Identifying Active Ageing Policy Needs at the Meso-Level

Abstract

Active ageing (AA) is recognised as a concept leading to positive benefits for individuals and society; however, its operationalization at the policy level presents challenges. In particular, while AA implies the interplay between macro, meso, and micro levels, the topic of AA policy needs at the meso level is underresearched. In order to increase knowledge in this area, the present study investigated a total of 154 organisations through a self-administered questionnaire in the Italian Marche region. Of these organisations, 111 reported having implemented 192 AA initiatives. The main policy needs identified concern requests for help in planning and sustainability, as well as economic and human resources. The presence of needs at the policy level was associated with the specific AA domain of volunteering and civic engagement and seemed to be present when initiatives dealt with the reduction of inequalities in terms of generational differences and differences in terms of digital skills. To appropriately manage policy needs, those results call for policy action in order to involve representatives of meso-level organisations through co-decisional policy tools and to promote intergenerational programmes in general and in the field of digitalization in particular, given its benefits for both generations.