Elena Parras Durán

Elena is reshaping societal and self-perceptions of individuals over fifty-five, positioning them as indispensable contributors within their communities, and igniting a movement that celebrates their vitality and participation. 

Demographic change requires rethinking systems and structures, while also reviewing how we understand and perceive old age. Mature citizens represent a vast pool of untapped potential; their overlooked contributions result in missed opportunities for societal enrichment while simultaneously provoking mental and physical health issues among seniors.

In response, Elena Durán founded 55 Mais (55+) with the motto “that all people, regardless of their age, can be a contributor” – to ensure human lives are as fulfilling, engaging, and productive as possible, for as long as possible. With her organization, Elena has built a new architecture to enable mature citizens to offer and match their unique "talents" to their communities fostering a sense of usefulness, social interaction, and economic empowerment among participants.

Beyond mere service provision (“talents” range from consulting to childcare, cooking, and gardening), Elena’s pioneering model positions the role of senior citizens as invaluable solutions to pressing social challenges such as childcare and immigrant integration. Through 55 Mais, Town councils purchase vouchers for service hours to address the needs of stressed parents, offer language classes to immigrants, or alleviate burnout among part-time caregivers.  This matching of senior "talents" with neighborhood needs is a key facilitator of community integration and social connections for the collective.

With operations in the urban hubs of greater Lisbon, greater Porto, and Aveiro, 55 Mais is leveraging a dual strategy of its digital platform and localized agents to achieve a nationwide expansion. Local agents, incentivized with a share of platform turnovers, create supply and awareness campaigns within their communities, while demand is catalyzed through partnerships with local companies and town councils.

As 55 Mais continues to flourish, Elena’s vision of changing the perception of longevity is steadily becoming a reality. Alongside her awareness strategy with key influencers, her enthusiasm and hard work have resulted in a detailed proposal concerning the legal and fiscal treatment of additional income for pensioners, which was presented to the Ministry of Labor in 2023. She is due to address the newly formed parliament in 2024.

In Portugal, demographic aging continues to increase, with one of the highest shares of people older than 55 in the EU (40%) and one of the lowest rates of young people (12.9%) as reported in 20244. Nonetheless, as the population ages, very few solutions have been implemented to accompany this transformation with the necessary increase in physical and mental health expectancy5.

Older adults are more vulnerable to loneliness, isolation, and physical frailty, exacerbated by low pensions, with the highest average being €535 in Lisbon. According to the World Health Organization, mental health issues are prevalent, with 60% of seniors experiencing isolation and loneliness and 14% suffering from anxiety and depression. Additionally, in Portugal, “the emigration of the younger population and the decrease in fertility rates have made the older population more vulnerable to loneliness due to factors such as living alone, low income, and fragile informal networks”6.

The traditional perception of aging results in a growing manifestation of ageism: discrimination against people based on their age, which is demonstrated through negative stereotypes and perceptions about older adults. 53% of Portuguese people indicate age discrimination as frequent; however, no specific legislative or public policy provisions are currently in development to support mature workers7. The elderly are perceived as resistant to change, less efficient, less qualified, and less competent. According to the National Statistics Institute (INE), people between 55 and 74 years old are by far the age cohort with the most unemployment, and it is estimated that 57% have been unemployed for more than a year.

These figures show that society is missing out on the talent and contribution of highly experienced and knowledgeable citizens—who are expected to account for more than 50% of the population by 2050 – to the day-to-day operations of companies, communities, and families.

The traditional view of aging as a three-stage life (study, work, retirement) needs to shift to a multi-stage paradigm, allowing over-55s to remain active in flexible ways. Models that showcase alternative pathways to aging are needed.

Elena’s strategy to reposition the over-55 collective to change the perception of longevity is three-pronged:

1. 55+ Movement: Shaping a movement of seniors to unlock their talents and contribution.

Through outreach efforts (senior organizations, faith centers, senior universities, community centers, the Town Hall, National Public Unemployment Organization, and others), 55 Mais builds a movement of senior contributors on and offline. By establishing itself as a central hub in each town or region through partnerships with municipalities and stakeholders, its specialized staff encourages seniors to identify their talents, fostering self-confidence and community building.

In this process, seniors first provide insights about their needs and preferences, and how these can be incorporated into the platform. When seniors are ready to become involved, 55 Mais assists them in offering their services through the digital platform, establishing their hourly fee, carrying out checks for legal compliance, and offering trial services for evaluation. When positively evaluated by the “talent” herself/himself and by those who have purchased the service, the senior fully forms part of the community.

Relationships between “talents” and clients often go beyond the purely commercial, leading to skill specialization and networking opportunities. For instance, Victor transitioned from general building work to specializing in 19th-century renovations through a client project. Gabriela, a retired art teacher, expanded from art classes to Airbnb experiences featuring traditional Portuguese recipes. 55 Mais also activates a self-organized group of dynamic talents who propose community activities, such as book clubs and cooking classes, to reduce isolation and promote belonging among the 55 Mais community.

Elena has also instrumentalized the public administration as a supply channel for her project. Since 2024, the Unemployment Office has prescribed 55 Mais as an option to all senior individuals facing unemployment to keep them active and enable them to generate income.

2. Strategic role of senior talents in supporting Town Councils.

Elena has identified a strategic opportunity where her “talents” can play a crucial role in supporting town councils that are facing challenges in providing essential social services. The 55 Mais consultancy service identifies gaps in social services that can be addressed by senior talents. The town council is offered various bundles of services at hourly rates. This approach is becoming increasingly vital for town councils as Elena has demonstrated that they can effectively tackle social issues by leveraging the skills and expertise of seniors.

In this way, 55 Mais provides senior talents that align with community needs, whether it’s supporting caregivers, assisting the advanced-aged elderly, or providing childcare services. For example, in the city of Maia, 55 Mais Talents assist vulnerable people through home repair services. In the city of Oeiras, they support informal caregivers, allowing them some free time and improving their peace of mind. Across cities, other talents aid the elderly with tasks like shopping, errands, and medical appointments. This arrangement not only enhances seniors’ lives but also tackles societal challenges.

Moreover, 55 Mais is adapting to the evolving needs of municipalities and participants by offering a broader range of talents, including senior municipal consulting and business coaching. The Almada City Council is exploring the possibility of addressing issues of immigrant segregation by developing an inclusion plan in collaboration with 55+ Talents. Talents from the 55 Mais community will provide guidance, language support, and assistance to immigrants, empowering them to integrate into the community and find employment opportunities.

Elena is partnering with civil society organizations and companies, providing a creative model of employee benefits: “55 Mais hours”. This is another innovative strategy to repurpose seniors’ time, allowing them to contribute to their community. Employees can use these "hours”, for example, to exchange them for babysitting and extracurricular classes enabling a better work-family balance. Companies like Jeronimo Martins, a large retail chain, even contract Mais 55´s talents to host summer camps for employees’ children.

3. Changing perceptions and breaking legal barriers 

Elena is leading efforts to challenge stereotypes and dismantle legal barriers for seniors in the workforce through multi-stakeholder collaborations and advocacy. With partners like social innovation startups, universities, government bodies, and pro bono legal advisors, 55 Mais has proposed a flexible model of state economic benefits, allowing seniors (and others who are at risk of social exclusion) to generate partial income without losing part of their pension or unemployment benefit (called transitory social transfer). Elena presented this model to the Ministry of Labor and plans to address Parliament in 2024.

Elena is also working to include in the retirement packages for public and private organizations the "My Next Steps" program, which will help seniors rethink retirement, promoting a multi-stage life instead of the traditional three-stage model (study, work, and retire) to live the entire cycle of their lives to the fullest.

Finally, Elena’s partnerships with public affairs and media agencies are crucial to raising awareness of 55 Mais and promoting intergenerational connections and awareness about aging. Elena works with a range of well-known guests, such as Tania Graça, an influencer psychologist, to create campaigns and podcasts. Through newspaper features, TV appearances, and radio interviews, 55 Mais amplifies its message, encouraging more seniors to join the movement and fostering a culture of lifelong contribution. 

55 Mais continues to expand its reach and impact geographically with a growing network of local activators driving its mission forward. These dedicated individuals, some of whom are talents themselves, are selected by 55 Mais and undergo training on the proven scaling methodology designed by Elena. Utilizing the same online platform, these activators play a vital role in spreading the initiative’s reach, with their efforts rewarded through a share of the gross income.  To date, 55 Mais is present in 12 cities (3 of them through local activators) and is in conversation with another 8 cities to start in the following months.
 
Elena plans to expand 55 Mais beyond Portugal, targeting Spain as the next potential destination. With collaborations, accelerators, and municipal partnerships, well-documented methodologies, comprehensive training programs, and established impact measures, the initiative is ready for success in new territories.
 
An Impact Study conducted in collaboration with the University of Aveiro, Ageas, and Aga Khan foundations from 2020 to 2023 highlights the significant impact of 55 Mais. Clients and talents alike report positive changes; 87% of clients who have contracted a talent acknowledge the positive role that older people play in society and 86% of talents express feeling more confident and helpful compared to before. The program has an overall satisfaction rating of 4.7 out of 5. Elena has institutionalized this impact measurement methodology for annual quality evaluation and strategic assessment. This model is now open source for other social institutions in Portugal to adapt and implement.

The initiative’s success has earned recognition from the European Parliament as a Representative Project for Social Rights. Elena’s work has empowered unemployed individuals over 55, and now, even public health centers assisting thousands of elderly in Lisbon are shifting from a medicine-based approach, to prescribing participation in 55 Mais as a non-pharmaceutical treatment for the elderly. 

Elena’s vibrant spirit and creative drive are often remarked upon by those who know her.. Throughout her childhood and youth, Elena found inspiration in her grandmother, a formidable woman who ran the town bakery—a beloved community hub—and raised eight children. Elena’s grandmother exuded vitality and strength, shaping Elena’s perception of aging. 
 
Accompanying her grandmother to church and community activities from a young age, Elena developed a deep bond with the elderly. While her peers aspired to careers in medicine or law, Elena dreamed of working in a senior residence, earning her the endearing nicknames "friend of the oldies" and "lawyer of the vulnerable." At school, she was admired as a diligent student and class delegate, driven by a desire to lessen the burden on her family and fueled by her innate empathy and connection with others. 
 
Elena’s journey led her from her small hometown in southern Spain to the diverse city of Málaga for university—a transformative experience that broadened her horizons and ignited her passion for making a difference. Upon graduation, she embarked on a career in ESG within a multinational company, where she had the hope of making a positive impact on business, but this experience never fulfilled her completely.
 
During her maternity leave, a few years into her career, Elena felt a calling to reconnect with her roots.  Her father, a School Principal, had taken early retirement, and Elena feared that he would have few opportunities to stay active and connected; this led her to reconnect with this issue and realize the injustice of treating aging as a problem rather than an opportunity to be addressed! She then decided that this was the moment to pivot her career and pursue her lifelong dream of empowering older adults. .

In 2018, 55 Mais was born—a testament to Elena’s unwavering dedication and innovative spirit. Through her passion and creativity, she has not only realized her childhood dream but has also transformed countless lives by demonstrating the abundance of opportunities available to individuals over 55.