Within a contemporary context of demographic, social and cultural changes imposed in the European Union
(EU), socioeconomic problems arising are intensified by a rapidly ageing population (17.4% are over 65 years old)
(Eurostat, 2011), whilst future projections indicate that the number of people over 60 will nearly double between
2005 and 2025. According to the Commission of the European Communities (2008) large cohorts born in the 1950s