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Active Aging and Wellbeing: Advancement of Interdisciplinary Research

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A special issue of Social Sciences (ISSN 2076-0760).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 March 2018) | Viewed by 22875

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Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Lucia Monacis

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Guest Editor

Department of Humanities, University of Foggia, 71100 Foggia, Italy
Interests: assessment; health promotion; mental health and addiction
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Population aging has been associated with the increase in life expectancy thanks to the development of socio-economic progress, lifelong education, and biomedical and psychological advancements. Indeed, the new paradigm of successful aging, or aging well and active aging, has been assumed as a key concept, based on the assumption that aging is a long process determined, not only by genetic factors (age and genes), but also by the interactions between socio-environmental factors and individual and behavioral events. In this direction, active aging has been defined as the process of optimizing opportunities for health, participation and security, in order to enhance quality of life and wellbeing as people age (WHO 2002).

The goal of this Special Issue is to advance the literature on active aging from an interdisciplinary perspective. Therefore, articles can be theoretically or empirically driven, from global to local scales, focusing on factors in each domain of active aging and on the mechanisms linking these domains.

Prof. Lucia Monacis
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Social Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

Active aging
Wellbeing
Protective and risk factors
Interdisciplinary approach

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 371 KiB

Open AccessArticle

From Active Aging to Active Citizenship: The Role of (Age) Friendliness

by Elena Del Barrio, Sara Marsillas, Tine Buffel, An-Sofie Smetcoren and Mayte Sancho

Soc. Sci. 2018, 7(8), 134; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci7080134 - 13 Aug 2018

Cited by 31 | Viewed by 9168

Abstract

The concept of ‘Active Aging’ emerged in the 1990s, reflecting a growing emphasis on the relationships between health, participation, aging, and independence. The concept focuses on encouraging the participation of older adults in society and it recognizes the competence and knowledge that older people possess. The Active Aging discourse developed as a broad political response to demographic aging, one which promotes a cultural shift in what ‘old age’ may mean, by providing older people with new roles. The initiative “Age-Friendly Cities and Communities”, which was launched by the WHO in 2007, was developed with the aim of applying this paradigm into practice at the local level. Its purpose was to promote a movement of citizen participation where older people have a leading role as generators of well-being, and tackling the barriers of Active Aging. This paper provides a theoretical reflection concerning the development of the concept of Active Aging and how this has led to new ways of active citizenship in later life. New generations of older people demand a space where they can develop and contribute to society, regardless of their age. The aging of the population poses challenges and opportunities, which we can and must take advantage of in order to build a better and more egalitarian society, one that recognizes the value of diversity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Active Aging and Wellbeing: Advancement of Interdisciplinary Research)

15 pages, 3679 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Dynamics of Volunteering and Life Satisfaction in Midlife and Old Age: Findings from 12 European Countries

by Thomas Hansen, Marja Aartsen, Britt Slagsvold and Christian Deindl

Soc. Sci. 2018, 7(5), 78; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci7050078 - 04 May 2018

Cited by 45 | Viewed by 9037

Abstract

A growing literature shows that doing voluntary work not only helps the wider community but can also improve one’s own well-being. To date, however, few studies have examined the relationship between volunteering and well-being in non-US and especially in comparative data. We study this relationship using two waves of data of 18,559 individuals aged 50 and above from 12 European countries. We analyze life satisfaction impacts of change and stability in volunteering status and in the intensity (frequency) of volunteering, and explore whether these impacts differ according to life stage (age, employment status) and across countries with different norms and supports for voluntarism. Findings show that net life satisfaction is higher among longer-term, recent, and former volunteers than among stable (long-term) non-volunteers. There are no significant life satisfaction differences between the three groups with volunteer experience. Equally, similar levels of life satisfaction are observed among people who have increased and decreased their frequency of volunteering. It thus seems to be the experience and not the dynamics (i.e., change or persistence) of volunteering that is associated with well-being. Findings further suggest life course variation in the association between volunteering and well-being, as the relationship is stronger for older and long-term non-employed (mostly retired) individuals than for their middle-aged and working counterparts. The relationship is also stronger in countries where volunteering is less common and less institutionally supported. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Active Aging and Wellbeing: Advancement of Interdisciplinary Research)

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18 pages, 262 KiB

Open AccessViewpoint

Leveraging Healthcare Opportunities for Improved Access among Ghanaian Retirees: The Case of Active Aging

by Delali A. Dovie

Soc. Sci. 2018, 7(6), 92; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci7060092 - 05 Jun 2018

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4000

Abstract

This paper is a policy brief with targeted interviews of older adults in urban Ghana with recommendations for future healthcare policy. Using qualitative explorative approach, the scope of the research is to examine opportunities that focus on healthy aging in order to enhance healthcare infrastructure in Ghana in preparation for an increased number of older adults. The paper mainly finds that improved healthcare solicitation and the social world of older adults are intricately linked. The healthcare needs of older adults are met through diverse mechanisms—the Pensioners’ Medical Scheme and ceragim concept. These depict a transformation in healthcare access and delivery with implications for wider healthcare, solidarity and efficiency. Active ageing strategies therefore facilitate the provision of supplementary healthcare access by seeking health solutions independently, including the creation of awareness about the challenges and the concomitant health resource opportunities for older adults. These have the tendency for the development of an acumen for healthcare-related resilience. I argue that health-related challenges depict opportunities for smarter solutions and mutual growth, further showing that aging is gain and a human development issue that fosters the emergence of an integrated healthcare system. Crucially, the paper reveals that health-related challenges are used to leverage entry and participation in the healthcare products’ market and by extension access to quality and holistic healthcare services. This encompasses innovative healthcare infrastructural resources that Ghanaian older adults patronize. These health resources are worth pursuing and may need to be incorporated into the National Policy on Ageing, with envisaged universal coverage in focus. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Active Aging and Wellbeing: Advancement of Interdisciplinary Research)

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