The Active Ageing Index: A Tool to Develop the Strategy of Active Ageing in the Basque Country (Spain)

Abstract

The Active Ageing Index (AAI) in the Basque Country (BC) was carried out in 2014 with two goals: to detect those areas in which it was necessary to influence public policies and to compare the situation of the BC with Europe and Spain. The score (36.6) was greater than the average score in the EU-28 (34.05) and Spain (32.8). In relation to the scores in the fourth domain, it should be noted that the BC was emerging as one of the best Spanish territories for active and healthy ageing. Based on this information and a series of interviews with key informants, the ‘Strategy of Active Ageing of the BC 2015–2020’ was designed. This chapter shows that the AAI proved to be a very useful tool for policymaking.

Scores of the Active Ageing Index (AAI) and its domains in the Basque Country, Spain, and the 28 countries of the European Union (EU-28)

	Basque Country	Spain	EU-28
Overall index
Employment	25.38	23.33	27.9
Participation in society	21.03	18.26	18.1
Independent living	72.3	69.8	70.6
Capacity for active ageing	65.7	56.28	54.5
AAI total score	36.3	32.8	34.1
Rank	7	18
Domain 1: Employment
Employment rate 55–59	62.1	54.8	62.2
Employment rate 60–64	35.1	31.8	31.6
Employment rate 65–69	3	5.2	11.6
Employment rate 70–74	1.3	1.5	6.1
Value	25.4	23.3	27.9
Rank	15	19
Domain 2: Participation in society
Voluntary activities	19	9.6	14.7
Care to children, grandchildren	44	36.1	32.5
Care to older adults	9.4	15.7	12.9
Political participation	12.3	10.6	12
Value	21	18.3	18.1
Rank	9	15
Domain 3: Independent, healthy, and secure living
Physical exercise	60.9	15.8	15.6
Access to health and dental care	81.5	89.6	88.2
Independent living	61	73.4	84.2
Relative median income	91.3	93.1	86.3
No poverty risk	94.8	93.8	93
No material deprivation	97	97.1	90
Physical safety	89.1	67.4	69.3
Lifelong Learning	5.3	4.8	4.5
Value	72.3	69.8	70.6
Rank	13	16
Domain 4: Capacity and enabling environment for active ageing
Remaining life expectancy 50–55	60.5	59.1	53.8
Share of healthy life expectancy at 55	62.5	52.9	53.2
Mental well-being	76.6	68.2	64.6
Use of ICT	38.8	29	40.8
Social connectedness	95.8	67.5	49.0
Educational attainment	42.5	28.9	59.7
Value	65.7	56.3	54.4
Rank	2	13