Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Gender and active ageing in Europe

  • Critical Positions in Ageing Research
  • Published:
European Journal of Ageing Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Increasing longevity in Europe should be a cause for celebration. However, demographic ageing creates challenges. Over the last 10 years the leading policy response to these challenges has been “active ageing”. Despite much positive political rhetoric, it is evident that there is considerable uncertainty about what this means in practice. Also it often serves as a convenient term for a range of policies which affect men and women differently. This article argues that an active ageing strategy can provide a basis for countries to respond to the challenges presented by an ageing population. However, this strategy must reflect the need for a partnership between citizens and society and be comprehensive, noncoercive, and inclusive in its approach. In particular, it needs to acknowledge the gendered nature of ageing and previous life course events and emphasise well-being rather than just the production of resources and services. Finally, it contends that the designation of 2012 as the European year of active ageing provided the context for a renewed focus on active ageing policy in the European Union, an opportunity which should be embraced urgently.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • ActivAge (2005) Final report of the ACTIVAGE project: overcoming the barriers and seizing the opportunities for active ageing policies in Europe. http://www.iccrinternational.org/activage/en/index.html. Accessed 28 June 2012

  • Advisory Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men (2011) Opinion on the gender dimension of active ageing and solidarity between generations. http://ec.europa.eu/justice/gender-equality/files/opinion_active_ageing_en.pdf. Accessed 1 Sept 2012

  • Ahtonen A (2012) Healthy and active ageing: turning the ‘silver’ economy into gold. Policy brief. European Policy Centre, Brussels

  • Atkinson J (2001) Evaluation of New Deal 50+: research with individuals (Wave 2). Research Report ESR92. Employment Service, London

  • Bass S, Caro F, Chen Y (eds) (1993) Achieving a productive ageing society. Greenwood, Westport

    Google Scholar 

  • Botti F, Corsi M, D’Ippoliti C (2011) Active ageing and gender equality: a labour market perspective. Document de travail working paper No. 11–13, Brussels

  • Boudiny A (2012) ‘Active ageing’: from empty rhetoric to effective policy tool. Ageing Soc. doi:10.1017/S0144686X1200030X

  • Corsi M, Samek L (2010) Active ageing and gender equality policies. EGGSI report for the European Commission, DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, Brussels

  • Corsi M, Crepaldi C, Samek L (2009) Access to healthcare and long-term care: Equal for women and men? Report prepared by the EGGSI network. http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=418&langId=en&furtherPubs=yes. Accessed 25 Aug 2012

  • Curdova A (2010) Decent pensions for women, Doc 12274, Council of Europe. http://assembly.coe.int/Mainf.asp?link=/Documents/WorkingDocs/Doc10/EDOC12274.html. Accessed 20 July 2012

  • Davey J (2002) Active ageing and education in mid and later life. Ageing Soc 22:95–113. doi:10.1017/S0144686X02008528

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eichhorst W, Nielsen C, Gerard M, Rünstler G, Kendzia M, Url T, Mayrhuber C (2011) Pension systems in the EU: contingent liabilities and assets in the public and private sector, IZA Research Report No. 42. European Parliament, Brussels

  • Elder G (1975) Age differentiation and the life course. Annu Rev Soc 1:165–190

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eurofound (2011) Volunteering by older people in the EU. http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/publications/htmlfiles/ef1134.html. Accessed 15 Dec 2012

  • European Commission (EC) (1999) Towards a Europe for all ages. European Commission, Brussels

  • European Commission (EC) (2008) Gender mainstreaming of employment policies. A comparative review of 30 European countries. Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, Luxembourg

  • European Commission (EC) (2009) Dealing with the impact of an ageing population in the EU (2009 Ageing Report). European Commission, Brussels

  • European Commission (EC) (2010a) Private pension schemes: their role in adequate and sustainable pension. Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg

  • European Commission (EC) (2010b) Communication from the Commission. EUROPE 2020 a strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, Brussels, 3.3.2010 COM (2010) 2020 Final. http://eurex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2010:2020:FIN:EN:PDF. Accessed 20 July 2012

  • European Commission (EC) (2010c) 2012 to be European year for active ageing. DG employment social affairs and inclusion website. http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?langId=en&catId=89&newsId=860. Accessed 18 July 2012

  • European Commission (EC) (2011) Social Europe: employment and social developments in Europe 2011. European Commission, Brussels

  • European Commission (EC) (2012) Demography, active ageing and pensions: European commission guide volume 3. Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg

  • Eurostat (2010) European Labour Force Survey (ELFS). http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/labour_market/introduction. Accessed 19 July 2012

  • Eurostat (2012) Active ageing and solidarity between generations: A statistical portrait of the European Union 2012. The greying of the babyboomers: A century long view of ageing in European Populations. Statistical Office of the European Union, Eurostat

  • Foster L (2010) Towards a new political economy of pensions? The implications for women. Crit Soc Policy 30(1):27–47. doi:10.1177/0261018309350807

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Foster L (2011) Privatisation and pensions: what does this mean for women? J Poverty Soc Justice 19(2):103–115. doi:10.1332/175982711X573978

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Foster L (2012a) ‘I might not live that long!’ A study of young women’s pension planning in the United Kingdom. Soc Policy Adm 46(7):705–726. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9515.2012.00854.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Foster L (2012b) Active ageing and pensions in the EU. J Comp Soc Welfare 28(3):223–234. doi:10.1080/17486831.2012.753022

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frericks P, Maier R, de Graaf W (2009) Toward a neoliberal Europe? Pension reforms and transformed citizenship. Adm Soc 41:135–157. doi:10.1177/0095399708328874

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ginn J (2003) Gender pensions and the life course: how pensions need to adapt to changing family forms. Policy Press, Bristol

    Google Scholar 

  • Havighurst R (1963) Successful ageing. In: Williams R, Tibbitts C, Donahue W (eds) Process of ageing. Atherton, New York, pp 299–320

    Google Scholar 

  • Ilmarinen J (2010) 30 years of work ability and 20 years of age management in Finland. Paper given to 4th symposium on work ability, Finland

  • Itzin C, Phillipson C (1993) Age barriers at work: maximising the potential of mature and older people. Metropolitan Authorities Recruitment Agency, Solihull

    Google Scholar 

  • Leber U, Wagner A (2007) Early and phased retirement in European companies: establishment survey on working time 2004–2005. European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, Dublin

  • Leschke J (2011) Flexible working lives and pension coverage in Europe with a focus on women: Lessons to be learned by Germany reconciling work and welfare in Europe. A network of excellence of the European Commission’s sixth framework programme. RECWOWE, Edinburgh

  • Lewis J (2006) Work/family reconciliation, equal opportunities, and social policies: the interpretation of policy trajectories at the EU level and the meaning of gender equality. J Eur Public Policy 13(3):420–437. doi:10.1080=13501760600560490

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marin B, Zólyomi E (eds) (2010) Women’s work and pensions: What is good? What is best? Designing gender-sensitive arrangements. Ashgate, Aldershot

    Google Scholar 

  • Naegele G, Walker A (2007) Social protection: incomes, poverty and the reform of the pension systems. In: Bond J, Peace S, Dittmann-Kohli F, Westerhof G (eds) Ageing in society, 3rd edn. Sage, London, pp 142–166

    Google Scholar 

  • Pfeiffer E (ed) (1974) Successful aging: a conference report. Duke University, Durham

    Google Scholar 

  • Rubery J (2005) Reflections on gender mainstreaming: an example of feminist economics in action? Fem Econ 11(3):1–26. doi:10.1080/13545700500300876

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scharf T, Phillipson C, Smith A (2004) Poverty and social exclusion: growing older in deprived urban neighbourhoods. In: Walker A, Hagan Hennessy C (eds) Growing older: quality of life in old age. OU Press, Maidenhead, pp 168–200

  • Scottish Executive (2007) All our futures: planning for a Scotland with an ageing population: the evidence base. Scottish Executive, Edinburgh

    Google Scholar 

  • Squires J (2005) Is mainstreaming transformative? Theorizing mainstreaming in the context of diversity and deliberation. Soc Politics 12(3):366–388. doi:10.1093/sp/jxi020

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stenner P, McFarquhar T, Bowling A (2011) Older people and ‘active ageing’: subjective aspects of ageing actively. J Health Psych 16(3):467–477. doi:10.1177/1359105310384298

    Google Scholar 

  • Walker A (1997) Combating age barriers in employment. Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, Luxembourg

  • Walker A (2002) A strategy for active ageing. Int J Soc Secur 55(1):121–139. doi:10.1111/1468-246X.00118

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walker A (2005) A European perspective on quality of life in old age. Eur J Ageing 2:2–12. doi:10.1007/s10433-005-0500-0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walker A (2006) Active ageing in employment: its meaning and potential. Asia-Pacific Rev 13(1):78–93. doi:10.1080/13439000600697621

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walker A (2009) The emergence and application of active ageing in Europe. J Ageing Soc Policy 21:75–93

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walker A, Maltby T (1997) Ageing Europe. Open University Press, Milton Keynes

    Google Scholar 

  • Walker A, Maltby T (2012) Active ageing: a strategic policy solution to demographic ageing in the European union. Int J Soc Welfare 17(1):117–130. doi:10.1111/j.1468-2397.2012.00871.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organization (WHO) (1994) Health for all: updated targets. World Health Organisation, Copenhagen

    Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organization (WHO) (2002) Active ageing: a policy framework. World Health Organization, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organization (WHO) (2007) Women, ageing and health: a framework for action. World Health Organization, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • Zaidi A, Zolyomi E (2011) ‘Active ageing’ research note 7/2011. Produced by the social situation observatory, for the European commission, directorate-general for employment, social affairs and inclusion, Brussels

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sociological Studies, The University of Sheffield, Elmfield, Northumberland Road, Sheffield, S10 2TU, UK

    Liam Foster & Alan Walker

Authors
  1. Liam Foster
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Alan Walker
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Liam Foster.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Howard Litwin.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Foster, L., Walker, A. Gender and active ageing in Europe. Eur J Ageing 10, 3–10 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10433-013-0261-0

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10433-013-0261-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation