From ‘active’ to ‘capable’: a capability framework for policy and practice on ageing and later life

2019 ◽  
pp. 41-60
Author(s):  
José de São José ◽  
Virpi Timonen ◽  
Carla Amado ◽  
Sérgio Santos
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Social Activity ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Population Ageing ◽  
Individual Responsibility ◽  
Policy Framework ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Strong Focus ◽  
And Shifts

The main European policy framework to address the challenges of population ageing is called 'active ageing', and it seeks to promote older people's engagement in economic and social activities and their independence and autonomy. This chapter proposes the adoption of an alternative-a capability framework-to deal with the challenges of population ageing, which is based on the capability approach (CA) and shifts the focus from activity (mainly economic and social activity) to the real opportunities older people have (their capabilities) to do what they value and to be the persons they want to be. This calls for comprehensive efforts to map out older adults' preferences and needs, and a more flexible, multidimensional and supportive approach to old-age policy, without imposing a priori importance on certain policy domains and without a strong focus on individual responsibility. The capability framework can open the door to policy alternatives that are more focused on older adults' opportunities and preferences.

scholarly journals Configuring the Older Non-User: Between Research, Policy and Practice of Digital Exclusion

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 233-243 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vera Gallistl ◽  
Rebekka Rohner ◽  
Alexander Seifert ◽  
Anna Wanka
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Digital Divide ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
Research Policy ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Individual Responsibility ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Starting Point

Older adults face significant barriers when accessing the Internet. What can be done to address these barriers? This article analyses existing strategies to tackle the age-related digital divide on three different levels: research, policy and practice. It analyses (1) scientific conceptualisations that are used when studying Internet use and non-use in later life, (2) policies that address older adults’ Internet (non-)use in Austria and (3) characteristics of older Austrian non-users of the Internet based on the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE, wave 6). Analysis shows that Austrian policy tends to emphasise the individual responsibility to learn digital technologies, while placing a lower priority on structural issues, such as investments in infrastructure. However, SHARE data shows that only a small percentage of older non-users of the Internet is in fact reached with such interventions. Thus, this article suggests that policy needs to base its strategies on more refined understandings of Internet use and non-use in later life as well as a more nuanced image of the older non-user. A perspective of critical-cultural gerontology, as laid out in this article, highlights that technology adoption is a domestication process that takes place in the everyday lives of older adults, and it is these processes that interventions that tackle the age-related digital divide should take as a starting point.

Gerontoludic Design

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bob De Schutter
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Game Design ◽  
Intrinsic Value ◽  
Digital Games ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Population Ageing ◽  
Design Approach ◽  
Design Framework ◽  
Physical Decline

Considering the popularity of digital games among older adults and the challenge of population ageing, this article identified a need for an integrated game design framework aimed at older audiences. An analysis of the literature on play in later life demonstrated how the literature is dominated by two themes, i.e., the benefits of playing digital games and the issue of accessibility. While this underlying model has been demonstrated to contribute to successful designs, it also risks reducing games to its motivational characteristics and ageing to cognitive and physical decline. The author therefore reviewed the literature on game design and later life to develop a design approach that considers the multi-faceted nature of ageing as well as the intrinsic value of digital games. The resulting “Gerontoludic Design Framework” sets meaningful play as the intended outcome of game design for older adults, identifies iterative player-centered design as its preferred design approach, and extends the MDA framework by suggesting age-specific aesthetics and mechanics.

scholarly journals Effects of Participation in Social Activities on Cognitive Function Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults in Korea

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (10) ◽  
pp. 2315 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jongnam Hwang ◽  
Sangmin Park ◽  
Sujin Kim
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
Social Activity ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Activities ◽  
The Social ◽  
Gender Groups

Cognitive function is a critical health issue in later life, the decline of which disrupts well-being and daily life function. Cognitive decline in older ages can also be understood in the context of the social environment such as social connectedness and engagement in personal life. This study aimed to examine: (1) whether participation in social activities contributes to preventing cognitive decline, and (2) what type of social activities are beneficial to maintaining cognitive function. Data from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (KLOSA) 2006–2014, a longitudinal survey of the household-dwelling population aged 45 and older in Korea were used. The results revealed that Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores decreased with increasing age, at a rate of approximately 0.18 units across all age-gender groups, and the decrease was steeper for adults aged 65 and over. Participation in social gatherings was likely to delay the decline in cognitive function after the age of 65. In a gender-stratified model, social activity may not have an impact on the decline of cognitive function for men, whereas participation in social gatherings was negatively related to the decline of MMSE scores in women. This study suggests the need for a gender-stratified policy for preventing the decline of cognitive function while promoting engagement in social activities in Korean older adults.

scholarly journals What's it worth? Value and valuation of late-life creativity

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Vera Gallistl
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
Late Life ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
The Arts ◽  
Narrow View ◽  
Long Time ◽  
Sociology Of Valuation

Abstract New interest in late-life creativity has arisen in gerontology. To date, such research has mainly focused on the positive impact creativity has on older adults, but has scarcely contextualised older adults’ creative engagement. Drawing on the sociology of valuation, this article aims to contextualise late-life creativity by critically exploring how creativity gains, stabilises and loses its value and how these processes are related to perceptions, images and discourses addressing old age. Data from 13 interviews with older (60+) adults involved in creative practices in Austria are used to explore these topics. Interviews examined perceptions of creative production, everyday routines and personal attitudes towards ageing. Interviews transcripts were analysed using the documentary method. The analysis revealed three registers of valuation in late-life creativity: economic value, in which valuable creativity was given away at a high revenue; field value, where valuable creativity was appreciated by institutions or other artists in the field; and lifecourse value, in which doing a creative activity for a long time meant being able to produce a creative product that was high in value. This article emphasises late-life creativity as a process of value production that is structured by the making and evaluating of creative products and adds to the current critique that the narrow view of late-life creativity in its associations with wellbeing present a reductionist picture of the capacities that the arts and creativity have for older adults. The results demonstrate the potential for valuation studies in gerontology as they highlight the circumstances and practices by which the activities of older adults are (de)valued. For policy and practice, this article suggests imagining arts-based interventions for older adults beyond the realm of health and wellbeing, and encourages thinking about how valuable artistic experiences can be supported in later life.

scholarly journals Individual Characteristics and Physical Activity in Older Adults: A Systematic Review

Gerontology ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 63 (5) ◽  
pp. 443-459 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nanna Notthoff ◽  
Peter Reisch ◽  
Denis Gerstorf
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Psychological Factors ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Subjective Health ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Screening Process

Background: People aged 50 years and older are regularly identified as the most sedentary group in the population. However, even within this group, there are considerable interindividual variations in physical activity (PA) levels. They have been the subject of many studies. Based on single studies, no clear picture as to which characteristics are important has emerged. Objective: The goal of our contribution was to identify which individual characteristics are consistently linked to high PA levels in older adults. Methods: We conducted a systematic review of the literature considering demographic characteristics (gender, education, marital status, employment), health (subjective, health problems), and psychological factors (motivation, self-efficacy, locus of control). A systematic search of abstracts in the database Web of Science and a thorough screening process according to a priori specified criteria yielded 63 studies for inclusion in this review. Results: Two psychological factors - motivation and self-efficacy - and the perception of one's health seem to be consistently linked to higher PA levels in older adults. Selected demographic variables - gender and education - may be important for some types of PA. Conclusion: Our review suggests that differentiation of PA by domains is important for identifying and understanding which individual characteristics are associated with PA levels and how. Pinpointing what reliably distinguishes older adults who are active from those who are not is essential for designing effective interventions to promote PA in later life.

scholarly journals A critical review of the literature on social and leisure activity and wellbeing in later life

2010 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 683-712 ◽  
Author(s):  
KATHRYN BETTS ADAMS ◽  
SYLVIA LEIBBRANDT ◽  
HEEHYUL MOON
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Activity Theory ◽  
Leisure Activities ◽  
Social Activity ◽  
Leisure Activity ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Original Activity ◽  
Psychological Constructs ◽  
Social Leisure ◽  
High Participation

ABSTRACTAn engaged lifestyle is seen as an important component of successful ageing. Many older adults with high participation in social and leisure activities report positive wellbeing, a fact that fuelled the original activity theory and that continues to influence researchers, theorists and practitioners. This study's purpose is to review the conceptualisation and measurement of activity among older adults and the associations reported in the gerontological literature between specific dimensions of activity and wellbeing. We searched published studies that focused on social and leisure activity and wellbeing, and found 42 studies in 44 articles published between 1995 and 2009. They reported from one to 13 activity domains, the majority reporting two or three, such as informal, formal and solitary, or productive versus leisure. Domains associated with subjective wellbeing, health or survival included social, leisure, productive, physical, intellectual, service and solitary activities. Informal social activity has accumulated the most evidence of an influence on wellbeing. Individual descriptors such as gender or physical functioning sometimes moderate these associations, while contextual variables such as choice, meaning or perceived quality play intervening roles. Differences in definitions and measurement make it difficult to draw inferences about this body of evidence on the associations between activity and wellbeing. Activity theory serves as shorthand for these associations, but gerontology must better integrate developmental and psychological constructs into a refined, comprehensive activity theory.

scholarly journals ESPO and Social Research, Policy, and Practice Section Symposium: It’s a Practice, Not an End State: Centering Equity in Gerontological Research and Policy

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 318-318
Author(s):  
Sarah Dys ◽  
Claire Pendergrast
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Life Course ◽  
Research Policy ◽  
Social Research ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Grant Writing ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Research Activities ◽  
Services And Supports ◽  
The Life Course

Abstract Social, economic, and health inequities shape the experience of aging, reflecting a landscape of unequal resources, opportunities, and stressors that accumulate over the life-course. These inequities are not accidental, but rather reflect systems of power that act through institutions, policies, and people to simultaneously privilege some groups and disadvantage others based on socially constructed categories. These systems include, but are not limited to, racism, ageism, and capitalism. The unequal and unjust distribution of resources and opportunities over the lifespan results in health, social, and economic disparities in older adulthood. For example, Black older adults are at higher risk of experiencing chronic disease burden and shorter life expectancy than white older adults due to greater economic disinvestment, interpersonal and systemic racial discrimination, and lower health services access over the life course. This symposium features three leading scholars whose work centers racial and health equity in later life. The symposium will engage with issues related to long-term services and supports infrastructure, community-engaged and culturally relevant programs and education, and research activities (e.g., recruitment, study design, grant writing, dissemination). Panelists will also discuss their research agendas and recent scholarship, career trajectories, insights, and practices. We hope symposium attendees will identify opportunities and strategies for focusing on elimination of health disparities across the life-course in their own work. We believe this symposium can serve as an opportunity for SRPP members and emerging scholars and practitioners to center equity, highlight intersectionality, and amplify our colleagues at the forefront of addressing inequity through their work.

scholarly journals Why physical activity matters for older adults in a time of pandemic

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Conor Cunningham ◽  
Roger O’ Sullivan
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Careful Consideration ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Physically Active ◽  
World Government ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted communities across the world. Government responses, of promoting ‘social distancing’ at a population level, and ‘self-isolation’ of older adults to mitigate its spread have been unprecedented. Despite the importance of these Public Health and Social Measures (PHSM), they present challenges to maintaining a physically active lifestyle, particularly for older adults. Context The importance of physical activity (PA) for health is well documented. There is strong evidence that PA in later life reduces the risk of disease, helps to manage existing conditions, and develops and maintains physical and mental function. Staying physically active is particularly important for older adults currently. Implications and recommendations Research suggests that PHSM have already reduced levels of PA for older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to COVID-19 many older adults were not engaging in enough PA to attain health benefits. Evidence indicates that there will be an increase in the number of older adults not meeting guidelines for PA due to the impacts of COVID-19. This has implications for population health and public health policy. How to support older adults to remain physically active during and after the COVID-19 crisis will require careful consideration. Going forward it is imperative that policy and practice support all older adults to achieve the recommended levels of PA to ensure that they are not disadvantaged in the short- but also in the longer term by the impact of COVID-19.

scholarly journals Social Activities and Health-Related Quality of Life in Rural Older Adults in South Korea: A 4-Year Longitudinal Analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (15) ◽  
pp. 5553 ◽  
Author(s):  
JiYeon Choi ◽  
Kyeongra Yang ◽  
Sang Hui Chu ◽  
Yoosik Youm ◽  
Hyeon Chang Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Activity ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Social Activities ◽  
Health Related Quality ◽  
Related Quality ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Rural Older Adults

During later life, inadequate social interactions may be associated with worse quality of life in older adults. Rural older adults are prone to developing unhealthy lifestyles related to social activities, which can lead to a poorer quality of life than that enjoyed by older adults living in urban areas. This study aimed to describe longitudinal changes in social activity participation and health-related quality of life among rural older adults, exploring potential associations with changes to in-person social activity over four years. We used prospective community-based cohort data from the Korean Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (KSHAP) collected between December 2011 and January 2016. The sample included 525 older adults who completed the measure of health-related quality of life. Our results showed a significant change in health-related quality of life according to changes in participation in meeting with friends. Even though an individual’s participation in other social activities did not show significant differences in health-related quality of life, our findings imply that in-person social activities may be an important resource to encourage participation in physical activities and to develop other positive outcomes, such as a sense of belonging or satisfaction with later life, among rural older adults.

Canadian policy perspectives on promoting physical activity across age-friendly communities: lessons for advocacy and action

2017 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 307-339 ◽  
Author(s):  
CANDACE I. J. NYKIFORUK ◽  
DEBORAH RAWSON ◽  
JENNIFER ANN MCGETRICK ◽  
ANA PAULA BELON
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Population Ageing ◽  
World Health ◽  
Policy Framework ◽  
Built Environments ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Early Implementation ◽  
Health Organization

ABSTRACTPopulation ageing combined with physical inactivity has critical implications for the public health of communities in the twenty-first century. In the last decade, the World Health Organization launched the age-friendly cities agenda, aiming to address population ageing through whole-systems, rights-based, health equity-focused approaches. An important intervention for age-friendly communities is modifying built environments to support population-level physical activity. Physical activity can help mitigate impacts of chronic diseases and social isolation on older adults. Need for advocacy and action in this area raises questions of how to develop supportive environments for physical activity across age-friendly community types. In Canada, a substantial proportion of older adults live outside large urban municipalities, for which scant research exists on fostering age-friendly built environments. To this end, we conducted qualitative research involving semi-structured interviews with 21 municipal policy influencers in Alberta, Canada to gather perspectives on development and early implementation of an age-friendly policy framework in the small urban and rural context. Our findings are organised by three main themes providing key lessons for advocacy and action, namelypursuing comprehensive planning,promoting public engagementandprioritising the needs of older adults. This research informs advocacy and action priorities in promoting built environment modification for routine physical activity as part of an age-friendliness agenda for small urban and rural regions of Canada and other countries.

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