Asghar Zack writes: Advances in health and social welfare in the 20th century ushered in a golden age for humanity. We’re living longer and in better health than ever before. Someone born in London today, for example, could expect to live 30 years longer than a counterpart did in 1900 – and will have access to pensions as well as universal healthcare provisions.
These advances have been a victim of their own success, however, and the downside is that ageing populations mean more pressure on resources, particularly on pensions and healthcare.
Amid all of this, we often overlook the idea that the new generation of older persons are a powerful resource. As a healthier group, they have the potential to contribute to not just their own well-being but also to sustain a greater economic and social prosperity for society as a whole.
Central to this is the idea of active and healthy ageing – the process of opening up opportunities and participation for older people and making quality of life better. As the World Health Organisation says: “Active” refers to continuing participation in social, economic, cultural, spiritual and civic affairs, not just the ability to be physically active or to participate in the labour force. Active Aging
Which countries are doing best? The pro-family culture of Italy promotes care provision for grandchildren, while the Fit2Work initiative in Austria helps to maintain and improve the employability of employees and avoid premature withdrawal from the labour market due to sickness and work-related illness. Zero-hours contracts in the UK have come under criticism, but they have contributed to the kind of labour market flexibility that employers prefer in hiring older workers.
The indicators, including three for financial security. AAI
We can also break down this information separately for men and women to see what progress could be achieved simply by closing gender gaps. And, using the AAI toolkit, we can define the goalposts for countries to aspire for.
The figure below illustrates the position of 28 European Union (EU) Member States using the latest data available (corresponding mainly to 2012).
