New Perspective on Active Ageing

Thelma Kay
Active Ageing Conference
July 2019, Jakarta
 Definitions and scope

 Deficit model: Ageing perceived as period of

disengagement, loss and withdrawal of roles and
relationships (Cummings and Henry 1961)
 Challenged by activity theory stressing importance of active
lifestyle . Formed root of
 Successful ageing: active engagement with life but implied
there would be older persons not ageing successfully
(Butler 1974, Rowe and Kahn 1987)
 Productive ageing: continued participation in paid/unpaid
workforce but seen as too narrowly focused on
economic/utilitarian productivistic approach (Caro, Bass
and Chen 1993)
 Definitions and scope
-WHO (2002) WHO Three Pillars of a Policy Framework for
Active Ageing
“Active Ageing is the process of
optimizing opportunities for health,
participation and security in order to
enhance the quality of life as people age”
- Determinants: economic, social, physical
environment, health and social services,
behavioural, personal, gender and culture
(cross cutting)

-ILC (2015) Life long learning as

additional 4th pillar

-WHO (2015) Healthy ageing is “the

process of developing and maintaining the The Determinant of Active Ageing
functional ability that enables well-being
in old age” …. to maximize functional
ability by building and maintaining
intrinsic ability and by enabling functional
capacity

-Sustainable Development Goal 3 (2016)

to ensure healthy lives and promote well
being for all at all ages
 Economic and income security
 Social protection:
Social security scheme – pension reform, social
assistance
 Contributory pension: limited scope, majority of workers in the
region are in the informal sector , pension reform needed
 Non-contributory pension above specified age (social pension) -
Bangladesh, Brunei, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal,
Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vietnam
 Income support schemes based on broad conditions e.g. poverty
but including older persons - China’s Five Guarantees Scheme
and Minimum Living Standard Guarantee System, India’s National
Old Age Scheme of National Social Assistance Programme

Health insurance
 Social health insurance (e.g. Republic of Korea), universal health
coverage (e.g. Thailand) long-term care insurance (e.g.Japan)
Enhancing employability/productivity of
older workers

 Enabling legal/regulatory/institutional framework

 Extend retirement age (Australia, Azerbaijan, India, Japan, Kazakhstan,
Republic of Korea, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, Turkey etc.)
 Re-employment after retirement (India, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand
etc.)
 Institutions/platforms eg Tripartite Alliance for Fair Employment Practice
 Enhancing opportunities
 Technology/innovation in work environment
 Age friendly workplace
 Self employment, entrepreneurship , gig economy
 Employability capacity building (skills upgrading/work
training/retraining)
 e.g. SkillsFuture, Lifelong Learning, Silver Academy
 Health and well-being
 Primary prevention and primary health programme
(prevent disability and downstream ”decay” problems,
preventive long-term care), health promotion
 Integrate health and social care

 Self-care , individual ( exercise, nutrition, combat

isolation)

 Spirituality and religion for health and well being e.g.

Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, India, Pacific

 Long-term care system:

 Ageing in place
 Home-based, community-based, institutional
 Caregiver support, training, migrant domestic and care workers
 Social Policies
 Community-based support
 Community groups and facilities (e.g. OPA, self/mutual help groups etc.)
 Befriending and monitoring network
 Bring care to home (home care providers, home nursing)

 Family friendly policies

 Legislative /regulatory measures e.g. tax relief for parental support,
multigenerational housing, Maintenance of Parent Act, Vulnerable Adults
Act
 Intergenerational interdependence (reciprocity, social exchange, elderly
as shadow demographic dividend)

 Social assistance programmes (trampoline/safety nets)

 Enabling environment

 Legislative and regulatory frameworks

 Older persons as resource/contributor, not burden - mind
set /perception change (Singapore’s Pioneer Generation
Package, Merdeka Generation Package )
 Age-friendly communities/cities
 Technology (AI, digital revolution, Internet of Things )
 Measurement and monitoring e.g. Global Age Watch (HA),
Active Ageing Index
 Regional and Global support and mandates - MIPAA, ILO
Social Protection Floor, Sustainable Development Goals,
G20 Declaration
 Active ageing from contemporary
perspective

 Rights-based : ageism, discrimination, establish entitlements,

combat elder abuse/violence/neglect
 Life-course: health, finance
 Whole of Government : multiple service lines, integrated
support across ministries ; Trampoline, Safety net
 Whole of Society : social compact , interconnected individual
and collective web (individual, community, NGOs, private
sector, government), embrace own culture/traditions
Active ageing concept needs to be holistically broadened beyond
the individual to society but should also not be overdependent on
the government ( i.e. govt plus +)
THANK YOU