[Intervention measures in the Netherlands]

The authors begin with an overview of the policy measures for the aging dutch population from a behavioral and social scientific point of view. They describe these measures chronologically. It appears that first the basic needs (income and health) received the most attention, followed by (public) health and housing. The last area to receive attention was the social-cultural development of the individual older person. In the second part the concept of intervention is discussed. Every measure can not be interpreted as intervention. Many measures are a necessary answer to real problems. But their impact is not directly to change the roots of the ageing fenomenon. In the last part the authors discuss the conditions for a realistic strategy of intervention. These conditions concern not only the definition of old age, but also the attitude toward old age. A life-span outlook in students, as well as in adults and older people, bridges the gap in attitudes between young-adult and the adult-old people. Examples for educational systems from the University of Nijmegen are given.