Making retirement fun for seniors: A growing trend in Europe

It was well past midnight on a recent weekend, and the Mirano nightclub in central Brussels pulsed with its usual energy. A DJ played bass-heavy music with a West African lilt; people downed shots at the bar, and red lights beamed across a crowded dance floor.

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BRUSSELS — It was well past midnight on a recent weekend, and the Mirano nightclub in central Brussels pulsed with its usual energy. A DJ played bass-heavy music with a West African lilt; people downed shots at the bar, and red lights beamed across a crowded dance floor.

Among the revelers in crop tops, short skirts, and high heels, one group stood out: gray-haired retirement-home residents, many in their 80s or 90s. The men wore suits with pocket handkerchiefs, and the women, in mascara and red lipstick, wore chunky necklaces and tops with sequins.

"Look at the atmosphere," said Mr. Guillaume Vanderweyen, 99, who was clubbing for the first time in 40 years. "Everyone is happy because we're doing something different. That matters in life."

Mr. Vanderweyen would be out dancing until after 2 a.m. He admitted he was not as limber as before, but thanks to daily exercises, he appeared to have no trouble bending and twisting to songs by Rihanna and Nigerian singer Kizz Daniel.

Mr. Vanderweyen, a retired carpenter, and 15 other residents of Brussels retirement homes were at the nightclub on an outing organized by Papy Boom, a Belgian non-profit group that aims to address loneliness among older people and create more opportunities for fun.

LIFE DOES NOT STOP AT RETIREMENT

By 2050, the share of those 85 and older in the European Union will more than double, according to the EU, and Belgium is one of many countries where the median age is creeping higher. With people living longer than ever before and social isolation on the rise, many in Europe and elsewhere are asking: How can the quality of life for older people be improved?