Article 23 of the European Social Charter (Revised) (Strasbourg 1996) provides: With a view to ensuring the effective exercise of the right of elderly persons to social protection, the Parties undertake to adopt or encourage, either directly or in co-operation with public or private organisations, appropriate measures designed in particular: 1) to enable elderly persons to remain full members of society for as long as possible, by means of: a) adequate resources enabling them to lead a decent life and play an active part in public, social and cultural life; b) provision of information about services and facilities available for elderly persons and their opportunities to make use of them; 2) to enable elderly persons to choose their life-style freely and to lead independent lives in their familiar surroundings for as long as they wish and are able, by means of: a) provision of housing suited to their needs and their state of health or of adequate support for adapting their housing; b) the health care and the services necessitated by their state; 3) to guarantee elderly persons living in institutions appropriate support, while respecting their privacy, and participation in decisions concerning living conditions in the institution.