Study Buddy (Challenger): Cafe in Vienna makes a statement against elderly poverty and loneliness

[2] Located just a few metres away from the Austrian capital’s Naschmarkt, a market that has been in operation since the 16th century, the cafe is renowned for its cakes and traditional Viennese recipes. Beyond being a cafe, however, the Vollpension is seen as a statement against social issues such old-age poverty and loneliness. It is a place where the elderly find empowerment, companionship and a sense of purpose, creating a unique atmosphere that helps foster an intergenerational dialogue.

[3] “When we started it, the idea was to create a place in urban Vienna where generations come together,” says David Haller, one of the young founders of the Vollpension.”People in old age often end up lonely and with very low income that leads to their alienation in urban society. There is a strong connection between poverty and loneliness in old age.”

[4] It is mostly women who face the brunt. According to the Austrian Society for European Politics, around 38 per cent of women aged 65 and above in the country are considered poor. “Through simply baking cakes, [the older people Vollpension employs] become a part of the social structure again,” Haller says.

[5] “With the slogan ‘Bake against poverty’ and with the realisation that the best cakes are made by grandmothers and grandfathers, we began this cross-generational project. “[Older people make] certain types of cakes that you don’t get in high-end cafes but just at home. It is because they are made with love and passion. At Vollpension, we are trying to recreate that feeling.”

[6] In 2020, at the height of coronavirus pandemic, the Vollpension launched the “world’s first Grandma Baking School”. BakAdemy is an online platform that offers on-demand, live baking courses taught by the cafe’s elderly staff, helping to spreading their knowledge and recipes worldwide. “We invited grandmas and grandpas from all over the world to share their favourite recipes,” Haller says. “The response was phenomenal … from India, New Zealand, the United States and Australia.”Since then our international customers [visiting the cafe] have increased.”

[7] According to Kathrin Rauscher, 66, more cities could do with such places. “I was a health practitioner and retired as a head nurse,” says Rauscher, who has been working at Vollpension for six years and specialises in making Belvedere cuts (Rauscher’s own take on chocolate cake) and honey gingerbread cake.

[8] “Vollpension has given people like me a new life. It is an extraordinary place for all of us working here. We work according to our schedule and chart our own working hours. “We also spend a lot of time together, share our life experiences and knit, dance and play together. What I love most is that we get to meet so many people here and that is sort of liberating – meeting people from diverse backgrounds.”

Source: South China Morning Post, February 6

1. Which groups of people frequent the Vollpension Cafe according to paragraph 1?
A. teenagers
B. working adults
C. people who have retired
D. all of the above

2. In paragraph 2, what is one most likely to find in Naschmarkt?
A. used and vintage items
B. fresh produce and locally-made goods
C. high-end branded clothing
D. latest gadgets and accessories

3. How are poverty and loneliness in old age linked according to paragraph 3?
______________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. Find a phrase in paragraph 4 that means to “suffer the most consequences of something negative”.
__________________________

5. Paragraph 4 describes …
A. the significance of baking and how it connects older adults to their heritage and communities.
B. how Vollpension’s baking programme offers the elderly opportunities for social interaction and engagement with others.
C. the disproportionate economic hardship faced by older women and how Vollpension’s initiative addresses this issue.
D. how baking is a shared activity that helps combat loneliness and isolation, which are common challenges faced by the elderly.

6. Based on your understanding of paragraph 5, how are the cakes baked in the Vollpension Cafe different to those in high-end cafes?
______________________________________________________________________________________________________

7. What is the aim of BakAdemy according to paragraph 6?
______________________________________________________________________________________________________

8. According to paragraphs 6 and 7, what sorts of pastries would Rauscher specialise in if she were an instructor at BakAdemy?___________________________________________________

9. In paragraph 9, Rauscher enjoys working at Vollpension because …
A. of the flexible work schedules.
B. it gives her a renewed sense of purpose and meaning.
C. of the strong sense of community at the workplace.
D. all of the above.

1. D
2. B
3. People in old age often end up lonely and with very low income that leads to their alienation in urban society.
4. face the brunt
5. C
6. High-end cafes often don’t sell the desserts available at Vollpension Cafe, which features more traditional recipes passed down through generations. (accept all reasonable answers)
7. to help spread the baking knowledge and recipes from the cafe’s elderly staff
8. Belvedere cuts and honey gingerbread cake
9. D