Active Ageing Policies Research Articles

Study on the Impact of Children's Economic Support on Social Participation of Urban and Rural Elderly People

With the acceleration of China's aging population and the significant problem of fewer children, this study aims to explore the phenomenon of neglecting the social participation status of the elderly. To this end, the 2018 China Health and Elderly Care Tracking Survey was adopted. Using CHARLS data and STATA data analysis method to study the impact of children's economic support on the social participation of elderly people. The research results indicate that children's economic support has a significant positive impact on the social participation of the elderly, and this result is tested for endogeneity and robustness. The heterogeneity test between urban and rural areas shows that the positive impact of children's economic support on social participation of rural elderly is higher than that of urban elderly; Gender heterogeneity test shows that children's economic support has a positive impact on female social participation. Research has found that female participation has a higher positive impact than male participation. In addition, for elderly people who do not take care of their grandchildren, the economic support of their children has a significant negative impact on their social participation, while the positive impact on elderly people who take care of their grandchildren is not significant. The research in this article helps to clarify the actual impact of children's economic support on the social participation of the elderly, and improve the implementation effect of active aging policies.

Does aging affect renewable energy? The role of extreme events and economic development

The world population structure and the global energy system are undergoing profound changes. Research on the relationships between population structure and energy changes is necessary for global sustainable development. This research mainly investigates the impact of aging on renewable energy development by using the data of 212 countries from 2000 to 2021 and further discusses the demand and supply mechanism between aging and renewable energy development. Then the heterogeneity analysis is introduced to seek the role of extreme events within the influence of aging on renewable energy development. The panel results support the positive impact of aging on renewable energy development. Moreover, the mechanism of industrial structure upgrading and consumer demand have been proved. Finally, the impact of aging on renewable energy development is different in the heterogeneity analysis of extreme events. In particular, the extreme events of earthquake and flood weaken the positive impact of aging on renewable energy development. This research shows that aging and coping with climate change are not antithetical, aging can contribute to the development of renewable energy development by inducing demand and changing industrial structure upgrading. The key is an active aging policy.

A systematic review of older adults’ travel behaviour and mobility during COVID-19 pandemic: lessons learned for sustainable transport provision and healthy aging

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant disruptions to the travel and mobility of various population groups worldwide. These impacts were more pronounced for older adults, who, in various countries around the world, were instructed to quarantine for prolonged periods and avoid contact with others. The impact of these disruptions has been differently experienced between countries and geographical regions with levels of economic development and transport infrastructures playing a role. The aim of this article is firstly, to critically synthesise scientific literature about changes in travel behaviour and transport choices of older adults caused by the responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in various countries, secondly, highlight the main gaps in the literature and finally, provide avenues for future research and transport policies. Findings indicate inequalities in access to transport explained by built environment design and policies adopted by governments to control the pandemic, as well as socio-economic and developmental factors. The implications of these findings for transport provision and increased mobility for older adults in the post-pandemic world are outlined. Finally, we discuss the importance of active aging policies, which could create more transportation options to support older adults’ mobility needs and access in the post-COVID-19 era in both high- and low-income countries.

Identifying Active Ageing Policy Needs at the Meso-Level

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.

Active aging and urban policies: the space as an instrument for an inclusive and sustainable city.

Aging is one of the most important challenges of our times. As stated by United Nations' report on 1983, "Policies to meet the challenge of a growing, healthier and more active seniors population -based on the view of the ageing of society as an opportunity to be utilized -automatically benefit the individual ageing person, materially and otherwise. Similarly, any effort to ameliorate the quality of life for the seniors, and to meet their diverse social and cultural needs, enhances their capacity to continue interacting with society". Aging society provides not only a new context, but a new opportunity to rethink our traditional views of age. The growing number of seniors people will soon make the majority of overall population. As noticed by reports of international organizations, cities will play a more important role in dealing with these quantitative and cultural changes, mostly because it is expected that a quarter of the population over 60 will be concentrating in the central areas of compact cities. In brief, cities are at once growing and aging at an incredible speed. Although aging process represents a fundamental and structural phenomenon with very deep consequences at economic, social and political level, and with an impact on the individual one as on the society as whole, our cities should deal with this process and respond, in terms of public health and social care, to needs of older people, also those that will experience a loss of autonomy. It is important to note that there are a greater heterogeneity within older population in terms of conditions and demands, which depend on their specific personal, social and familial context. Urban space - in its complex differentiation between public space, third space, and private space - represents both a tool and a strategic factor in pursuing the objective of ensuring high levels of widespread well-being and, from a political perspective, fully shaping the right to the city for seniors individuals.

P34: How does active ageing policies and practice reconfigure cognitive impairment? Findings from an ethnographic study.

Objective:Active ageing is the maintenance of positive subjective well-being, good physical, social and mental health in later life. It aligns with the ‘successful ageing’ narrative where obligation to undertake activities is deemed beneficial to health status (Swallow 2019). How this narrative plays out for people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) which is not dementia has not been considered.My PhD investigated experiences of people over 60 with MCI who engaged within an active ageing intervention. The APPLE-tree (AT) programme stands for Active Prevention in People at risk of dementia through Lifestyle, Behaviour change and Technology to build Resilience (Cooper et al 2019). It aims to facilitate active ageing in people who are limited by cognitive impairment. I explored how older people with memory impairments situate themselves within this active ageing health intervention and how policies and practices reconfigure MCI.Methods:I adopted an ethnographic approach, undertaking participant observations and semi structured interviews with participants. I followed two 20 week programs, undertaking 65 field notes and conducting 16 interviews with participants. I used reflexive thematic analysis to analyse the results through Nvivo.Results:Four themes with sub-themes were identified. Arrival into the intervention – learning, listening, knowing, and doing active aging. Participants navigated fears and uncertainties of MCI with their expectations of active ageing.Being an individual in a group experience – retaining a sense of self whilst embracing the collective unknown. Participants reconfigured their MCI through a tension between individual responsibility and a collective group experience.Managing uncertainly and attempting to create certainty through navigating knowledge. Active ageing changed how participants viewed and dealt with MCI with attempts to clarify knowledge of dementia risk.Being an active ager; actively able to be active and participate in active ageing. Individuals demonstrated engagement through sharing achievements, ability and inabilities.Conclusion:Active ageing is a collective habitus, with absence of clear knowledge and direction creating a mismatch between rhetoric and lived experiences of people with MCI. Ultimately results inform the development of concepts in social gerontological theory and active ageing

Digital Dependency as a Burden: Impact of Active Aging for Tech Adoption in Brazil and Chile

Successful aging and active aging policies frame independence in old age as an expectation and a virtue in opposition to the once desired reciprocity between generations. Due to digitalization trends worldwide, mastering digital skills becomes another responsibility for older adults to remain independent. However, this process can create new forms of dependency as support from skilled users – usually the younger generation – is crucial for technology adoption among older adults. This study addresses how older adults may experience digital dependency as a personal failure and a burden upon younger generations. We conducted long-term ethnography among older adults adopting new technology in Brazil and Chile, countries with rapidly aging populations that have implemented aggressive digitalization strategies. The fast digitalization of public services may increase the risks of social exclusion for older adults as the less connected and less skilled age group in Latin America. Contrary to expectations suggested by the research literature, participants preferred to enroll in smartphone workshops instead of relying on their children. We volunteered in smartphone workshops for older adults and mapped the difficulties they face when adopting new technologies and the strategies they develop afterward to use technology while avoiding dependency. Participants may restrict their use of smartphones due to their limited digital skills or claim a lack of interest in technology as a self-defense strategy against appearing ignorant or incompetent. We found that participants preferred relying on friends for support instead, perceiving their help as a form of peer collaboration.

How environments can promote active aging: results from a case study of two municipalities in Quebec, Canada.

To address global aging, a paradigm shift is needed from disease prevention and treatment towards active aging, i.e., optimizing opportunities for health, participation, and security as people age. Little is known about how age-friendly environments promote active aging. This study thus aimed to explore how (through which mechanisms and in what contexts) environments can promote active aging and, specifically, positive health, social participation, and health equity. Using a realist approach and semi-structured focus groups, a case study was used in two Quebec municipalities known for best fostering active aging. Data also included participants' logbooks, sociodemographic questionnaires, municipalities' sociodemographic profiles, and policy documents. A conceptual framework and thematic content analysis were carried out. A total of 24 participants (9 older adults, 4 health professionals, 3 community-based actors, 5 municipal employees, and 3 elected officials) took part in 5 focus groups. Regarding contexts, both cases were midsize municipalities having an income and education level higher to Quebec's averages with supportive active aging policies. Two main themes explained how the environments promoted active aging: (1) by ensuring proximity through built (urban planning), social (network structures), services (variety and availability of local and outreach resources), and organizational (active listening to older adults' needs for active aging) environments; and (2) by fostering transversality through built (universal accessibility, intergenerational spaces), social (intergenerational opportunities for social participation), and political/organizational (unified and complementary policies) environments. To better promote active aging through age-friendly environments, practices should focus on fostering proximity and transversality, and act simultaneously on multiple environments.

Quality of Life of South Asian Older Adults in Hong Kong: Policy Implications for a Multicultural Active Aging Framework.

In Hong Kong, the number of South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, and Nepalese) older adults is projected to increase. However, academic and policy research in Hong Kong exploring the aging experience among ethnic minority older adults remains scarce. Drawing on in-depth interviews with South Asian older adults in Hong Kong, this paper examines the challenges they face in the economic, health, and social domains to maintain their quality of life in old age. Our analysis illustrates the significant cultural values, family obligations, and ethnic networks that shape the quality of life of South Asians in Hong Kong. These findings can help advance active aging policy in Hong Kong as they examine how to enhance the quality of life and facilitate social integration among ethnic minority older adults in this multicultural society.

Effect and mechanism of reading habits on physical and mental health among the elderly: Evidence from China.

Responding to an aging society worldwide and ensuring the physical and mental health of the elderly are important problems that need to be addressed. Thus, this study aimed to improve the quality of providing the spiritual and cultural needs of the elderly and study the internal transmission of reading habits and its effect on the physical and mental health of the elderly. Using the data from China's comprehensive social survey in 2018, this study applied the Probit model and ordinary least squares method to comprehensively estimate the influence of reading habits of the elderly on their physical and mental health. Stepwise regression and bootstrap method were combined to explore the influencing mechanism, and an instrumental variable method was used to solve endogeneity problems. Results indicate that the reading habits of the elderly have a significantly positive effect on their own physical and mental health. Social activity is the positive conduction path, whereas social justice perception and learning willingness are the negative conduction path. Among low-income families, agricultural workers, and the elderly whose household registration is in rural areas, the benefits of reading to the body and mind are more significant. After dealing with endogeneity problems and a series of robustness tests, the conclusion of this paper still holds. Finally, reference policy suggestions are proposed for the follow-up active aging policy, such as promoting reading for all, organizing various social activities, formulating active pension policies for the elderly, and allocating more public resources for vulnerable elderly groups.

Are grandchildren good for you? Well-being and health effects of becoming a grandparent

Older individuals commonly go through a few major life transitions which can impact their health and well-being. While transitions like that into retirement have been extensively investigated, little research focused on the transition into grandparenthood. Understanding effects of this highly common event is not only important from a descriptive viewpoint, but is also informative for the active aging policies that are increasingly pursued to deal with aging populations. Using data from ten Western European countries, we show that grandparenthood on average leads to a reduction in well-being while hardly impacting physical, cognitive and mental health. The effect is heterogeneous by family closeness, though. Grandparenthood reduces well-being for those having relatively little family contact and not providing child care. But it leaves well-being unaffected while improving health along some dimensions among those with the opposite profile. The only exception to the latter are grandmothers providing daily child care, for whom grandparenthood appears to be burdensome. This pattern of results suggests that involving grandparents non-intensively in child care may lead to beneficial side-effects. Becoming a grandparent induces people to retire, but retirement seems no relevant channel for well-being and health effects.

Can leisure and entertainment lifestyle promote health among older people living alone in China?-A simultaneous equation approach.

ObjectivesWith the surging number of older people living alone, their lifestyles and health status have aroused increasing concern. This study aims to investigate whether a leisure and entertainment lifestyle (LEL) can improve the multidimensional health among older people living alone and try to identify the latent mechanisms among them.MethodFor this purpose, we extracted data from the Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS) and established a simultaneous equations model, comprising ordinary least square regression (OLS), two-stage least squares (2SLS), and the mediating effect model.ResultsOlder people living alone in China reported relatively better mental health status (3.64 ± 1.07), followed by physical health (3.41 ± 1.26) and social health (2.75 ± 1.18). In the OLS model, LEL significantly improved the social health of older people living alone (β = 0.054, P < 0.01), followed by physical health (β = 0.042, P < 0.01) and mental health (β = 0.027, P < 0.01). After endogenous tests from 2SLS model and robustness tests, we found that more active LEL was associated with higher levels of physical health and mental health. However, LEL had no significant effect on the improvement of the social health of the older people living alone. Using the mediation analysis, exercise efficacy partially mediated the relationship of LEL with physical health and mental health, and the ratios were 19.75 and 24.85%, respectively. Similarly, positive life attitudes partially mediated the relationship between LEL and physical health, and LEL and mental health, with ratios of 10.65 and 26.83%, respectively.ConclusionOur findings suggested that LEL is significantly associated with better physical and mental health for older people living alone in China, and the association is mediated by exercise efficacy and positive attitudes toward life. Promoting more leisure and recreational activities, upgrading exercise efficacy, and encouraging positive life attitudes are necessary health promotion measures in active aging policies for the wellbeing of older people living alone.

Active Ageing and Social Services: The Paradox of Empowerment in Russia

The essay describes the adoption of an active ageing policy framework in Russia. Based on semi-structured interviews with elderly Russians, the essay provides evidence of confusion and uncertainty on how to perceive one's own ageing. Research participants understood that the ‘paternalistic’ view of old age as a time of troubles was now largely viewed as obsolete, yet the new ‘optimistic’ view of old age as a time of freedom and opportunities often did not reflect their experiences. This mismatch in discourses and practices reflects how participatory empowerment rhetoric, which promotes active ageing, is becoming a justification for more modest state social service provision.

Active aging: reception and appropriation by older people and professionals. A qualitative case study in Spain

ABSTRACT This article examines the concept of active aging (AA) empirically, focusing on the viewpoint of older people and of professionals involved in the implementation of AA programs. A qualitative study based on interviews performed in a local community in Spain found that both convergence and divergence patterns are shown by older people and professionals in their reception and appropriation of the AA concept. The authors also discuss concordance and discordance between the institutional and individual narratives concerning AA. The institutional discourse on AA has reached the local level and shapes some of the narratives and practices of older people and professionals, but these agents display heterogeneous and even opposing patterns in their reception and appropriation of that discourse. The presence of such a wide range of AA narratives at the local level deserves closer attention by policymakers in their efforts to promote AA. The following four main lessons may be withdrawn from this research: local AA story lines deserve closer attention by policymakers; local reception and appropriation of AA is still in an early stage; greater awareness of undesirable impacts from AA policies is needed; top-down active AA are not likely to be fully effective.

Prototype of a system based on voice assistants for cognitive stimulation of the elderly.

The population of Europe is getting older and factors such as labor mobility and the low birth rate have increased single-person households. In addition, many older people want to stay at home. For this to be possible, it is necessary to promote active aging policies that slow cognitive decline and help maintain good mental health. In this article we describe a system based on voice assistants (VAs) to improve the physical and mental health of the elderly. The solution proposes different activities to the user and gathers information about the status of the user. Voice assistants are an ideal tool to promote the autonomy of the elderly thanks to their low cost, the multiple possibilities they offer to interact with the user and their ease of use. A preliminary study of the system has been conducted with six users aged between 60 and 93 years. The results show a good predisposition to integrate the solution into their daylife. It has also been verified that regardless of age, all the participants were able to interact with the system and complete the proposed activities.

Inheritances and work for pay - will the expected wave of bequests undermine active ageing policies?

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10433-022-00706-1.

Active Aging Policies of Local Governments

The aim of this research is; The aim of this study is to examine the studies carried out by local governments throughout our country to be physically active during the transition to the aging process, which is a part of life, and to present their recommendations for active aging. Aging is defined as a period in which various functions and abilities, including social, cognitive and psychological, gradually decline. Active aging is a process in which a person continues to use and develops by focusing on his strengths rather than losses. It is known that with aging, problems such as not feeling well in the areas of attention, memory, visual and auditory perception, managerial skills and language occur in individuals. With the active aging process, it is aimed to keep these cognitive losses to a minimum and to experience the old age with the highest possible quality. In this study, the literature on the policies followed by local governments in the name of active aging was examined, the situation was stated and suggestions were made on active aging policies.

A review of the long-term care policies under COVID-19 in Thailand’s aging society: implications for ASEAN countries

PurposeThis paper aims to explore the aging society situation, long-term care (LTC) policy preparation, COVID-19’s impact on older people, and post-pandemic preparations in Thailand and the implications for The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries.Design/methodology/approachOnline databases from international, national, academic agencies and SCOPUS database from January 2019 to July 2021 were utilized for analysis. Relevant literature and data were selected for review.FindingsThe evidence suggests that the proportion of the aging population is increasing due to declined fertility and rising life expectancy. Current and future demand for effective healthcare in ASEAN will be better achieved with policies like the Universal Health Coverage and Primary Health Care system. While some countries, specifically Thailand, are developing and expanding their LTC policies, some concerns regarding the active aging policy remain. Most ASEAN countries are using public domain for LTC policies. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has posed a major challenge in implementing LTC and affected the vulnerable aging population in many aspects, including social protection issues in Thailand.Originality/valueWith the support from international organizations, ASEAN countries have framed several policy strategies in response to the increasing aging population, such as providing more LTC in the community. The unexpected challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic compel policymakers to consider resource allocations and community-based services. On the positive side, as the pandemic has made the vulnerable group exposed, social protection issues have been brought to the forefront of the political debate and called for an appropriate policy response.

Comparison of Asian Countries and Age Groups in the Attitudes Toward Active Aging and Impression of Older Adults

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to explore the attitudes toward the components of active aging and to examine the relationship of attitudes toward active aging with the impressions of older adults across different age groups and across Taiwan, South Korea and Japan. The sample was a total 1,619 individuals comprising of 615 Taiwanese people, 495 Koreans, and 509 Japanese people. Five factors of attitudes toward active aging were extracted by factor analysis: Health, Participation, Connectedness, Work, and Security. Taiwanese people emphasized more importance on health, social participation, and security; while Koreans and Japanese people emphasized more on social connectedness and work. The age group differences were not significant in the attitudes to active aging. Japanese reported more negative impressions to older adults than Taiwanese people, and Koreans were less willing to live with older adults than Taiwanese people. The older group also reported more positive impressions to older adults. Public stigma of aging may exist, implying that intergenerational mutual understanding would reduce ageism or age discrimination. An active aging policy may reduce the public stigma toward older adults and may reduce the burden of intergenerational redistribution.

Policy Concepts and Their Shadows

In this article, we explore the form of care known as ‘active ageing’ by attending to its expression in care policies and within a Danish care home. We argue that active ageing policies gain their efficacy through reference to ‘the good life’, which is something the policies frame as ensuing if the elderly take on an active lifestyle. In the care home, the concept of active ageing gains its efficacy through its relation to other concepts of care, such as ‘lazy care’. The importance of the article lies in its demonstrating the dependence of policy concepts on other concepts (established or emerging), which lie in its shadow yet do important political work. Attending to shadow concepts is useful if trying to understand the inner mechanics of popular concepts in care policy, as well as the norms and resistance to which they give rise.