Levels of Social Participation among Silver-Age Citizens and Factors of its Activation in the Region of Russia (Case of the Sverdlovsk Region)

Abstract

Introduction. The quality of life of silver-age people is associated not only with psychological, economic and physical well-being, but also with the peculiarities of interpersonal relations and the diversity of their social activity. The widespread ideology of active or “delayed aging” actualizes the study of the nature of inclusion of elderly citizens in various practices of social participation that fill their daily lives. The aim of the study is to reveal the level characteristics of social participation of citizens of silver age in the Sverdlovsk Oblast and the factors that determine them. Materials and Methods. The article analyses the data from the survey of residents of the Sverdlovsk Region over the age of 60, the sample is structured by gender, age, and place of residence of the respondents (type of settlement). The authors’ survey method was used to determine the nature and frequency, level and type of social participation of the Urals elderly, to identify factors that contribute to or impede activity in old age. Results. The study showed that socio-consumer participation characterized by activities “for oneself” and collective participation aimed at social integration “together with others” constitute the main content of social participation of the studied cohort. The participation of the elderly in the practices aimed at helping and caring (“for others”) is significantly lower, and a radical decrease in the activity of the elderly Urals residents is revealed when they switch to “civic participation”. It has been proved that the intensity of social participation of silver-age citizens living in cities is higher than in rural areas. The only exception is participation in civic activities. The same influence on the intensity of the different practices of social participation at all levels is exerted by the status of residence (independent or in a residential institution), the presence of close relatives and the frequency of Internet use. Discussion and Conclusion. The identification of the levels and factors of social participation of older citizens creates an evidence base on the processes of active aging in a typical Russian region. The results of the study demonstrate the relevance of focusing regional social policy on aging and the non-profit sector on increasing the social participation of people and groups of the “silver” age. The article may be of interest to regional authorities, social protection and service institutions, the regional non-profit sector, offering tools for the development and implementation of effective social aging policies aimed at implementing resources and supporting the social participation of the older generation.