Abstract
Rapid population aging and the constant rise in human longevity represent one of the greatest social, cultural, economic and political transformations of today, especially in developed countries and, as a consequence of this, population aging has become one of the most important challenges for modern societies. In this regard, the World Health Organization said that due to the increase in life expectancy and the decline in the fertility rate, the proportion of people over 60 years of age is increasing more rapidly than any other age group in almost all countries. The aging of the population can be considered a success of public health policies and socio-economic development, but it also constitutes a challenge for society, which must adapt to this in order to improve the health and functional capacity of older people as well as their social participation and their security. For this reason, it is necessary to design political initiatives that are capable of responding to the different social demands but which, in turn, safeguard the rights of elderly people, focusing their activity on the concept of Active Aging, as proposed at the II World Assembly on Aging (2002). In Spain due to health policies and a healthier lifestyle has increased life expectancy, in this sense it is expected that Spain is the country in 2040 with this indicator highest in the world with a life expectancy of 85.8 years. On the other hand, the current design of the Spanish pension system is unsustainable in the long term since it has one of the lowest birth rates in the world. This document aims to deepen the debate on aging in Spain from a political and social perspective, based on the approach that active and healthy aging opens a window of opportunity for social and political innovation.
Highlights
Rapid population aging and the constant rise in human longevity represent one of the greatest social, cultural, economic and political transformations of today, especially in developed countries and, as a consequence of this, population aging has become one of the most important challenges for modern societies
In 1969, another attempt was made to institutionalize the rights of the elderly, it being Malta who asked the UN General Assembly to include in its program a topic entitled The question of the elderly and the old, but again, on this second occasion, a framework document with specific proposals failed to materialize. It was not until 1978 that the UN approved the organization of a World Assembly on Aging, the I World Assembly on Aging being eventually held in Vienna in 1982, from which the first International Action Plan -IAP (1982), called the Vienna Plan, emerged, which would serve as a guide for political and scientific thought for a large number of countries who set themselves the objective of achieving the highest possible levels of wellbeing for the adult elderly population [3]
It is true that active aging strategies exist on a regional and local level, little evaluation work has been done in this respect, and the economic crisis has meant that political action in this sense takes a back seat, without appreciating that responding to the great challenge of population growth in matters such as the retirement age, social provisions, health and promoting health prevention, using awareness campaigns, could, in turn, attenuate the effects of the economic crisis, given that the two issues are interrelated
Summary
According to the Spanish Constitution of 1978, in its art. 50, reference is made to the rights of the elderly and, to the right to a pension and services, such as health, housing, culture and leisure [11]. Five areas of intervention with elderly people are specified: a) Pensions b) Health and healthcare c) Social services d) Culture and leisure e) Participation For said areas, the courses of action that should be developed are designed, as well as the objectives and measures to be adopted for the elderly population. In 2018, the Congress of Deputies, at the request of the Commission for Health and Social Services, approved a Non-Legislative Act related to promoting active aging policies, highlighting the need for public authorities to redefine their policies taking into account the progressive aging of each to “improve the quality of life of elderly people, to guarantee their participation in society, to prevent situations of dependence and to achieve true intergenerational solidarity, all of which guaranteeing the State of Wellbeing”. Approve in the shortest possible term the National Strategy for Active Aging and proper treatment of the Elderly during the period 2018-2021
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