The survey "Swiss Survey 65+" - Nationwide survey on shaping the post-professional phase of life" is a survey conducted by the School of Social Work,University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW). A total of around 2000 people aged 65 and over were interviewed in a telephone or postal survey. The survey was conducted by the social research institute gfs Bern on behalf of the School of Social Work (FHNW).

The survey investigated the conditions under which people over 65 can live as long, independent and good a life as possible. In doing so, material, social and individual resources of people over 65 were examined in more detail to determine whether and how these can enable or prevent an independent lifestyle. This made it possible to provide sound data for age and social reporting geared to quality of life and life satisfaction, which can serve as an indispensable basis for responsible planning and decision-making by authorities and institutions.

The results of the SwissSurvey65+ show pronounced variations in the availability of material, social and individual resources between groups that differ from each other with respect to various sociodemographic characteristics, thus revealing the contours of a social inequality in society that persists in the later stages of life. However, we also see from the Swiss results that the independent living of the respondents can be described as relatively good on average.

We thank the respondents for their valuable willingness to provide information. We would also like to thank the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI), the project-linked contributions of Swissuniversities (PgB13), the National Innovation Network "Age(n) in Society" (AGE-NT), and the School of Social Work of the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW) for their financial support of the "Swiss Survey 65+" project. Our thanks go equally to the partly former employees and all the advisors who accompanied this project with constructive criticism.