In every legislative period, the German Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth publishes a report on the situation of the older generation in the Federal Republic of Germany, so called Government Report on Older People (Altersbericht der Bundesregierung), to continuously support decision processes related to all kinds of age- and ageing-related questions. These Government Reports on Older People are an important source for policy advice and public discourse in the fields of age and ageing. Further, they make an important contribution in deepening and spreading knowledge about ageing processes and older people’s living situations.

In August 2020, the Ministry published its Eighth Government Report on Older People. For its development, also research based on SHARE data was used. The report puts an emphasis on the topic “older people and digitisation” by focusing on the use of digital technologies in areas which are especially important for older individuals like housing, mobility, social integration, health and care. The aim is to show how politics can positively contribute/support the effects of digitisation on the living situation of the elderly. The Expert Commission has identified the digital technologies relevant to all of these life areas, singled out emerging new developments and assessed how such developments are having an impact on life in old age.