The concept of productive ageing

• Main Authors: Dommaraju, Premchand, Wong, Shawn
• Other Authors: C. R. Martin
• Format: Book Chapter
• Language: English
• Published: Academic Press 2021
• Subjects: Social sciences::Sociology; Caregiving; Grandparenting; Healthy Aging
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/151264
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Productive ageing is an umbrella concept covering the different types of activities that people engage in older ages. These include economic activities, formal and non-formal lifelong learning and volunteering, and different types of caregiving. Productive ageing is about ageing well through optimizing opportunities for older people. The concept is useful in promoting and optimizing employment opportunities, encouraging healthy and active life, lowering barriers for community participation and lifelong learning, and supporting caregiving. Engaging in productive activities at older ages is an effective way to slow down the decline in functional capacities as intrinsic abilities decline. The degree to which older persons engage in productive activities varies across countries depending on the nature of activity, prevailing cultural and social norms, welfare systems, structural constraints, and available opportunities. Technology opens up potential new ways of enhancing engagement of older people in productive activities.