Pursuant to Order No, 68 of the President of the Council of Ministers of 16 August 2012 on the Statute of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy (M. P. item 590), the Department of Senior Policy was established in the former Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, and its responsibility is to determine the direction of measures for the benefit of older people, conditions of improvement of the support system for senior citizens, carry out tasks in the field of active ageing and other forms of cooperation within and between generations, and to monitor the implemented solutions. The department also cooperates with organisations and institutions whose measures are addressed to the elderly people, which includes international cooperation in the field of active ageing. What is more, the Department is also responsible for coordinating the implementation of the Government Programme for Social Participation of Senior Citizens for 2014-2020 and the Multi-Annual Programme Senior+ for 2015-2020.

Social policy on older people meeting their needs is one of the priorities in the current public policy of the Council of Ministers. The minister competent for programming and monitoring social policy in regard to older people in Poland is the minister competent for social security – Minister of Family, Labour and Social Policy. The aim of the policy in regard to older people is to systematically improve their living standard to ensure their security and allow them to remain independent and active as long as possible.

The Polish society is currently facing challenges related to dynamic changes to the demographic structure of the population. The two main phenomena resulting from demographic shifts are, on one hand, low fertility rate, and on the other, growing proportion of the elderly in the society. As of late 2015, the population of Poland amounted to 38.4 million people, 8.8 million of which were people aged 60 or older. According to the result Population Forecast 2014-2050, provided that such trends continue, the society will age more and more. As of the end of the forecast horizon, the population aged 60+ will grow up to 13.7, and it will constitute over 40% of the total Polish population.

European Year for Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations 2012 was accompanied by the start of preparations for operationalisation of social policy in regard to older people in Poland. In September 2012, the Department of Senior Policy was established at the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy (Order No. 68 of the President of the Council of Ministers of 16 August 2012). The Department of Senior Policy is responsible for determining and developing directions of measures addressed to older people and conditions for the improvement in support system for senior citizens, performance of tasks related to active ageing, and other forms of cooperation within and between generations involving older people, and to monitor such tasks. The department also cooperates with organisations and institutions whose measures are addressed to the elderly people, which includes international cooperation in the field of active ageing. What is more, the department is coordinating the implementation of the  Government Programme for Social Participation of Senior Citizens for 2014-2020 (and earlier, it coordinated implementation of the 2012–2013 programme) and the Multi-Annual Programme Senior+ for 2015–2020.

The public policy framework for older people in Poland were determined by the document adopted under Resolution No. 238 of the Council of Ministers of 24 December 2013 titled Long-Term Senior Policy in Poland for years 2014-2020. According to the planned Long-Term Senior Policy in Poland for years 2014-2020 verification and update, the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy is currently carrying work related to preparation of a document defining directions of social policy in regard to older people titled: Social Policy for Older People 2030. Security. Solidarity. Participation.

All documents are being prepared in coordination with experts who are members for the Senior Policy council, a consultative and advisory body under the Minister of Family, Labour and Social Policy, and then adopted through public consultation.  The Council includes 30 people: representatives of non-government organisation, public entities, and the academic circles. The Council is a body under the Minister of Family, Labour and Social Policy.

On 11 September 2015, the Act on elderly people was adopted (Dz. U. item 1705). The act has obliged public administration bodies, state organisational units and other organisation involved in determining situation of elderly people to monitor their situation in Poland, which resulted in the Information on the Situation of Elderly People in Poland in 2015.  It has been the first government study in history that was so comprehensive and whose preparation involved all central administration bodies. The document allows further elements of social policy in regard to older people to be put in place effectively.

The Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy is implementing a number of measures for the benefit of the older people, including:

1.      Decent retirement pension

In march 2017, the minimum ZUS and KRUS retirement pension, disability benefit and survivors benefit was raised by PLN 117.44 – from PLN 882.56 to PLN 1000. For the sake of comparison the minimum gross retirement pension as of March 2012 amounted to PLN 799.17.

2.      Establishment of day care centres for older people;

This is e.g. an aim of the Multi-Annual Programme Senior+ for 2015-2020, which is addressed to local government units and consists in expansion of day care centre network for older people: Senior+ Day Care Centres and Senior+ Clubs. Under the programme, authorised entities can apply for financing necessary to establish or furnish a centre or to maintain an existing centre under an open competitive procedure.

3.      Support for innovative measures of non-governmental organisations for older people

A programme that improves quality of life and the living standard of older people is the Government Programme for Social Participation of Senior Citizens for 2014-2020 (ASOS). Measures taken by non-governmental organisations for the benefit of older people are also supported under the Civic Initiatives Fund Programme implemented by the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy.

4.      Security of older persons

In addition, the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy has been implementing the Secure and Active Senior informational campaign, whose objective is to raise public awareness of issues related to security and active life of older people.

5.      Standardisation of quality of assistance and care services for older people

Under the pilot programme introducing tele-care to Poland, the Ministry of Family has prepared a tender under the Knowledge Education Development Operational Programme titled Professionalisation of Assistance and Care Services for Dependent Persons, which will involve development of assistance and care service quality standards, including standards covering tele-care for older people of varying degrees of dependence.