of 47%. These good scores suggest there is a strong sense of community in Austria.

A strong social network, or community, can provide emotional support during both good and bad times as well as provide access to jobs, services and other material opportunities. In Austria, 94% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in a time of need, higher than the OECD average of 91%. There is little difference between men and women, as 94% of men believe they have this kind of social support, compared with 95% of women. The level of social support is similar across society regardless of people’s education and income In Austria, where around 93% of the bottom 20% report having someone to count on for help in times of need, compared to over 95% for the top 20%.

A weak social network can result in limited economic opportunities, a lack of contact with others, and eventually, feelings of isolation. Socially isolated individuals face difficulties integrating into society as a contributing member and fulfilling personal aspirations. Nearly 8% of people in Austria reported ‘rarely’ or ‘never’ spending time with friends, colleagues or others in social settings; this figure is slightly higher than in most OECD countries, close to 7% on average.

Indicators

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Belgium

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Key Findings

Humans are social creatures. The frequency of our contact with others and the quality of our personal relationships are thus crucial determinants of our well-being. Helping others can also make you happier. People who volunteer tend to be more satisfied with their lives than those who do not. Time spent volunteering also contributes to a healthy civil society. On average, people in Belgium spend 5 minutes per day in volunteering activities, higher than the OECD average of 4 minutes per day . Nearly 46% reported having helped a stranger in the last month, close to the OECD average of 47% .

A strong social network, or community, can provide emotional support during both good and bad times as well as provide access to jobs, services and other material opportunities. In Belgium, 94% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in a time of need, higher than the OECD average of 91%. There is a slight difference between men and women, as 92% of men believe they have this kind of social support, compared with 95% of women. There is also a slight difference in the availability of social support depending on people’s socioeconomic status . In Belgium, around 93% of the bottom 20% report having someone to count on for help in times of need, compared to over 96% for the top 20%.

 

 

 

A weak social network can result in limited economic opportunities, a lack of contact with others, and eventually, feelings of isolation. Socially isolated individuals face difficulties integrating into society as a contributing member and fulfilling personal aspirations. Nearly 5% of people in Belgium reported ‘rarely’ or ‘never’ spending time with friends, colleagues or others in social settings; this figure is lower than in most OECD countries, where the average is close to 7%.

Indicators

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Brazil

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Key Findings

Humans are social creatures. The frequency of our contact with others and the quality of our personal relationships are thus crucial determinants of our well-being. Helping others can also make you happier. In Brazil, nearly 53% reported having helped a stranger in the last month, higher than the OECD average of 47% .

A strong social network, or community, can provide emotional support during both good and bad times as well as provide access to jobs, services and other material opportunities. In Brazil, 91% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in a time of need, in line with the OECD average. There is a slight difference between men and women, as 92% of men believe they have this kind of social support, compared with 89% of women. While gender has little impact on social network support, there is a relationship between the availability of social support on the one hand, and people’s education and income, on the other . In Brazil, around 86% of the bottom 20% report having someone to count on for help in times of need, compared to over 91% for the top 20%.

A weak social network can result in limited economic opportunities, a lack of contact with others, and eventually, feelings of isolation. Socially isolated individuals face difficulties integrating into society as a contributing member and fulfilling personal aspirations.

Indicators

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Canada

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Key Findings

Humans are social creatures. The frequency of our contact with others and the quality of our personal relationships are thus crucial determinants of our well-being. Helping others can also make you happier. People who volunteer tend to be more satisfied with their lives than those who do not. Time spent volunteering also contributes to a healthy civil society. On average, people in Canada spend 2 minutes per day in volunteering activities, lower than the OECD average of 4 minutes per day . Conversely, 66% reported having helped a stranger in the last month, the highest figure in the OECD where the average is 47%.

A strong social network, or community, can provide emotional support during both good and bad times as well as provide access to jobs, services and other material opportunities. In Canada, 92% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in a time of need, slightly higher than the OECD average of 91%. There is a 2% difference between men and women, as 93% of men believe they have this kind of social support, compared with 91% of women. While gender has little impact on social network support, there is a relationship between the availability of social support on the one hand, and people’s education and income, on the other . In Canada, around 89% of the bottom 20% report having someone to count on for help in times of need, compared to over 94% for the top 20%.

A weak social network can result in limited economic opportunities, a lack of contact with others, and eventually, feelings of isolation. Socially isolated individuals face difficulties integrating into society as a contributing member and fulfilling personal aspirations. Nearly 6% of people in Canada reported ‘rarely’ or ‘never’ spending time with friends, colleagues or others in social settings; this figure is lower than in most OECD countries where the average is close to 7%.

Indicators

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Chile

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Key Findings

Humans are social creatures. The frequency of our contact with others and the quality of our personal relationships are thus crucial determinants of our well-being. Helping others can also make you happier. In Chile, nearly 61% reported having helped a stranger in the last month, much more than the OECD average of 47% . This high score suggests there is a strong sense of community in Chile.

A strong social network, or community, can provide emotional support during both good and bad times as well as provide access to jobs, services and other material opportunities. In Chile, 86% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in a time of need, lower than the OECD average of 91%. There is no difference between men and women. While gender has no impact on social network support, there is a clear relationship between the availability of social support on the one hand, and people’s education and income, on the other . In Chile, around 74% of the bottom 20% report having someone to count on for help in times of need, compared to over 90% for the top 20%.

 

A weak social network can result in limited economic opportunities, a lack of contact with others, and eventually, feelings of isolation. Socially isolated individuals face difficulties integrating into society as a contributing member and fulfilling personal aspirations.

Indicators

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Czech Republic

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Key Findings

Humans are social creatures. The frequency of our contact with others and the quality of our personal relationships are thus crucial determinants of our well-being. Helping others can also make you happier. In the Czech Republic, 38 % reported having helped a stranger in the last month, lower than the OECD average of 47% and suggesting an increased risk of social isolation.

A strong social network, or community, can provide emotional support during both good and bad times as well as provide access to jobs, services and other material opportunities. In the Czech Republic, 91% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in a time of need, in line with the OECD average. There is a slight difference between men and women, as 90% of men believe they have this kind of social support, compared with 93% of women. While gender has little impact on social network support, there is a clear relationship between the availability of social support on the one hand, and people’s education and income, on the other . In the Czech Republic, around 85% of the bottom 20% report having someone to count on for help in times of need, compared to over 93% for the top 20%. 

A weak social network can result in limited economic opportunities, a lack of contact with others, and eventually, feelings of isolation. Socially isolated individuals face difficulties integrating into society as a contributing member and fulfilling personal aspirations. In the Czech Republic, 10% of people reported ‘rarely’ or ‘never’ spending time with friends, colleagues or others in social settings; this figure is one of the highest in the OECD where the average is close to 7%.

Indicators

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Denmark

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Key Findings

Humans are social creatures. The frequency of our contact with others and the quality of our personal relationships are thus crucial determinants of our well-being. Helping others can also make you happier. People who volunteer tend to be more satisfied with their lives than those who do not. Time spent volunteering also contributes to a healthy civil society. On average, people in Denmark spend 3 minutes per day in volunteering activities, less than the OECD average of 4 minutes per day . Nearly 46% reported having helped a stranger in the last month, very close to the OECD average of 47% .

A strong social network, or community, can provide emotional support during both good and bad times as well as provide access to jobs, services and other material opportunities. In Denmark, 96% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in a time of need, one of the highest rates in the OECD where the average is around 91%. There is a 2% difference between men and women, as 95% of men believe they have this kind of social support, compared with 97% of women. There is also a slight difference in the availability of social support depending on people’s socioeconomic status. In Denmark, around 94% of the bottom 20% report having someone to count on for help in times of need, compared to over 98% for the top 20%.

A weak social network can result in limited economic opportunities, a lack of contact with others, and eventually, feelings of isolation. Socially isolated individuals face difficulties integrating into society as a contributing member and fulfilling personal aspirations. Nearly 3% of people in Demark reported ‘rarely’ or ‘never’ spending time with friends, colleagues or others in social settings; this figure is one of lowest in the OECD where the average is close to 7%.

Indicators

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Estonia

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Key Findings

Humans are social creatures. The frequency of our contact with others and the quality of our personal relationships are thus crucial determinants of our well-being. Helping others can also make you happier. People who volunteer tend to be more satisfied with their lives than those who do not. Time spent volunteering also contributes to a healthy civil society. On average, people in Estonia spend 1 minute per day in volunteering activities, lower than the OECD average of 4 minutes . Nearly 34% reported having helped a stranger in the last month, less than the OECD average of 47% and suggesting an increased risk of social isolation.

A strong social network, or community, can provide emotional support during both good and bad times as well as provide access to jobs, services and other material opportunities. In Estonia, 92% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in a time of need, close to the OECD average of 91%. There is little difference between men and women, as 92% of men believe they have this kind of social support, compared with 90% of women. While gender has little impact on social network support, there is a relationship between the availability of social support on the one hand, and people’s education and income, on the other . In Estonia, around 85% of the bottom 20% report having someone to count on for help in times of need, compared to over 91% for the top 20%.


 

Indicators

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Finland

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Key Findings

Humans are social creatures. The frequency of our contact with others and the quality of our personal relationships are thus crucial determinants of our well-being. Helping others can also make you happier. People who volunteer tend to be more satisfied with their lives than those who do not. Time spent volunteering also contributes to a healthy civil society. On average, people in Finland spend 4 minutes per day in volunteering activities, in line with the OECD average . Nearly 42% reported having helped a stranger in the last month, lower than the OECD average of 47% .

A strong social network, or community, can provide emotional support during both good and bad times as well as provide access to jobs, services and other material opportunities. In Finland, 94% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in time of need, higher than the OECD average of 91%. There is little difference between men and women, as 93% of men believe they have this kind of social support, compared with 94% of women. While gender has little impact on social network support, there is a relationship between the availability of social support on the one hand, and people’s education and income, on the other . In Finland, around 92% of the bottom 20% report having someone to count on for help in times of need, compared to over 97% for the top 20%.

A weak social network can result in limited economic opportunities, a lack of contact with others, and eventually, feelings of isolation. Socially isolated individuals face difficulties integrating into society as a contributing member and fulfilling personal aspirations. Nearly 7% of people in Finland reported ‘rarely’ or ‘never’ spending time with friends, colleagues or others in social settings; this figure is close to the OECD average.

Indicators

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France

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Key Findings

Humans are social creatures. The frequency of our contact with others and the quality of our personal relationships are thus crucial determinants of our well-being. Helping others can also make you happier. People who volunteer tend to be more satisfied with their lives than those who do not. Time spent volunteering also contributes to a healthy civil society. On average, people in France spend 1 minute per day in volunteering activities, lower than the OECD average of 4 minutes per day . Nearly 38% reported having helped a stranger in the last month. This result is also lower than the OECD average of 47%, suggesting an increased risk of social isolation.

A strong social network, or community, can provide emotional support during both good and bad times as well as provide access to jobs, services and other material opportunities. In France, 92% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in a time of need, slightly higher than the OECD average of 91%. There is a 2% difference between men and women, as 91% of men believe they have this kind of social support, compared with 93% of women. While gender has little impact on social network support, there is a clear relationship between the availability of social support on the one hand, and people’s education and income, on the other . In France, around 86% of the bottom 20% report having someone to count on for help in times of need, compared to over 94% for the top 20%.

 

A weak social network can result in limited economic opportunities, a lack of contact with others, and eventually, feelings of isolation. Socially isolated individuals face difficulties integrating into society as a contributing member and fulfilling personal aspirations. Nearly 8% of people in France reported ‘rarely’ or ‘never’ spending time with friends, colleagues or others in social settings; this figure is close to the OECD average of 7%.

Indicators

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Germany

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Key Findings

Humans are social creatures. The frequency of our contact with others and the quality of our personal relationships are thus crucial determinants of our well-being. Helping others can also make you happier. People who volunteer tend to be more satisfied with their lives than those who do not. Time spent volunteering also contributes to a healthy civil society. On average, people in Germany spend 7 minutes per day in volunteering activities, higher than the OECD average of 4 minutes per day . Nearly 48% reported having helped a stranger in the last month, slightly higher than the OECD average of 47% .

A strong social network, or community, can provide emotional support during both good and bad times as well as provide access to jobs, services and other material opportunities. In Germany, 95% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in a time of need, higher than the OECD average of 91%. There is little difference between men and women, as 96% of men believe they have this kind of social support, compared with 95% of women. The level of social support is similar across society regardless of people’s education and income in Germany, where around 94% of the bottom 20% report having someone to count on for help in times of need, compared to 96% for the top 20%.

A weak social network can result in limited economic opportunities, a lack of contact with others, and eventually, feelings of isolation. Socially isolated individuals face difficulties integrating into society as a contributing member and fulfilling personal aspirations. Nearly 4% of people in Germany reported ‘rarely’ or ‘never’ spending time with friends, colleagues or others in social settings; this figure is lower than in most OECD countries where the average is close to 7%.

Indicators

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Greece

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Key Findings

Humans are social creatures. The frequency of our contact with others and the quality of our personal relationships are thus crucial determinants of our well-being. Helping others can also make you happier. In Greece, nearly 34% reported having helped a stranger in the last month, lower than the OECD average of 47% and suggesting an increased risk of social isolation.

A strong social network, or community, can provide emotional support during both good and bad times as well as provide access to jobs, services and other material opportunities. In Greece, 85% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in a time of need, lower than the OECD average of 91%. There is some difference between men and women, as 82% of men believe they have this kind of social support, compared with 88% of women. There is also a difference in the availability of social support depending on people’s socioeconomic status. In Greece, around 82% of the bottom 20% report having someone to count on for help in times of need, compared to 89% for the top 20%.

A weak social network can result in limited economic opportunities, a lack of contact with others, and eventually, feelings of isolation. Socially isolated individuals face difficulties integrating into society as a contributing member and fulfilling personal aspirations. Nearly 4% of people in Greece reported ‘rarely’ or ‘never’ spending time with friends, colleagues or others in social settings; this figure is lower than in most OECD countries where the average is close to 7%.

Indicators

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Hungary

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Key Findings

Humans are social creatures. The frequency of our contact with others and the quality of our personal relationships are thus crucial determinants of our well-being. Helping others can also make you happier. People who volunteer tend to be more satisfied with their lives than those who do not. Time spent volunteering also contributes to a healthy civil society. On average, people in Hungary spend less than a minute per day in volunteering activities, the lowest in the OECD where average is 4 minutes per day . Nearly 39% reported having helped a stranger in the last month, lower than the OECD average of 47% .

A strong social network, or community, can provide emotional support during both good and bad times as well as provide access to jobs, services and other material opportunities. In Hungary, 89% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in a time of need, close to the OECD average of 91%. There is a slight difference between men and women, as 88% of men believe they have this kind of social support, compared with 91% of women. While gender has little impact on social network support, there is a clear relationship between the availability of social support on the one hand, and people’s education and income, on the other . In Hungary, around 82% of the bottom 20% report having someone to count on for help in times of need, compared to over 94% for the top 20%.

 

Indicators

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Iceland

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Key Findings

Humans are social creatures. The frequency of our contact with others and the quality of our personal relationships are thus crucial determinants of our well-being.

A strong social network, or community, can provide emotional support during both good and bad times as well as provide access to jobs, services and other material opportunities. In Iceland, 98% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in a time of need, the highest figure in the OECD, where the average is 91%. There is little difference between men and women, as 97% of men believe they have this kind of social support, compared with 98% of women. The level of social support is similar across society regardless of people’s education and income in Iceland, where around 96% of the bottom 20% report having someone to count on for help in times of need, compared to 98% for the top 20%.

A weak social network can result in limited economic opportunities, a lack of contact with others, and eventually, feelings of isolation. Nearly 6% reported ‘rarely’ or ‘never’ spending time with friends, colleagues or others in social settings; this figure is lower than in most OECD countries where the average is close to 7%.

Indicators

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Ireland

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Key Findings

Humans are social creatures. The frequency of our contact with others and the quality of our personal relationships are thus crucial determinants of our well-being. Helping others can also make you happier. People who volunteer tend to be more satisfied with their lives than those who do not. Time spent volunteering also contributes to a healthy civil society. On average, people in Ireland spend 8 minutes per day in volunteering activities, one of the highest figures in the OECD where average is 4 minutes per day . Nearly 59% reported having helped a stranger in the last month, higher than the OECD average of 47% . These high scores suggest there is a strong sense of community in Ireland.

A strong social network, or community, can provide emotional support during both good and bad times as well as provide access to jobs, services and other material opportunities. In Ireland, 98% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in a time of need, one of the highest rates in the OECD where the average is 91%. There is little difference between men and women, as 97% of men believe they have this kind of social support, compared with 98% of women. There is a slight difference in the availability of social support depending on people’s socioeconomic status as around 96% of the bottom 20% report having someone to count on for help in times of need, compared to 99% for the top 20%.

A weak social network can result in limited economic opportunities, a lack of contact with others, and eventually, feelings of isolation. Socially isolated individuals face difficulties integrating into society as a contributing member and fulfilling personal aspirations. Nearly 3% of people in Ireland reported ‘rarely’ or ‘never’ spending time with friends, colleagues or others in social settings; this figure is much lower than the OECD average of 7%.

Indicators

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Israel

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Key Findings

Humans are social creatures. The frequency of our contact with others and the quality of our personal relationships are thus crucial determinants of our well-being. Helping others can also make you happier. In Israel, nearly 56% reported having helped a stranger in the last month, more than the OECD average of 47% .

A strong social network, or community, can provide emotional support during both good and bad times as well as provide access to jobs, services and other material opportunities. In Israel, 88% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in a time of need, lower than the OECD average of 91%. There is some difference between men and women, as 84% of men believe they have this kind of social support, compared with 92% of women. There is also a clear relationship between the availability of social support on the one hand, and people’s education and income, on the other. In Israel, around 80% of the bottom 20% report having someone to count on for help in times of need, compared to over 89% for the top 20%.

 

 

Indicators

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Italy

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Key Findings

Humans are social creatures. The frequency of our contact with others and the quality of our personal relationships are thus crucial determinants of our well-being. Helping others can also make you happier. People who volunteer tend to be more satisfied with their lives than those who do not. Time spent volunteering also contributes to a healthy civil society. On average, people in Italy spend 2 minutes per day in volunteering activities, lower than the OECD average of 4 minutes per day . Nearly 34% reported having helped a stranger in the last month, one of the lowest rates in the OECD where the average is 47% .

A strong social network, or community, can provide emotional support during both good and bad times as well as provide access to jobs, services and other material opportunities. In Italy, 91% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in a time of need, in line with the OECD average. There is little difference between men and women, as 91% of men believe they have this kind of social support, compared with 92% of women. While gender has little impact on social network support, there is a clear relationship between the availability of social support on the one hand, and people’s education and income, on the other . In Italy, around 79% of the bottom 20% report having someone to count on for help in times of need, compared to over 95% for the top 20%.

A weak social network can result in limited economic opportunities, a lack of contact with others, and eventually, feelings of isolation. Socially isolated individuals face difficulties integrating into society as a contributing member and fulfilling personal aspirations. Nearly 8% of people in Italy reported ‘rarely’ or ‘never’ spending time with friends, colleagues or others in social settings; close to the OECD average of 7%.

Indicators

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Japan

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Key Findings

Humans are social creatures. The frequency of our contact with others and the quality of our personal relationships are thus crucial determinants of our well-being. Helping others can also make you happier. People who volunteer tend to be more satisfied with their lives than those who do not. Time spent volunteering also contributes to a healthy civil society. On average, people in Japan spend 4 minutes per day in volunteering activities, in line with the OECD average . Nearly 23% reported having helped a stranger in the last month, the lowest rate in the OECD where the average is 47% .

A strong social network, or community, can provide emotional support during both good and bad times as well as provide access to jobs, services and other material opportunities. In Japan, 92% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in a time of need, close to the OECD average of 91%. There is a clear difference between men and women, as 88% of men believe they have this kind of social support, compared with 96% of women. There is also a relationship between the availability of social support on the one hand, and people’s education and income, on the other . In Japan, around 91% of the bottom 20% report having someone to count on for help in times of need, compared to 86% for the top 20%. Japan is one of four countries where the bottom 20% reports more social connections than the top 20%.

A weak social network can result in limited economic opportunities, a lack of contact with others, and eventually, feelings of isolation. Socially isolated individuals face difficulties integrating into society as a contributing member and fulfilling personal aspirations. Nearly 15% of people in Japan reported ‘rarely’ or ‘never’ spending time with friends, colleagues or others in social settings; this is the highest figure in the OECD.

Indicators

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Korea

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Key Findings

Humans are social creatures. The frequency of our contact with others and the quality of our personal relationships are thus crucial determinants of our well-being. Helping others can also make you happier. People who volunteer tend to be more satisfied with their lives than those who do not. Time spent volunteering also contributes to a healthy civil society. On average, people in Korea spend 1 minute per day in volunteering activities, lower than the OECD average of 4 minutes per day . Nearly 42% reported having helped a stranger in the last month, less than the OECD average of 47% .

A strong social network, or community, can provide emotional support during both good and bad times as well as provide access to jobs, services and other material opportunities. In Korea, 81% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in a time of need, one of the lowest figures in the OECD where the average is 91%. There is some difference between men and women, as 77% of men believe they have this kind of social support, compared with 84% of women. There is also a clear relationship between the availability of social support on the one hand, and people’s education and income, on the other . In Korea, around 60% of the bottom 20% report having someone to count on for help in times of need, compared to over 87% for the top 20%.

A weak social network can result in limited economic opportunities, a lack of contact with others, and eventually, feelings of isolation. Socially isolated individuals face difficulties integrating into society as a contributing member and fulfilling personal aspirations. Nearly 8% of people in Korea reported ‘rarely’ or ‘never’ spending time with friends, colleagues or others in social settings; this figure is close to the OECD average of 7%.

Better Policies for Better Lives

Innovative solutions to keep elderly in their homes

Taking care of the elderly represents a daily challenge for communities and families. Ageing in place, close to family members, is a comforting option but can turn out expensive and demanding when need for care increases. It is thus important for public authorities to use housing policy to foster innovations in the design and equipment of homes more suited to ageing in place.

The Ubiquitous Health House or uHouse in Korea is a good example of an innovative system to facilitate multi-generational housing. The uHouse system uses Internet technology to monitor the patient’s daily activities and physical condition. This system allows families and the elderly to maintain privacy and independence while facilitating family care. This kind of temporary, modular home is designed to substitute for hospital service and can be particularly useful in rural areas and for immobile patients.

Korea is at an advanced stage of population ageing and is expected to experience one of the sharpest increases in ageing population and hence in potential care receivers. Developing this kind of private and family-based solution is thus necessary and in line with views expressed by the Korean population: more than 80% of people say they will live near or with their parents, once the latter become dependent and need regular assistance.

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Luxembourg

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Key Findings

Humans are social creatures. The frequency of our contact with others and the quality of our personal relationships are thus crucial determinants of our well-being.

A strong social network, or community, can provide emotional support during both good and bad times as well as provide access to jobs, services and other material opportunities. In Luxembourg, 93% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in a time of need, higher than the OECD average of 91%. There is a slight difference between men and women, as 95% of men believe they have this kind of social support, compared with 92% of women. There is also a relationship between the availability of social support on the one hand, and people’s education and income, on the other . In Luxembourg, around 91% of the bottom 20% report having someone to count on for help in times of need, compared to over 96% for the top 20%.

 

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Mexico

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Key Findings

Humans are social creatures. The frequency of our contact with others and the quality of our personal relationships are thus crucial determinants of our well-being. Helping others can also make you happier. People who volunteer tend to be more satisfied with their lives than those who do not. Time spent volunteering also contributes to a healthy civil society. On average, people in Mexico spend 1 minute per day in volunteering activities, lower than the OECD average of 4 minutes per day . Nearly 41% reported having helped a stranger in the last month, less than the OECD average of 47%.

A strong social network, or community, can provide emotional support during both good and bad times as well as provide access to jobs, services and other material opportunities. In Mexico, 82% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in a time of need, lower than the OECD average of 91%. There is little difference between men and women, as 81% of men believe they have this kind of social support, compared with 83% of women. While gender has little impact on social network support, there is a clear relationship between the availability of social support on the one hand, and people’s education and income, on the other . In Mexico, around 80% of the bottom 20% report having someone to count on for help in times of need, compared to over 88% for the top 20%.

A weak social network can result in limited economic opportunities, a lack of contact with others, and eventually, feelings of isolation. Socially isolated individuals face difficulties integrating into society as a contributing member and fulfilling personal aspirations. Nearly 14% of people in Mexico reported ‘rarely’ or ‘never’ spending time with friends, colleagues or others in social settings; this figure is much higher than in most OECD countries where the average is close to 7%.

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Netherlands

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Key Findings

Humans are social creatures. The frequency of our contact with others and the quality of our personal relationships are thus crucial determinants of our well-being.

A strong social network, or community, can provide emotional support during both good and bad times as well as provide access to jobs, services and other material opportunities. In the Netherlands, 95% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in a time of need, higher than the OECD average. Nearly 49% reported having helped a stranger in the last month.

 

A weak social network can result in limited economic opportunities, a lack of contact with others, and eventually, feelings of isolation. Socially isolated individuals face difficulties integrating into society as a contributing member and fulfilling personal aspirations. Only 2% of people in the Netherlands reported ‘rarely’ or ‘never’ spending time with friends, colleagues or others in social settings; this figure is the lowest in the OECD.

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New Zealand

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Key Findings

Humans are social creatures. The frequency of our contact with others and the quality of our personal relationships are thus crucial determinants of our well-being. Helping others can also make you happier. People who volunteer tend to be more satisfied with their lives than those who do not. Time spent volunteering also contributes to a healthy civil society. On average, people in New Zealand spend 13 minutes per day in volunteering activities, the highest in the OECD where the average is 4 minutes per day . Nearly 64% reported having helped a stranger in the last month, much higher than the OECD average of 47% . These high scores suggest there is a strong sense of community in New Zealand.

A strong social network, or community, can provide emotional support during both good and bad times as well as provide access to jobs, services and other material opportunities. In New Zealand, 95% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in a time of need, higher than the OECD average of 91%. There is little difference between men and women, as 96% of men believe they have this kind of social support, compared with 95% of women. The level of social support is similar across society regardless of people’s education and income in New Zealand, where around 96% of the bottom 20% report having someone to count on for help in times of need, compared to over 94% for the top 20%. New Zealand is one of four countries where the bottom 20% report stronger social networks than the top 20%.

 

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Norway

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Key Findings

Humans are social creatures. The frequency of our contact with others and the quality of our personal relationships are thus crucial determinants of our well-being. Helping others can also make you happier. People who volunteer tend to be more satisfied with their lives than those who do not. Time spent volunteering also contributes to a healthy civil society. On average, people in Norway spend 2 minutes per day in volunteering activities, lower than the OECD average of 4 minutes per day . Nearly 49% reported having helped a stranger in the last month, close to the OECD average of 47% .

A strong social network, or community, can provide emotional support during both good and bad times as well as provide access to jobs, services and other material opportunities. In Norway, 94% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in a time of need, higher than the OECD average of 91%. There is little difference between men and women, as 94% of men believe they have this kind of social support, compared with 93% of women. There is also little difference in the availability of social support depending on people’s socioeconomic status in Norway, where around 91% of the bottom 20% report having someone to count on for help in times of need, compared to 94% for the top 20%.

 

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Poland

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Key Findings

Humans are social creatures. The frequency of our contact with others and the quality of our personal relationships are thus crucial determinants of our well-being. Helping others can also make you happier. People who volunteer tend to be more satisfied with their lives than those who do not. Time spent volunteering also contributes to a healthy civil society. On average, people in Poland spend 1 minute per day in volunteering activities, lower than the OECD average of 4 minutes per day . Nearly 37% reported having helped a stranger in the last month, less than the OECD average of 47% .

A strong social network, or community, can provide emotional support during both good and bad times as well as provide access to jobs, services and other material opportunities. In Poland, 90% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in time of need, close to the OECD average of 91%. There is some difference between men and women, as 87% of men believe they have this kind of social support, compared with 93% of women. There is also a relationship between the availability of social support on the one hand, and people’s education and income, on the other . In Poland, around 87% of the bottom 20% report having someone to count on for help in times of need, compared to over 91% for the top 20%.

 

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Portugal

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Key Findings

Humans are social creatures. The frequency of our contact with others and the quality of our personal relationships are thus crucial determinants of our well-being. Helping others can also make you happier. People who volunteer tend to be more satisfied with their lives than those who do not. Time spent volunteering also contributes to a healthy civil society. On average, people in Portugal spend 2 minutes per day in volunteering activities, lower than the OECD average of 4 minutes per day . Nearly 38% reported having helped a stranger in the last month, less than the OECD average of 47% .

A strong social network, or community, can provide emotional support during both good and bad times as well as provide access to jobs, services and other material opportunities. In Portugal, 86% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in time of need, lower than the OECD average of 91%. There is little difference between men and women, as 85% of men believe they have this kind of social support, compared with 84% of women. 

A weak social network can result in limited economic opportunities, a lack of contact with others, and eventually, feelings of isolation. Socially isolated individuals face difficulties integrating into society as a contributing member and fulfilling personal aspirations. Nearly 10% of people in Portugal reported ‘rarely’ or ‘never’ spending time with friends, colleagues or others in social settings; this figure is higher than in most OECD countries where the average is 7%.

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Russian Federation

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Key Findings

Humans are social creatures. The frequency of our contact with others and the quality of our personal relationships are thus crucial determinants of our well-being. Helping others can also make you happier. In the Russian Federation, only 35% of people reported having helped a stranger in the last month, much less than the OECD average of 47% .

A strong social network, or community, can provide emotional support during both good and bad times as well as provide access to jobs, services and other material opportunities. In Russia, around 88% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in a time of need, lower than the OECD average of 91%. There is a slight difference between men and women, as 90% of men believe they have this kind of social support, compared with 87% of women. There is also a slight difference in the availability of social support depending on people’s socioeconomic status, as around 82% of the bottom 20% report having someone to count on for help in times of need, compared to over 86% for the top 20%.

 

Indicators

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Slovak Republic

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Key Findings

Humans are social creatures. The frequency of our contact with others and the quality of our personal relationships are thus crucial determinants of our well-being. Helping others can also make you happier. In the Slovak Republic, 31% reported having helped a stranger in the last month, one of the lowest rates in the OECD where the average is 47% .

A strong social network, or community, can provide emotional support during both good and bad times as well as provide access to jobs, services and other material opportunities. In the Slovak Republic, almost 92% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in a time of need, close to the OECD average of 91%. There is a slight difference between men and women, as 90% of men believe they have this kind of social support, compared with 93% of women. While gender has little impact on social network support, there is a clear relationship between the availability of social support on the one hand, and people’s education and income, on the other . In the Slovak Republic, around 85% of the bottom 20% report having someone to count on for help in times of need, compared to over 92% for the top 20%.

 

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Slovenia

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Key Findings

Humans are social creatures. The frequency of our contact with others and the quality of our personal relationships are thus crucial determinants of our well-being. Helping others can also make you happier. People who volunteer tend to be more satisfied with their lives than those who do not. Time spent volunteering also contributes to a healthy civil society. On average, people in Slovenia spend 1 minute per day in volunteering activities, lower than the OECD average of 4 minutes per day . Nearly 44% reported having helped a stranger in the last month, a little below the OECD average of 47% .

A strong social network, or community, can provide emotional support during both good and bad times as well as provide access to jobs, services and other material opportunities. In Slovenia, 93% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in a time of need, higher than the OECD average of 91%. There is a 2% difference between men and women, as 92% of men believe they have this kind of social support, compared with 94% of women. While gender has little impact on social network support, there is a clear relationship between the availability of social support on the one hand, and people’s education and income, on the other . In Slovenia, around 88% of the bottom 20% report having someone to count on for help in times of need, compared to over 95% for the top 20%.

 

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Spain

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Key Findings

Humans are social creatures. The frequency of our contact with others and the quality of our personal relationships are thus crucial determinants of our well-being. Helping others can also make you happier. People who volunteer tend to be more satisfied with their lives than those who do not. Time spent volunteering also contributes to a healthy civil society. On average, people in Spain spend 1 minute per day in volunteering activities, lower than the OECD average of 4 minutes per day . Nearly 46% reported having helped a stranger in the last month, very close to the OECD average of 47% .

A strong social network, or community, can provide emotional support during both good and bad times as well as provide access to jobs, services and other material opportunities. In Spain, 94% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in a time of need, higher than the OECD average of 91%. There is a slight difference between men and women, as 96% of men believe they have this kind of social support, compared with 93% of women. While gender has little impact on social network support, there is a clear relationship between the availability of social support on the one hand, and people’s education and income, on the other . In Spain, around 90% of the bottom 20% report having someone to count on for help in times of need, compared to over 98% for the top 20%.

A weak social network can result in limited economic opportunities, a lack of contact with others, and eventually, feelings of isolation. Socially isolated individuals face difficulties integrating into society as a contributing member and fulfilling personal aspirations. Nearly 7% of people in Spain reported ‘rarely’ or ‘never’ spending time with friends, colleagues or others in social settings; this figure is in line with the OECD average.

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Sweden

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Key Findings

Humans are social creatures. The frequency of our contact with others and the quality of our personal relationships are thus crucial determinants of our well-being. Helping others can also make you happier. People who volunteer tend to be more satisfied with their lives than those who do not. Time spent volunteering also contributes to a healthy civil society. On average, people in Sweden spend 4 minutes per day in volunteering activities, the same as the OECD average . Nearly 48% reported having helped a stranger in the last month, slightly higher than the OECD average of 47% .

A strong social network, or community, can provide emotional support during both good and bad times as well as provide access to jobs, services and other material opportunities. In Sweden, nearly 92% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in time of need, close to the OECD average of 91%. There is a 2% difference between men and women, as 91% of men believe they have this kind of social support, compared with 93% of women. The level of social support is similar across society regardless of people’s education and income, at around 91% for both the bottom 20% and the top 20% of society.

 

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Switzerland

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Key Findings

Humans are social creatures. The frequency of our contact with others and the quality of our personal relationships are thus crucial determinants of our well-being. Helping others can also make you happier. Nearly 62% reported having helped a stranger in the last month, much higher than the OECD average of 47% . This high score suggests there is a strong sense of community in Switzerland.

A strong social network, or community, can provide emotional support during both good and bad times as well as provide access to jobs, services and other material opportunities. In Switzerland, nearly 94% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in a time of need, higher than the OECD average of 91%. There is a slight difference between men and women, as 92% of men believe they have this kind of social support, compared with 95% of women. The level of social support is similar across society regardless of people’s education and income in Switzerland, where around 94% of the bottom 20% report having someone to count on for help in times of need, compared to 93% for the top 20%.

 

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Turkey

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Key Findings

Humans are social creatures. The frequency of our contact with others and the quality of our personal relationships are thus crucial determinants of our well-being. Helping others can also make you happier. Nearly 36% reported having helped a stranger in the last month, lower than the OECD average of 47% .

A strong social network, or community, can provide emotional support during both good and bad times as well as provide access to jobs, services and other material opportunities. In Turkey, 69% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in a time of need, the lowest rate in the OECD, where the average is 91%. There is a slight difference between men and women, as 71% of men believe they have this kind of social support, compared with 68% of women. While gender has little impact on social network support, there is a clear relationship between the availability of social support on the one hand, and people’s education and income, on the other . In Turkey, around 60% of the bottom 20% report having someone to count on for help in times of need, compared to over 76% for the top 20%.

 

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United Kingdom

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Key Findings

Humans are social creatures. The frequency of our contact with others and the quality of our personal relationships are thus crucial determinants of our well-being. Helping others can also make you happier. People who volunteer tend to be more satisfied with their lives than those who do not. Time spent volunteering also contributes to a healthy civil society. On average, people in United Kingdom spend 2 minutes per day in volunteering activities, lower than the OECD average of 4 minutes per day . More than 58% reported having helped a stranger in the last month, higher than the OECD average of 47% .

A strong social network, or community, can provide emotional support during both good and bad times as well as provide access to jobs, services and other material opportunities. In the United Kingdom, nearly 96% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in time of need, higher than the OECD average of 91%. There is a slight difference between men and women, as 94% of men believe they have this kind of social support, compared with 97% of women. The level of social support is similar across society regardless of people’s education and income in the United Kingdom, where around 95% of the bottom 20% report having someone to count on for help in times of need, compared to 96% for the top 20%.

A weak social network can result in limited economic opportunities, a lack of contact with others, and eventually, feelings of isolation. Socially isolated individuals face difficulties integrating into society as a contributing member and fulfilling personal aspirations. Around 5% of people in the United Kingdom reported ‘rarely’ or ‘never’ spending time with friends, colleagues or others in social settings; this figure is lower than in most OECD countries where the average is 7%. 

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United States

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Key Findings

Humans are social creatures. The frequency of our contact with others and the quality of our personal relationships are thus crucial determinants of our well-being. Helping others can also make you happier. People who volunteer tend to be more satisfied with their lives than those who do not. Time spent volunteering also contributes to a healthy civil society. On average, people in United States spend 8 minutes per day in volunteering activities, one of the highest in the OECD where the average is 4 minutes per day . More than 65% reported having helped a stranger in the last month, much more than the OECD average of 47% .

A strong social network, or community, can provide emotional support during both good and bad times as well as provide access to jobs, services and other material opportunities. In the United States, 92% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in a time of need, slightly higher than the OECD average of 91%. There is little difference between men and women, as 93% of men believe they have this kind of social support, compared with 92% of women. There is a slight difference in the availability of social support depending on people’s socioeconomic status , as around 92% of the bottom 20% report having someone to count on for help in times of need, compared to 95% for the top 20%.

A weak social network can result in limited economic opportunities, a lack of contact with others, and eventually, feelings of isolation. Socially isolated individuals face difficulties integrating into society as a contributing member and fulfilling personal aspirations. Nearly 3% of people in the United States reported ‘rarely’ or ‘never’ spending time with friends, colleagues or others in social settings; this figure is one of the lowest in the OECD where the average is 7%.

Better Policies for Better Lives

Innovative housing solutions to foster intergenerational solidarity

Housing policies can encourage communal forms of living such as shared housing, or multi-generational housing. This in turn, can foster family interaction and intergenerational solidarity in the community.

MEDcottage is an innovative modular housing solution that enables older people to stay in the community or near family members. The cottage can be placed temporarily on the property of home-owners, connected to its electricity and water supply, and is equipped with the latest monitoring and ICT technologies. For example, sensors can detect falls and alert caregivers. This solution can facilitate family care and is intended to be an affordable alternative to care homes.

The state of Virginia has passed a bill to allow families to place mobile-care units on their property without requiring special permission. Encouraging this kind of private arrangement can take pressure off public care systems and nursing homes. It also matches the preference of many elderly people to age in their own homes or stay close to family without moving into their homes.

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